TikTok Rules in Vietnam (2026): Mandatory ID Verification, Under-16 & Decree 147

Vietnam requires real-identity verification to post, comment or go live on TikTok — one of the strictest account regimes among major markets. Decree 147 reshaped the platform in 2024–2025. Here is what applies, fully sourced.

TL;DR — key takeaways

• Identity verification is mandatory to post/comment/livestream — by Vietnamese phone number or national ID (CCCD).
• Under-16 users cannot self-register — a parent/guardian must register and supervise the account.
• Commercial livestreamers face an extra tier: ID-number verification, and the platform must be registered to offer monetised livestreams.
• 24-hour government takedown clock (48 hours for user complaints) — far tighter than most jurisdictions.
• Data localization + local presence can be compelled by the Ministry of Public Security.

Quick reference

Is TikTok legal in Vietnam?

Yes — legal and widely used, though under heavy government scrutiny (TikTok Vietnam underwent a comprehensive regulator inspection in 2023 over content-moderation and youth-protection failings). Since 25 December 2024, TikTok — like all large cross-border platforms — must comply with Decree 147/2024/ND-CP to keep operating. (Tilleke & Gibbins, VOA)

Mandatory identity verification (the headline rule)

Under Decree 147/2024/ND-CP (effective 25 Dec 2024), both onshore and regulated offshore social-network providers — TikTok included — must authenticate every account via a Vietnamese mobile phone number, or, if the user has none, a personal identification number (CCCD / national ID). Only verified accounts may post, comment, or livestream; anyone livestreaming for commercial purposes must verify by ID number. Providers must store each user's full name, date of birth, and phone/ID number. Existing users had a 90-day window (to ~25 March 2025) to comply. The decree applies to offshore providers hitting 100,000+ monthly Vietnamese visits over 6 consecutive months. (Decree 147/2024/ND-CP – Official Gazette, Báo Chính phủ (Government newspaper), Tilleke & Gibbins)

Minimum age & under-16 rules

TikTok's global minimum is 13. Vietnam layers on Decree 147: for under-16 users, a parent or legal guardian must register the account, supervise activity, and consent to posting. Vietnam also imposes under-18 gaming time limits (60 min/session, 180 min/day per game) as part of the same youth-protection push. (TikTok age-appropriate experiences, VnExpress)

Content, takedown & data rules

• Fast takedowns: content prohibited under Article 8 of the 2018 Cybersecurity Law (Law 24/2018/QH14) must be removed within the timelines set by Decree 147/2024/ND-CP — per legal analysis, 24 hours of an authority request and 48 hours of a valid user complaint (the deadlines sit in the internet-content decree, not Article 8 itself, which defines the prohibited categories). (Decree 147/2024/ND-CP – Official Gazette, Law 24/2018/QH14 – Official Gazette, Tilleke)
• Broad prohibited-content categories (anti-state content, distortion of history, content harming national security) are actively enforced — a key sensitivity that differs from Western markets.
• Data localization + local presence: under Decree 53/2022 (guiding the Cybersecurity Law), the Ministry of Public Security can compel foreign providers to store Vietnamese users' data in-country and open a local branch/office; minimum 24-month retention. (Decree 53/2022/ND-CP – Government legal portal, Mondaq)
• Personal data protection: Decree 13/2023 (PDPD) governs consent, data-subject rights and cross-border transfer assessments. (Decree 13/2023/ND-CP – Government legal portal, Freshfields)
• Commercial creators must be verifiable and tax-accountable; monetised livestreams require platform registration with the authority. (Vietnam Briefing)

What creators & brands should do

1. Verify accounts with a Vietnamese phone number or CCCD before posting/commenting/going live.
2. Register under-16 accounts through a guardian — self-registration is not permitted.
3. Prepare for ID-based verification and platform registration if you run commercial livestreams.
4. Expect fast takedowns and avoid content touching Article 8 prohibited categories.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to verify my identity to use TikTok in Vietnam? To post, comment or livestream, yes — by Vietnamese phone number or national ID (CCCD) since Decree 147 (25 Dec 2024). Unverified accounts are effectively read-only.

What is the minimum age for TikTok in Vietnam? 13, but under-16 users must have a parent/guardian register and supervise the account.

How fast must illegal content come down? Under Decree 147/2024/ND-CP: within 24 hours of an authority request and 48 hours of a valid user complaint, for content prohibited by the 2018 Cybersecurity Law (Law 24/2018/QH14, Article 8).

Do commercial livestreamers face extra rules? Yes — ID-number verification plus platform registration to offer monetised livestreams, tied to tax and e-commerce accountability.

Accuracy & limitations

Core facts (mandatory verification, under-16 guardian registration, 24/48-hour takedowns, data localization) are supported by reputable law-firm and government-briefing analysis (Tilleke, Vietnam Briefing, Freshfields) cross-checked against Vietnamese government reporting. Exact statutory article numbers within Decree 147 rest on those analyses rather than the full Vietnamese-language text; a binding rule to delete under-13 accounts was a 2023 proposal, not confirmed as adopted law; TikTok's specific data-localization/office status and current non-compliance penalties were not officially confirmed. Reliability: high on the verification regime.

Sources

1. Tilleke & Gibbins – A closer look at Decree 147: https://www.tilleke.com/insights/a-closer-look-at-vietnams-decree-147-on-internet-services-and-online-information/
2. Digital Policy Alert – Decree 147 user-identification requirement: https://digitalpolicyalert.org/event/24573-implemented-decree-1472024nd-cp-on-the-management-provision-and-use-of-internet-services-and-online-information-including-user-identification-requirement
3. TikTok – Age-Appropriate Experiences (global baseline): https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/age-appropriate-experiences/en
4. Mondaq – Decree 53/2022 data-localization implications: https://www.mondaq.com/security/1226892/what-are-the-data-localisation-implications-of-viet-nam39s-decree-no-532022-relating-to-cybersecurity
5. Freshfields – Decree 53 & Decree 13 data localization: https://technologyquotient.freshfields.com/post/102iulg/data-localisation-in-vietnam-highlights-under-decree-53-and-decree-13
6. Vietnam Briefing – Decree 147 livestream/registration rules: https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/vietnams-new-internet-regulation-decree-147-2024.html/
7. VnExpress – 2023 under-13 account proposal & screen-time: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/delete-tiktok-accounts-of-users-under-13-in-vietnam-proposal-4661405.html
8. VOA – sweeping Vietnam internet law in force: https://www.voanews.com/a/sweeping-vietnam-internet-law-comes-into-force/7913333.html
9. Decree 147/2024/ND-CP – Official Gazette (Công báo Chính phủ): https://congbao.chinhphu.vn/noi-dung-van-ban-so-147-2024-nd-cp-43155
10. Decree 147/2024/ND-CP – Báo Chính phủ (Government newspaper), key new points: https://baochinhphu.vn/nhung-diem-moi-trong-quan-ly-cung-cap-su-dung-dich-vu-internet-thong-tin-tren-mang-102241128112139376.htm
11. Decree 13/2023/ND-CP (PDPD) – Government legal portal: https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/?pageid=27160&docid=207759
12. Decree 53/2022/ND-CP (Cybersecurity Law implementation) – Government legal portal: https://vanban.chinhphu.vn/?pageid=27160&docid=206381
13. Law on Cybersecurity 24/2018/QH14 – Official Gazette: https://congbao.chinhphu.vn/noi-dung-van-ban-so-24-2018-qh14-26894