What does the studio keep?

A copy of your ID, your legal name and stage names, date of production, and a description of the content. Records must be kept for at least 7 years and be available for inspection.

Is my real name public?

No. The 2257 notice on websites names the custodian of records, not the performers. Your legal identity stays in protected files.

Reference

18 U.S.C. § 2257 — What Performers Need to Know

Q: What is 2257?

18 U.S.C. § 2257 is a federal law that requires producers of sexually explicit content to verify and document that every performer is at least 18 years old.

Last reviewed: April 23, 2026

Definition

18 U.S.C. § 2257 is the federal law that requires producers of sexually explicit content to verify and document that every performer is at least 18 years old. It was written to combat child exploitation, and it applies to every professional adult production in the United States.

Every legit adult shoot starts with a piece of paper and your ID. The name of the statute sounds bureaucratic. The purpose is simple: no one underage gets filmed.

What you sign on set

Before any filming begins, you provide a government-issued photo ID that proves your age. The studio then:

Photographs or copies your ID
Records your legal name, date of birth, and any stage names you use
Has you sign a 2257 records release confirming your identity and age

This happens before the camera turns on. If it doesn’t, walk.

For more on what paperwork you’ll handle on set, read Paperwork & ID on Set.

What the studio keeps

The studio maintains a records file that links your legal identity to the content produced. The file contains:

A copy of your government-issued ID
Your legal name and all stage names
Date of production
Title or description of the content produced

These records must be kept for at least 7 years. They must be available for inspection by the Attorney General’s office. Every piece of published content must carry a 2257 notice that identifies the custodian of records.

Does my real name become public?

No. The 2257 notice that appears on websites names the custodian of records, a person at the producing company. It does not name performers. Your legal identity stays in protected files, not on the website.

For more on how identity works in this industry, read Privacy, Content Removal & Your Digital Footprint.

Why this protects performers

2257 exists to make sure nobody underage is filmed. A studio that skips this step is committing a federal crime that carries serious prison time. Any legitimate production does this without being asked.

It also protects you. The documentation trail means your participation was verified, voluntary, and lawful. If a dispute ever arises about whether a scene was consensual or whether the performer was of age, the 2257 records are the answer.

If a studio skips 2257

Walk away. A producer who does not check your ID and complete age verification paperwork before filming is either ignorant of the law or breaking it on purpose. Neither is a studio you want to work with.

For more red flags, read Red Flags, Contracts & Sneaky Practices.

Sources

18 U.S. Code § 2257 — Record keeping requirements · Cornell Law — Legal Information Institute
28 CFR Part 75 — Record-keeping and record-inspection provisions · US Code of Federal Regulations
DOJ Citizen's Guide to U.S. Federal Law on the Extraterritorial Sexual Exploitation of Children · US Department of Justice