Are VPNs Legal to Use? (Hint: It Depends Where You Are)

VPNs are legal to use in most countries. However, there are a handful of countries that have laws or restrictions against using a virtual private network. These governments often prohibit VPNs so their citizens can't bypass censorship and access restricted content. 

Using a VPN can't legalize illegal activities. So if you use a VPN to cruise the dark web and engage in unlawful marketplaces, hiding your IP doesn't mean you're off the hook. But using a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic and protect your data is recommended, especially if you're browsing the dark web or trying to bypass internet censorship.

Whether it’s your internet service provider (ISP) collecting data or a hacker trying to steal your information, having the right online protections in place is important. Virtual private networks (VPNs) provide a way to help hide your online activity and protect your privacy.

Learn more about why you might use a VPN, whether it would be legal for you, and what the best VPN services are.

Best VPNs to bypass censorship

Is using a VPN legal?

Yes, VPNs are legal in most countries in the world, including the U.S. and the U.K.

You might consider using one for a variety of reasons, but a VPN's main purpose is to help protect you while you’re online. VPNs do this by masking your IP address and adding encryption to help prevent anyone from seeing where you’re located or what you’re doing online.

Here are a few reasons you might want to use a VPN:

• Hide your online searches
• Hide your uploads
• Hide your downloads
• Mask your physical location
• Keep sensitive information private

These are legal reasons to use a VPN. You likely don’t want a hacker accessing your credit card information or home address while using an open Wi-Fi network.

Using a VPN could help protect you and prevent identity theft. It can also stop your ISP from collecting and selling your personal data, such as your browsing history or health information.

It’s important to note that using a VPN won’t legalize any illegal activities. This means if an activity is already considered illegal where you live (for example, gambling or sports betting), using a VPN won’t change that — you would still be participating in illegal activity.

In the U.S., this could include torrenting copyrighted material, cyberbullying, and buying illegal drugs online. Torrenting copyrighted material typically includes downloading movies, shows, video games, or software without the proper permission.

Is it legal to stream with a VPN?

It’s generally legal to stream with a VPN in many countries, which could open up opportunities to stream content from around the world. For example, depending on where you live, Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services offer different streaming catalogs.

If you live in the U.S. and want to watch what’s available on Netflix in the U.K., you might use a VPN service to change your IP address to a location within the U.K. Although technically legal, this type of action typically goes against the terms of service for different streaming platforms.

Many popular streaming services block VPN use for different reasons, including licensing restrictions based on location. A provider like Netflix might have a license to include certain content in its library, but only in select countries. If you try to use a known VPN IP address to skirt the geographical restrictions, you’re likely to get an error message. (But that doesn't mean you can't simply switch servers and try again.)

In many cases, this will be the extent of your attempt to use a VPN with a streaming service — you simply won’t be able to stream anything until you turn off the VPN. However, it’s possible that a streaming service could ban you or suspend your account if you use a VPN for streaming.

Where is it illegal to use a VPN?

Although VPNs from legitimate companies are generally legal to use worldwide, certain countries restrict or ban their usage. If you use VPNs and travel, consider the VPN laws in these countries:

Belarus

Belarus bans VPNs and most internet access to foreign websites entirely.

China

China is known for its internet censorship laws under “The Great Firewall of China,” which limits how the internet is used within its borders. This includes banning non-government-approved VPNs.

However, the legality of using a VPN in China is a bit vague. To err on the side of caution, it’s likely better to avoid using VPNs if you’re visiting China.

Iran

Iran tends to block VPNs unless they’re government-approved. This doesn’t mean a VPN won’t work in Iran, but the majority of VPNs aren’t allowed.

Iraq

Iraq bans the use of VPNs. This is thought to be a response to help counteract propaganda efforts on the world wide web and social media by terrorist organizations.

North Korea

North Korea bans VPNs for its citizens, but are VPNs illegal for foreigners? It’s uncertain.

Oman

The country of Oman has a gray area with the legality of VPNs. But as a country with internet censorship in place, it’s likely best to avoid using one.

