If you’re wondering “How old do you have to be to use IRIAM?”, “Can people under 15 watch streams?”, or “When are the age restrictions lifted?”, you’re not alone.

IRIAM isn’t open to every age. Users aged 15 and under can’t use any of its features. From age 16, some features become available, and once you turn 18, you can use everything.

This article breaks down how streaming, watching, and spending differ by age on IRIAM, why the age limits exist, what to watch out for when you register, when the restrictions are lifted, and what you can prepare before you start streaming.

You’ll also see how IRIAM’s age rules compare with other streaming apps, so by the end you’ll be able to pick the app that fits your age.

IRIAM Age Restrictions: How Old Do You Have to Be?

Since January 2023, IRIAM’s age rules have been split into the following three tiers.

• Age 15 and under: no access to any features, including streaming and watching
• Ages 16 to 17: limits on streaming and spending
• Age 18 and over: full access to all features

Let’s take a closer look at what you can and can’t do at each age when it comes to streaming, watching, and buying points on IRIAM.

Age 15 and Under: No Access to Any Features, Including Streaming and Watching

If you’re 15 or younger, you can’t use IRIAM’s core features, including streaming, watching, and buying points.

Feature	Availability for age 15 and under
Streaming	Not available
Watching	Not available
Buying points	Not available

Users 15 and under can’t act as streamers, and they also can’t watch as listeners or purchase points.

You have to enter your date of birth when you sign up and when you use the app, and anyone 15 or under can’t even create a new account. Once you turn 16, however, you can start using IRIAM with some restrictions in place.

Ages 16 to 17: Limits on Streaming and Spending

Users aged 16 to 17 can use IRIAM, but there are age limits on streaming hours and point purchases.

Feature	Availability for ages 16 to 17
Streaming	Available only between 5:00 and 22:00
Watching	Available
Buying points	Available up to 10,000 yen per month

Users aged 16 to 17 can’t stream or schedule streams between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. If you’re still live at 10 p.m., the stream is automatically ended. Streaming is allowed only from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., so keep in mind you can’t extend into late-night hours even during the climax of an event.

Point purchases are capped at 10,000 yen per month. Other features, including watching and monetization, are available, so check the time and spending limits before you start.

Age 18 and Over: Full Access to All Features

Once you’re 18 or older, you can use IRIAM’s streaming, watching, and point purchases without restrictions.

Feature	Availability for age 18 and over
Streaming	Available
Watching	Available
Buying points	Available

When you turn 18, the late-night and early-morning streaming restrictions and the 10,000-yen monthly point cap that applied at ages 16 to 17 are lifted. With no limits on streaming hours or spending, you can take your activity as a liver to the next level.

Why IRIAM Has Age Restrictions

IRIAM’s age restrictions exist to protect minors from trouble, with the following goals in mind.

• Preventing financial trouble for minors
• Preventing minors from becoming crime victims
• Protecting personal information and safety

Let’s look at why age restrictions are considered necessary, given the risks unique to streaming apps.

Preventing Financial Trouble for Minors

One reason IRIAM has age restrictions is to prevent financial trouble caused by minors spending money. On IRIAM, you use points to send gifts, and buying points requires payment.

If a minor uses a guardian’s credit card or smartphone payment, it can lead to unexpectedly large bills. The stronger the urge to support a liver becomes, the harder it can be to judge spending calmly.

That’s why point purchases for ages 16 to 17 are capped at 10,000 yen per month, and users 15 and under can’t use the feature at all. The age limits aren’t there to push minors away. They’re a safeguard so that the desire to cheer someone on doesn’t turn into payment trouble.

Preventing Minors from Becoming Crime Victims

IRIAM’s age restrictions also help reduce the risk of minors being drawn into predatory contact or crime. On streaming apps, comments, profiles, and linked social accounts create opportunities to interact with strangers.

Minors find it harder to see through someone’s intentions, so private messages or being steered toward outside services can lead to harm. Predatory contact in particular can be an opening for people who lie about their age or identity to get close.

The age limits aren’t meant to restrict streaming or watching. They’re a way to reduce the chances of minors coming into contact with dangerous people. Keeping the platform safe to use requires restrictions based on each user’s real age.

Protecting Personal Information and Safety

Another reason IRIAM has age restrictions is to protect minors’ personal information and maintain a safe environment. During streams and in comments, details like a school name, neighborhood, or daily schedule can slip out in the flow of conversation.

