The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2025
Source: legislation.gov.uk (2025-07-21)

These Regulations are the sixth commencement regulations made under the Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50) (“the 2023 Act”). They bring into force section 210 of the 2023 Act, which repeals the video-sharing platform regulatory regime under Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (“the 2003 Act”). Services known as “pre-existing Part 4B services” (defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 17 to the 2023 Act) have been regulated under both the 2003 Act and the 2023 Act since entering a transition period on 10th January 2024. Detailed transitional arrangements are provided for in Schedule 17 to the 2023 Act.

Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 888 (C. 39)

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2025

Made

17th July 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 240(1) and (2) of the Online Safety Act 2023(1 (\"#f00001\")).

Citation and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2025.

(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Provisions coming into force on 25th July 2025

2. Section 210 of the Online Safety Act 2023 (repeal of Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003(2 (\"#f00002\"))) comes into force on 25th July 2025.

Jones of Whitchurch

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

17th July 2025

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are the sixth commencement regulations made under the Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2023/50\") (“the 2023 Act”). They bring into force section 210 of the 2023 Act, which repeals the video-sharing platform regulatory regime under Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2003/21\") (“the 2003 Act”). Services known as “pre-existing Part 4B services” (defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 17 to the 2023 Act) have been regulated under both the 2003 Act and the 2023 Act since entering a transition period on 10th January 2024. Detailed transitional arrangements are provided for in Schedule 17 to the 2023 Act.

These Regulations mark the end of the transition period. From 25th July 2025, pre-existing Part 4B services will be regulated wholly under the 2023 Act and will be subject to each of the relevant duties of care specified in Part 3 of the 2023 Act.

A full impact assessment has been published in relation to the 2023 Act and copies can be obtained from the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-enactment-impact-assessment (\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-enactment-impact-assessment\") or from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology at 100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT Regulations

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The following provisions of the Online Safety Act 2023 have been brought into force, or are being brought into force, by commencement Regulations made before the date of these Regulations. On the date these Regulations are made, the commencement date of provisions marked * has not been reached.

ProvisionDate of CommencementS.I. No.section 7 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 8 to 1710th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")Schedule 310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 1910th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 20 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 21 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 2210th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 23 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 24 to 3310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 34 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 35 to 4010th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 41 (remainder)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 49 to 5110th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 52 (remainder)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 53 (remainder)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 5410th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 6510th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*section 66 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")sections 67 and 6810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*section 69 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 72 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 7310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 7610th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 77 and 78 and Schedule 8 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*Schedule 8 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 80 (partially) and Schedule 910th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 8117th January 20252024/1333 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1333\")sections 83 to 89 and Schedule 1010th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 9210th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 95 to 9710th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 100 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 100 (partially)17th January 20252024/1333 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1333\")*section 100 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 1011st April 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 102 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 102 (remainder)1st April 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 10310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 104 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 104 (partially)17th January 20252024/1333 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1333\")*section 104 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")sections 105 to 108 and Schedule 1210th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 109 to 11310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 114 (partially)22nd November 20232023/1242 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1242\")section 114 (remainder)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 118 and 11910th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 120 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*section 120 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")sections 121 to 12810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 130 to 13510th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 136 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 136 (remainder)17th January 20252024/1333 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1333\")section 13710th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 138 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 138 (remainder)17th January 20252024/1333 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1333\")sections 139 to 15010th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")Schedule 1310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 152 and 15310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 154 (remainder)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 155 to 15910th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 16110th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 162 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 163 to 16810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 171 to 17810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 179 to 191 and Schedule 1431st January xx-xxxx-xxxx (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/31\")section 19210th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 195 to 198 and Schedule 1510th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 199 to 203 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*sections 199 to 203 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 204 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*section 204 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 205 (partially)10th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")*section 205 (partially)3rd November 20252025/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2025/371\")section 20610th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 20810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 209 and Schedule 1610th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 211 and Schedule 1710th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 21310th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")sections 215 to 21810th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")section 22010th January 20242023/1420 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1420\")

(1)

2023 c. 50 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2023/50\"). Section 240(3) of that Act prevents section 210 from being commenced before the end of the period of six months beginning with the date specified in regulations made under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 3. Regulation 2 of S.I. 2024/571 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/571\") specified that date as 2nd September 2024.

(2)

2003 c. 21 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2003/21\").