A VPN is a service that provides a lot of valuable benefits at a relatively low price. For a few dollars a month, you can bypass geo-restrictions, enjoy blazing-fast internet speeds, save money on online purchases, or simply use a VPN to get on the dark web anonymously.
However, due to their generous offerings, people are always asking themselves “Are VPNs legal?”. After all, they let you unblock restricted (forbidden) content and everything you do online is completely anonymous, so much so that even the authorities can’t trace your online activities.
With that in mind, we aim to answer the question of “Are VPNs legal?” and explain how, when, and where it is legal to use such a service. For now, I’ll just tell you that each country has different policies and laws, so your location definitely matters when it comes to Virtual Private Network usage.
Are VPNs Legal in the US?
Let’s start by talking about the United States. Most of our readers are statistically from the United States and since we’re promoting cyber security and VPN usage, it’s quite important to clarify some things. The US is known for its extensive online freedom and pretty much no censorship.
In 2024, things are a bit different but the fact that VPNs are legal in the US remains. In this country, it’s absolutely allowed and legal to use a provider of your choice to safeguard your privacy, unblock websites, and enjoy the internet without ISP throttling.
We have many friends and acquaintances in this country and they reported that not a single provider is blocked there. You can use ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, NordVPN, or any other provider with no issues. In fact, if you live in the US, be aware of government surveillance and the general lack of privacy online.
For people living in this country, or perhaps the UK, Canada, Australia, or the European Union (where VPNs are 100% legal), I recommend using ExpressVPN.
It’s a true no-log provider with the fastest speeds and lots of security features that come with a 49% discount and 3 free months for the annual plan, so it’s really affordable. Plus, it has a 30-day refund period for all plans, giving you the opportunity to get a refund in the first 30 days.
Are there any instances in which using a VPN is illegal in this country? Well, there actually are.
When Are VPNs Illegal in the US?
Unfortunately, while VPNs allow you to do millions of things online, for some of them, you can get in trouble. Of course, we’re talking about illegal online activities that you shouldn’t perform even when shrouded in an impenetrable, safe, and secure connection to a Virtual Private Network.
Engaging in Illegal Marketplaces
If you’re getting on the dark web often and you browse through forums, watch videos, or read educational stuff, you’re doing nothing wrong. The dark web is NOT illegal to visit and many people even buy things from this part of the internet using cryptocurrencies.
However, if you use a VPN with Tor to access marketplaces where hitman services, drugs, and guns are sold, you might get in trouble. This is something you should never do, despite the fact that a safe and secure VPN like ExpressVPN, for example, offers a no-logging policy and doesn’t track your activities.
Downloading Pirated Content (from Torrent Sites)
The United States is hell-bent on stopping piracy in its tracks and it does so efficiently with users who don’t use Virtual Private Networks. Are VPNs legal for torrenting, by the way? Yes, they are, but only as long as you download copyright-free files from torrent sites.
For instance, downloading Linux from The Pirate Bay won’t get you in trouble because it’s open-source and its license belongs to no one. Now, if you were to download pirated content, such as a new AAA game, movie, or series, that practice should never be repeated.
Sure, a VPN will let you download torrents safely and if you use a provider that leaks no personal data, you’ll have no problems. But, as said, downloading pirated content is frowned upon in every country and our team will NEVER recommend using a Virtual Private Network for this illegal purpose.
Spread Online Hatred and/or Engage in Cyberbullying
Do we need to explain this? I mean, why would you bully someone online? Why would you spread hatred and stalk someone? And don’t ask me if it’s legal to use a VPN for this purpose because you damn well know it’s not.
Where Is It Illegal To Use a VPN?
To make things clear, if you’re wondering if VPNs are legal, I can say that in 99% of the cases, you won’t have any trouble using them. I mean, the entire world uses this type of service for whatever purposes and so far, not a single person ended up in jail for using a provider like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, for instance.
On the other hand, you should know that some countries are in the so-called “grey area” which means that there are some limitations regarding VPN usage. What’s more, some countries completely forbid the use of this service, and in those countries, you shouldn’t even consider using one.
In this section of our article, we will talk about some of the most notable examples to make sure that, if you ever end up in these countries, take some precautions.
Countries With Some Restrictions
Let’s first take a look at the countries that restrict Virtual Private Network usage to an extent, but still allow you to use one without potential issues.
The United Arab Emirates
The UAE is a heavily censored country, although at first, it doesn’t seem like it. The reality is that its two main (and only) telecom operators Du and Etisalat are behind many website bans. The country, for example, blocks VoIP services like WhatsApp and Skype, preventing their use altogether.
Instead, they offer some alternatives like C’Me and BOTIM which are made by those operators to be able to monitor your chats and have total control over your conversations. This made people look for solutions and quickly, they started using a VPN for WhatsApp and other VoIP services in the UAE.