Minors find it hard to judge how widely something is shared or how far it might spread, so an offhand remark can lead to their identity being pinned down. IRIAM requires you to enter your date of birth and sets usage limits based on your real age, reducing high-risk points of contact.

You also need to enter your own true date of birth, not your character’s set age. The age restrictions aren’t there to narrow your creative activity. They’re a safeguard against the exposure or misuse of personal information, so you can enjoy streaming with peace of mind.

How IRIAM’s Age Restrictions Work and Key Points to Know

Before you start using IRIAM, make sure you understand these basic rules about its age restrictions.

• Age verification is done through the date of birth you enter at registration
• Lying about your age violates the terms and can get your account suspended
• Restrictions are lifted on the day of your 16th and 18th birthdays
• Joining a liver agency also generally requires being 16 or older

In this section, we’ll explain what to watch out for when registering and how the lifting of age restrictions works.

Age Verification Is Done Through the Date of Birth You Enter at Registration

IRIAM verifies your age based on the date of birth you enter when you register the app. The standard is your own real age, not your character’s set age.

If you enter the wrong date of birth at registration, the limits on streaming, watching, and point purchases won’t be applied correctly. Users 15 and under can’t use the app, and users aged 16 to 17 face limits on streaming hours and spending.

Before you start using IRIAM, check the rules for each age tier, including how old you have to be to stream, watch, and spend.

Lying About Your Age Violates the Terms and Can Get Your Account Suspended

If you register with a false age on IRIAM, you violate the terms of service and risk having your account suspended. Because age is judged by your own date of birth, your character’s set age or your activity persona doesn’t count as the standard.

If someone 15 or under registers as 16 or older, or someone aged 16 to 17 registers as 18 or older, that counts as evading the restrictions they should be under. If a false age is discovered, you may face a warning or have your account frozen, so always enter your correct date of birth.

Restrictions Are Lifted on the Day of Your 16th and 18th Birthdays

IRIAM’s age restrictions are lifted automatically at midnight on your 16th and 18th birthdays. What gets unlocked at each age is as follows.

Age	What gets unlocked
16	Can start using the app
18	Streaming-hour and spending limits are lifted

Even if you couldn’t register or use IRIAM while 15 or under, you can register and use an account once you turn 16.

At 18, the age-based feature limits are lifted, and the caps on late-night streaming and point purchases disappear. If the restrictions don’t update after your 18th birthday, restart the app and check the status.

Joining a Liver Agency Also Generally Requires Being 16 or Older

If you want to join an IRIAM-compatible liver agency, 16 or older is generally the baseline. Since IRIAM can’t be used by anyone 15 or under, agency recruitment requirements tend to follow the app’s age restrictions.

Some agencies set 16 and over as the requirement, while others don’t accept applicants under 18. If you’re a minor aiming to join, you’ll also need to check streaming-hour and spending limits, as well as whether guardian consent is required.

Before applying, confirm the age conditions and choose an agency where you can be active without overextending yourself.

What You Can Prepare Before IRIAM’s Streaming Age Restrictions Are Lifted

Even before you reach the age to stream on IRIAM, you can move ahead with the following debut preparations.

• Finish your original character art ahead of a birthday debut
• Grow your X (formerly Twitter) presence to build connections before debut
• Study other streamers and plan your own character

Let’s take a closer look at what you can set up now so you can move without hesitation on your first day of streaming.

We also have an article that explains how to start streaming on IRIAM for beginners, so it’s worth checking and preparing alongside this one.

>>How to Start Streaming on IRIAM: A 6-Step Beginner’s Guide to V-Liver Live Streaming

Finish Your Original Character Art Ahead of a Birthday Debut

During the wait until your 16th birthday, finish the original character art you’ll use on IRIAM. IRIAM loads an illustration to animate your character, so how polished your character art is shapes the impression of your first stream.

If you draw it yourself, you can fine-tune everything from the world-building to the expressions. If you commission it, it’s reassuring to confirm the deadline and number of revisions early. In addition to the main character art, preparing icons and thumbnail illustrations gives you assets for announcements on X and for building awareness before your first stream.

We also have an article explaining character design tips in detail, so be sure to check it out as well.

>>VTuber Character Design Tips: Steps, Strategies, and Pre-Request Prep!

