Safety & the law
Is Tor legal where you live?
In most of the world, using Tor is completely legal. But “most” isn't “everywhere”: a few governments block Tor, and a smaller number penalize the use of unapproved privacy tools. This guide goes country by country, carefully separating what's blocked from what's actually illegal.
Quick answer
The short version
Tor is legal in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the rest of the EU, Australia, and India. It is blocked in China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan. In a few countries, notably China and Iran, using unlicensed circumvention tools is itself prohibited. Almost nowhere is there a law that names Tor. What's illegal offline stays illegal on Tor.
Not legal advice
This is general information based on public sources, current as of the date above. Laws change, and enforcement differs from what's written. If you're unsure about your own situation, check local rules or talk to a lawyer.
Blocked, illegal, or shut down? Three different things
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Blocked
The government or internet providers try to stop Tor from connecting, for example by blocking Tor's relays or the torproject.org website. It's a technical barrier, not necessarily a law against you. Bridges exist to get around exactly this.
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Illegal to use
A law penalizes people for using Tor or similar tools. This is much rarer, and where it exists it's usually written about “unauthorized VPNs” or “circumvention tools” in general, not Tor by name.
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Shut down
During protests, elections, or wars, some governments cut off the internet entirely. When that happens, Tor can't connect either, because there's nothing to connect through.
Where Tor is legal: the US, UK, Canada, EU, Australia & India
In all of these countries, downloading and using Tor is legal. None of them has a law that bans it. Here's what's worth knowing in each:
| Country | Using Tor | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Legal | No federal law restricts online anonymity or encryption. Tor began as US Naval Research Lab research, and the US government has long helped fund the Tor Project. A few state bills have targeted VPNs, but none has become law. |
| United Kingdom | Legal | No law bans Tor. Laws such as RIPA can require people under investigation to hand over passwords or decryption keys. The Online Safety Act's age checks don't ban Tor or VPNs for adults. |
| Canada | Legal | Anonymity and encryption tools aren't restricted, and using them carries no civil or criminal penalty. |
| Germany & the EU | Legal | Germany is one of the biggest hosts of Tor relays in the world. German law targets people who run platforms built for crime, not Tor users. There's no EU-wide ban. |
| Australia | Legal | No restrictions on anonymous communication. The under-16 social media rules expect platforms to detect evasion; they don't ban VPNs or Tor. |
| India | Legal | No law against Tor, and over 100,000 people connect from India every day. VPN companies must keep user records (2022 rules). Some districts of Jammu & Kashmir have temporarily suspended VPN use, so local orders can matter. |
The same rule applies everywhere: Tor doesn't make an illegal act legal. Using it to read the news or protect your privacy is fine; using it to commit a crime is still a crime. (More on that in is Tor legal?)
Where Tor is blocked (2026)
These countries actively try to stop Tor from connecting. In most of them, people still get through using bridges, but the situation changes often.
| Country | What's happening | What has helped |
|---|---|---|
| China | Blocked since 2009. The firewall also hunts down bridges. | WebTunnel, Snowflake, meek |
| Iran | Blocked since 2011, with long nationwide internet shutdowns in 2025 and 2026. | Snowflake, WebTunnel, obfs4 (when the internet is up) |
| Russia | Blocked since December 2021, including torproject.org. Censors also block bridges and some hosting providers. | obfs4; WebTunnel, especially on mobile networks; Snowflake |
| Belarus | ISPs have been ordered to block anonymizers, Tor included, since 2015. Direct connections dropped sharply in 2026. | Bridges, mainly obfs4 |
| Turkmenistan | One of the most restricted internets in the world. | Snowflake; obfs4 bridges on lesser-known hosts |
Partial or on-and-off blocking has also been measured in several other countries. In Egypt it varies by internet provider; in Myanmar, VPN blocking was ordered in 2024. In Venezuela and Kazakhstan the torproject.org website has been blocked while the Tor network itself stayed reachable. Turkey blocked Tor in 2016, but it is generally reachable today.
