California companion chatbot law (SB 243): requirements, deadlines and compliance actions
California SB 243: Companion chatbots (Chapter 677, Statutes of 2025)
What this label means
- Verified
- — a named reviewer opened the official source and confirmed the record; the date and the reviewer are shown.
- Pending review
- — linked to the official source and in the queue for a reviewer to confirm.
- Source-linked
- — linked to the official source, not yet confirmed by a reviewer.
On this page 7 sections
In brief
The California companion chatbot law (SB 243) is a binding act of California (United States), issued by California State Legislature. It was adopted on 13 October 2025. Companion chatbot platforms offered to users in California. Every record here links to its official source and states its verification status.
- Jurisdiction
- California (United States)
- Instrument type
- Act / statute
- Status
- Adopted
- Legal force
- Binding
- Issuing body
- California State Legislature
- Adopted
- 13 October 2025
- Official source
- California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status
- Verification
- Pending review · source-linked, checked 15 Oct 2026
What is the California companion chatbot law (SB 243)?
Operators of companion chatbots must disclose that the chatbot is AI and maintain a protocol for responding to suicidal ideation and self-harm that refers users to crisis services. Users known to be minors get break reminders and protection from sexual content. Annual reports to the Office of Suicide Prevention begin 1 July 2027, and a person injured by a violation can bring a civil action.
Status note: Recorded on 15 October 2026 from search-engine extracts of the official pages listed; the official text could not be opened from the research environment, so every date and duty here is pending review against it.
Who does it apply to?
Companion chatbot platforms offered to users in California.
Operators of companion chatbot platforms.
- AI use cases
- AI in healthcareCustomer service and chatbots
- Risk categories
- Transparency obligations
- AI system types
- Chatbot / conversational agent
When do the requirements apply?
Chaptered 13 October 2025; annual reports from 1 July 2027.
The general effective date and the statutory damages figure were not confirmed.
Official sources
-
California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status
California Legislative Information · 13 Oct 2025 · Tier 1 source
Cite this record
AIPolicyTracker (2026). “California companion chatbot law (SB 243)” [AIPT-POL-0210, record version 1, not yet verified]. https://aipolicytracker.org/id/AIPT-POL-0210 (accessed 21 October 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.
Permanent id AIPT-POL-0210: it never changes or gets reused, and its address keeps working if this page moves.
Cite the official text alongside it: California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status, California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243.
BibTeX
@misc{aipolicytracker2026_californiacompanionchatb,
author = {{AIPolicyTracker}},
title = {{California companion chatbot law (SB 243)}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/us-california-sb-243-companion-chatbots}},
url = {https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/us-california-sb-243-companion-chatbots},
urldate = {2026-10-21},
note = {Data licensed CC BY 4.0. Accessed 21 October 2026}
}
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Change history
Record history
No change to this record's tracked fields has been recorded since 15 October 2026, when field-level history began.
Record version 1: Added in the October 2026 sub-national research round. Recorded on 15 October 2026 from search-engine extracts of the official pages listed; the official text could not be opened from the research environment, so every date and duty here is pending review against it. Every earlier wording is in the GitHub repository.
Frequently asked questions
Is the California companion chatbot law (SB 243) in force?
Not yet. The California companion chatbot law (SB 243) has been adopted (13 October 2025).
Is the California companion chatbot law (SB 243) legally binding?
Yes. The California companion chatbot law (SB 243) is a binding act / statute; the obligations it creates are legal requirements for the actors it covers.
Who does the California companion chatbot law (SB 243) apply to?
Companion chatbot platforms offered to users in California.
When does the California companion chatbot law (SB 243) apply?
Chaptered 13 October 2025; annual reports from 1 July 2027.
Where is the official text of the California companion chatbot law (SB 243)?
The official text is published by California Legislative Information at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243 (California Legislative Information: SB 243 (2025-2026) status). This record links to it and is checked against it.
Disclaimer: informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult a qualified lawyer before acting.