Grow Your X (Formerly Twitter) Presence to Build Connections Before Debut

While you wait for the age restrictions to lift, it’s also important to build connections on X (formerly Twitter) before your debut. The more you’re recognized on IRIAM before your first stream, the easier it is for people to find you when you go live.

On your V-Liver account, share your character’s setting, your prep progress, and updates on your character art to convey the vibe of your activity. Interacting with livers who are already active helps fellow livers and potential fans learn you exist.

At the same time, avoid posts that could identify you personally or negative posts, and stay mindful of running the account as one dedicated to your streaming activity.

Study Other Streamers and Plan Your Own Character

While you wait until you can stream, study other streamers and plan your own character and streaming style. Watching streams not just on IRIAM but also on YouTube and Twitch lets you compare how they create talking points and handle comments.

Here are the points to watch for:

• How they greet first-time viewers
• How they pick up comments
• The world-building they convey through their profile
• How they build recurring segments

Don’t just copy popular streamers. Take in only the elements that suit your voice, speaking style, and strongest genres. If you lock in your direction before your birthday debut, you can show your own personality without hesitation in your first stream.

We explain how to think about your own character in detail below, so be sure to check it out as well.

>>Complete Guide to VTuber Project Planning: From Concept to Improvement

How IRIAM’s Age Restrictions Differ from Other Live Streaming Apps

Live streaming apps differ in the ages they allow and the conditions for streaming. In this section, we compare IRIAM with some of the major live streaming apps on how old you have to be to stream, watch, and spend.

• Pococha
• TikTok LIVE
• REALITY

Let’s take a closer look.

We introduce recommended apps for live streaming in the article below, so it’s worth using as a reference too.

>>Top 9 Vtuber Apps and Streaming Services: A Guide by Purpose and Tips

Pococha

Pococha differs from IRIAM in that anyone under 18 can’t use it at all, including streaming, watching, and spending.

Item	IRIAM	Pococha
Streaming	・Available from age 16 ・Ages 16–17 can’t stream 22:00–5:00	Available from age 18
Watching	Available from age 16	Available from age 18
Spending	Ages 16–17 up to 10,000 yen/month; no limit for 18 and over	Available from age 18

IRIAM lets you use some features from age 16, but on Pococha anyone under 18 can’t use it, including logging in. Minors who want to start streaming need to compare not just the usable age but also how watching and spending are handled, then pick the service that fits them.

TikTok LIVE

TikTok LIVE differs from IRIAM, where you can stream from 16, in that its live streaming feature is available from age 18.

Item	IRIAM	TikTok LIVE
Streaming	・Available from age 16 ・Ages 16–17 can’t stream 22:00–5:00	Available from age 18
Watching	Available from age 16	Available from age 13
Spending	Ages 16–17 up to 10,000 yen/month; no limit for 18 and over	Available from age 18

IRIAM lets you stream from 16, but while you’re a minor there are limits on streaming hours and a spending cap. On TikTok LIVE, both streaming and spending are set at 18 and over, so the starting age is higher than on IRIAM.

If you want to use an app for streaming or spending, don’t decide based only on the watching age. Check the conditions for each live feature before you choose.

REALITY

REALITY differs from IRIAM in that people under 13 can’t use it, and those under 18 have limits on chat features.

Item	IRIAM	REALITY
Streaming	・Available from age 16 ・Ages 16–17 can’t stream 22:00–5:00	Available from age 13 *Minors need guardian consent *Chat and video calls available from age 18
Watching	Available from age 16	Available from age 13
Spending	Ages 16–17 up to 10,000 yen/month; no limit for 18 and over	Available from age 13 *Minors need guardian consent

IRIAM restricts use entirely for those 15 and under, but REALITY includes anyone 13 and over as eligible. On the other hand, REALITY doesn’t let users under 18 send or receive chats or make video calls, so its interaction features are restricted in a different way.

Don’t judge a streaming app by age alone. Check the limits on communication features, in addition to streaming, watching, and spending, before you choose.

Conclusion

IRIAM sets age restrictions where users 15 and under can’t use it, ages 16 to 17 have limits on streaming hours and spending, and users 18 and over can use all features.

These age restrictions are meant to prevent financial trouble, crime victimization, and the exposure of personal information for minors. Registering with a false age violates the terms and can lead to your account being suspended, so be careful.

Keeping in mind how IRIAM’s age rules differ from those of Pococha, TikTok LIVE, and REALITY, choose the streaming app that fits your age and prepare safely for your birthday debut.