Trying to connect from one of these countries?
Start with Tor Browser's built-in “Try a Bridge” option, then follow our Tor not connecting guide and the WebTunnel setup steps. Only get bridges from official sources.
Where using Tor can carry legal risk
Very few laws mention Tor by name. Where there's legal risk, it usually comes from broader rules about unapproved VPNs and “circumvention tools,” or from what someone does while using them:
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China
Unlicensed VPNs have been banned since 2017, and individuals have occasionally been fined for using them. Enforcement is selective, but Tor falls into the same category of unapproved tools.
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Iran
Unlicensed VPNs were banned in 2024, and officials have said using illegal VPNs can be prosecuted. Tor isn't a licensed tool.
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Russia
Simply using Tor or a VPN is not an offense. But since 2025, deliberately searching for officially “extremist” material can be fined, VPN or not. And using circumvention tools while committing a crime counts as an aggravating factor.
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United Arab Emirates
Using any tool to hide your IP address in order to commit or conceal a crime can mean prison and fines of AED 500,000 to 2 million. Authorities have said lawful VPN use isn't restricted.
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Belarus, Turkmenistan, Myanmar
The published rules mainly target providers or order blocking. But there are credible reports of authorities pressuring, fining, or detaining people over VPN apps, especially in Turkmenistan and Myanmar.
The Tor Project's own training materials make the same point: in some countries, using Tor can be treated as illegal or anti-government activity under broader laws. If you live somewhere like this, weigh your personal risk, not just whether you can technically connect. Remember that your internet provider can often see that you use Tor, even though it can't see what you do. Bridges make that harder to spot.
How to check the current situation yourself
Blocking changes month to month. These independent sources show what's happening right now:
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OONI Explorer
Measurements from volunteers around the world, showing which sites and tools are blocked in each country: explorer.ooni.org.
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Tor Metrics
How many people connect to Tor from each country, directly or through bridges. A sudden drop often signals a new block: metrics.torproject.org.
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The Tor Project's censorship guide
Official advice for connecting from censored regions, including China, Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan: support.torproject.org.
The bottom line
If you live in the US, UK, Canada, the EU, Australia, or India, using Tor is legal, full stop. Your only legal concern is the same as with any browser: what you do with it. In countries that block Tor, the obstacle is usually technical, and bridges are built for it. In the handful of places where unapproved tools can bring penalties, make an informed, personal decision. This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tor illegal in the US?
No. Downloading and using Tor is legal in the United States. No federal law restricts online anonymity or the use of encryption, and Tor itself began as research at the US Naval Research Lab. What matters legally is what you do online: anything illegal without Tor is still illegal with it.
Is Tor illegal in the UK?
No. Using Tor is legal in the United Kingdom, and no UK law bans it. Some laws, such as RIPA, can require people under investigation to hand over passwords or decryption keys, and the Online Safety Act requires age checks on some sites. None of these makes using Tor itself illegal for adults.
Is Tor legal in Canada?
Yes. Anonymity and encryption tools aren't restricted in Canada, and using them carries no civil or criminal penalty. As everywhere, illegal activity stays illegal no matter which browser you use.
Which countries block or ban Tor?
Tor is actively blocked in China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan, and partial blocking has been measured in a few others, such as Egypt and Myanmar. Blocking isn't the same as a ban: few countries have a law that targets Tor by name. But in China and Iran, using unlicensed circumvention tools is itself prohibited, and in the UAE, using any tool to hide your identity while committing a crime carries heavy penalties.
Is Tor legal in India?
Yes. There's no law against using Tor in India, and over 100,000 people connect from India every day. Rules from 2022 require VPN companies to keep user records, but they apply to VPN providers, not Tor users. Some districts of Jammu & Kashmir have temporarily suspended VPN use, so local orders can matter.