Russia

Russia has restricted VPN use in the past. VPNs, in general, don’t appear to be illegal, but you need to use a government-approved service. However, you might want to avoid accessing any sites that the Russian government blocks.

Turkey

Turkey restricts VPN use. This could mean VPNs are still legal to use in Turkey, but you’d have to find one that is government-approved. You would also want to avoid accessing any blocked websites if you use a VPN.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan bans the use of VPNs. Turkmenistan has heavy censorship rules and internet restrictions in place. This isn’t a country with much internet freedom.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE condemns the use of VPNs for illegal activities, but VPN use doesn’t appear to be illegal in the UAE. However, certain VPN providers could be blocked so you'll have to find a government-approved service.

Keep in mind that rules and laws are constantly changing in different countries. If you’re a frequent traveler, it likely makes sense to research technology laws for foreign countries before you visit them.

Additional countries that ban or restrict VPNs

• Egypt
• India
• Mynamar
• Pakistan 
• Uganda
• Venezuela

Is it safe to use a VPN?

It’s typically safe to use a VPN as long as you’re in a location where they aren’t banned or restricted. For security purposes, popular VPN services that you pay for are generally safe and secure to use.

Free VPNs might not offer the same security standards as paid options, and it’s always in your best interest to compare different VPN offerings. Here are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a VPN service:

Internet speed

It’s normal to experience slower internet speeds with a VPN, but you likely don’t want a service that completely halts your internet usage. Check reviews to see which VPN services have the least impact on your internet speed. Keep in mind that if you already have slow internet, it will still be slow with a VPN.

Security

Research the type of security protocols in place for each VPN service, including their encryption type, a kill switch to disconnect your internet if the VPN drops, and multi-factor authentication. You also might want a VPN with a no-logs policy, which means the service itself won’t track your internet traffic. Examples of services with no-logs policies include NordVPN and Surfshark.

Coverage

How many VPN servers does a company offer, and where are they located? Having more servers and more locations gives you options for choosing the best setup for your VPN usage. For example, NordVPN offers 7,600+ servers in 118 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and more.

Ease of use

If a VPN isn’t easy to use, such as simply choosing a server and pressing a button to connect, you might want to look into other options. Many of the best VPN services offer straightforward functionality.

Free trial

You might be unable to tell if a VPN has everything you’re looking for until you try it out. Take advantage of free trials and money-back guarantees to find a service that suits your needs.

Price

Many VPNs don’t cost much more than a few bucks a month if you sign up for a year or more at a time. But remember to consider what benefits you get with the price when comparing services.

Customer service

If you run into any hiccups, will someone be there to help? Research what a VPN’s customer service is like through online reviews or by testing it yourself when using a free trial.

Multiple devices

You may not want to use a VPN on your computer — luckily, there are VPN apps on mobile devices as well. Compare different VPN companies to see what their device limits are and the types of devices you can use.

Why should you use a VPN?

In addition to using antivirus software to protect against malware and a password vault to secure your login credentials, a VPN is another layer of security contributing to your overall protection against hackers and cyberthreats. With a legitimate VPN, you’re able to hide your online activities and keep sensitive information private.

There are a lot of benefits to using a VPN. 

A VPN can keep sensitive work information safe, but it could also protect your personal financial information. For example, connecting to a public Wi-Fi network at the airport or a restaurant could give hackers opportunities to access your internet activity.

This typically wouldn’t matter much for most activities, but what if you log into an account or enter credit card information to make a purchase? This information could fall into the wrong hands, setting you up for fraudulent purchases and/or identity theft.

A VPN could protect you in this and other situations, whether on public or private Wi-Fi. Encrypting your connection and masking your IP address makes it much more difficult for hackers to access any of your data.

FAQs

Bottom line

VPNs are generally legal to use worldwide, though you have to be wary of different laws in certain countries. This is helpful for everyday individuals and travelers because proper use of a VPN could help improve your online protection — potentially safeguarding you from cybersecurity threats.

However, keep in mind that any illegal online activities using a VPN would still be considered illegal. Downloading copyrighted material and engaging in certain activities on the dark web are illegal in the U.S.