That said, using a VPN in the UAE is LEGAL but there are certain restrictions when it comes to using it for illegal purposes. If you use it in this country, I recommend avoiding political discussions or watching porn because the country strongly forbids these practices.
Plus, many applications are blocked in the country as well, so not every provider will work. If you live here, your best bet is to use ExpressVPN. It’s a provider I personally tested multiple times in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and never had any issues using it.
Turkey
Turkey is yet another censored country. Much like the previous country, this one will control what you can do or visit online but also spy on your online activities to impose censorship.
If you live in this country, you know access to many popular apps and websites is forbidden, and that even includes some social media platforms. For example, you can’t access Facebook, Twitter, and even YouTube if you’re located in Turkey.
Interestingly, using a VPN in this country is legal and so far, no one ended up in jail for using one. The trick, however, is that many VPNs are blocked, meaning that you can’t just pick a random one. For Turkey, ExpressVPN and NordVPN will work without issues as they’re great for bypassing censorship.
Russia
Are VPNs legal in Russia? Let’s see. As some of you know, this is also a censored country, and although not as harsh as China or North Korea, some restrictions are imposed. Using a VPN is legal in Russia but keep in mind that, much like Turkey, this country also blocks the websites of certain providers.
By that, we mean providers that don’t want to comply with the authorities, and as such, they’re not approved by the government. However, you can still use ExpressVPN, for example, even though, at some point, its website might be blocked in Russia.
That’s because it offers the “onion” version of the site on the dark web where you can still subscribe to it and download it with no issues. You won’t get in jail for using a Virtual Private Network in Russia but make sure you’re doing it properly by not engaging in illegal online activities.
China
China is a beautiful country that I hope to visit one day. However, as much as I like it, I can’t get over the fact that their government restricts a huge portion of the internet. Are VPNs legal in China? Well, let’s say they are but they’re very restricted and in more than 90% of the cases, completely unusable.
Let me explain. The Great Firewall of China is a name for censorship measures applied by the government. This measure blocks 8,000+ websites, even including Google services, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, and tons of other websites and apps.
Even worse is the fact that they block Virtual Private Networks if they’re not licensed by the government. If a service doesn’t want to cooperate with the government and provide user information, it’s simply banned and doesn’t work, preventing people from using it.
Despite Chinese harsh censorship and extreme government surveillance which looks like a mild form of transhumanism, using a VPN won’t land you in jail in this country. That is if you’re using it for legal activities, such as browsing the web anonymously or watching geo-restricted content.
Be aware that the VPNs that work in China are few and far between. So far, ExpressVPN is the only one that works 100% reliably but providers like NordVPN and Surfshark can also work. Some people even use Astrill VPN, a provider known for extremely high prices.
It’s extremely good in China but comes at a hefty price that goes beyond $15 a month. As a result, using NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark seems like a more sensible option.
Countries Where VPNs Are 100% Illegal
In this part, we’ll examine the countries where it’s completely illegal to use a VPN. These countries will put you in jail for using a Virtual Private Network, so you shouldn’t try to use one whilst residing in them.
North Korea
If you think the UAE and China are the worst in terms of censorship and VPN usage, take a look at North Korea. People in North Korea can’t access the internet. They, instead, have an intranet called Kwangmyong, which is controlled by the North Korean government.
“Real” internet access is allowed only to a minority of people, out of which, pretty much all of them are government officials. Are VPNs legal in North Korea, you might ask? Sadly, the answer is NO. Unlike the situation in China or the UAE, here, you CAN and WILL get in jail for using such a service.
Belarus
Belarus had a fair share of protests regarding alleged voting fraud. The authorities took things into their own hands and blocked many anonymous VoIP services and websites that are often used to organize protests, such as Telegram, which is inaccessible in this country.
However, the government went a step further by blocking ALL technology and software used for anonymizing your traffic, which includes VPNs. In fact, they are completely forbidden in this country since 2015 and any attempt to use this service can be troublesome and potentially get you in jail.
Iraq
If you’re wondering if VPNs are legal in Iraq, the answer is NO. The country operates similarly to China in the way that it blocks thousands of websites and applications, resulting in the inability to access social media sites and other popular platforms.
The silver lining is that its technology isn’t as advanced as that of China, so you can find some holes in its firewall from time to time. The bad thing is that you can’t use a VPN to unblock Prime Video or any other website because it’s illegal.
Iraq might not detect your VPN usage at first, but despite their slightly outdated technology, the authorities can still track some users and land them in jail for an illegal attempt to use this service. In short, don’t try to use it in this country.
Turkmenistan
Last but not least, we should mention Turkmenistan, a country known for excessive censorship, government surveillance, and a strong clench on the internet in the country. Are VPNs legal in Turkmenistan? Unfortunately no, and this law came to fruition back in 2015.
Turkmenet, the ISP in this country blocks ALL proxy and Virtual Private Network services, making it impossible to use them in this country. To make things worse, social media sites are completely inaccessible in Turkmenistan and you can’t watch YouTube videos or use VoIP services like Telegram.
Turkmenistan does everything in its power to become the enemy of the internet. And I can tell you it succeeded masterfully. Not only are the internet prices in the country very expensive but users who are caught using a VPN will have to pay a pretty hefty fine as a result.
Conclusion
So what can we conclude based on everything we said? To be honest, there’s no single answer to the question: are VPNs legal? Given their ability to anonymize your connection and make everything you do online invisible to anyone else, Virtual Private Networks are great for privacy-aware people.
The bad thing about this is that VPNs can also be used for illegal purposes that ISPs and the authorities won’t be able to track, meaning that people can download pirated content, sell/buy drugs, and everything else and still not get detected.
Because of that, we understand why laws and regulations regarding VPN usage are so different. One thing is certain and that is the fact that illegal activities done with a VPN are still illegal, so we don’t recommend doing anything against the law.
If you’re using a VPN for downloading torrents, download only copyright-free torrents. If you’re using it to browse the dark web, stick to legal sites and avoid black markets that sell drugs, hitman services, weapons, poisons, or anything similar.
And if you’re located in a country where using a VPN is illegal, such as North Korea, Iraq, Turkmenistan, and Belarus, DO NOT use this service. Finally, if you’re not sure which provider to use, your safest bet is to go for ExpressVPN or even NordVPN, as they’ll work properly in every country.
Of course, make sure to use them only in countries where VPNs are permitted, which is the majority of the world, except for a few exceptions we talked about.
Is Using a VPN Legal? Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s finish this article by answering a few frequently asked questions related to this topic.
Are VPNs legal in Europe?
Yes, they’re legal in almost every European country and can be used with no limits. The exception to that rule, of course, is Russia, which limits VPN usage, as well as Belarus, which completely forbids it.
On the other hand, Wester, Southern, and Northern European countries can all enjoy the great benefits of a VPN service like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, and many others.
Is it legal to use a VPN for streaming on geo-restricted platforms?
Well, it technically isn’t legal because of the terms and conditions of streaming platforms. Netflix, for example, openly forbids using IP-changing tools to alter your region and access more movies and series, but you won’t end up in jail for doing that.
The same can be said about Amazon Prime Video, for example. Betting sites and online casinos also forbid using IP-changing services to access them abroad (see our article about using a VPN on Stake), but once again, no one got jailed for doing that. To put it simply, it is legal but it’s against the terms and conditions of these platforms.
The worst that can happen is the termination of your account on a particular platform but interestingly, we haven’t heard of a case like that so far. That is if we don’t count betting sites that can sometimes detect and ban your account for using an IP-changing service.
Are there illegal VPNs?
No, there’s no such thing as illegal VPNs. It’s only a matter of your jurisdiction and its laws. All providers are legal companies that operate under certain conditions, so we can’t call any service “illegal.”
However, if you live in a country where the use of this service is forbidden, it’s considered illegal in that country and shouldn’t be used. Let’s take ExpressVPN. This company operates legally but if you live in North Korea, you can’t use ExpressVPN because all VPNs are illegal in this country.
Which VPNs can bypass censorship?
When discussing the legality of VPN services, it’s good to reflect on censorship. Many countries will block VPN connections but not necessarily deem this software illegal. One example is China, where it’s pretty hard to get a VPN working.
In this case, you might be wondering which provider to use to get over censorship. As explained many times, we think ExpressVPN works really well thanks to in-built obfuscation that can get over the Great Firewall. Another choice can be NordVPN and its obfuscated servers.
This VPN is almost on par with ExpressVPN, offering substantial performance and 5,500+ servers. People often use Surfshark with NoBorders, which helps to circumvent censorship tremendously. Albeit, this cheap service is an octave below ExpressVPN and NordVPN, so it’s not always our go-to option.
Are proxies legal?
Proxies and VPNs are nothing alike, although many people still compare them. Yes, proxies are usually legal, and there are tons of them online. Free proxies, in particular, are easy to use but they’re unsafe and often pose a security threat.
Our team is strongly against free proxies because they don’t have encryption and won’t let you get over censorship like VPNs. Some exclusions to this rule are Shadowsocks and SOCKS5 proxies but they’re usually a part of the VPN service like PIA and a few others.
Paid proxies are relatively secure but their difficult setup and unjustifiably expensive prices won’t do you any good. In the end, proxies and VPNs change your IP address and let you get over certain restrictions. Thus, if a VPN is illegal in your country, chances are that the same applies to proxy services.
