Fortnite parental controls and age rating: a UK guide
By Lewis C. Checked against Epic's and PEGI's own pages on 1 October 2026. We wrote this from the official guide and haven't yet checked every screen on our own device. Spot a menu that doesn't match? Tell us.
Quick answer
The main battle royale is PEGI 12 and LEGO Fortnite is PEGI 7. Under-13s get a restricted account until you give consent. Sign in to your child's Epic account and set a parental controls PIN. You can then turn chat off, require your PIN for any real-money purchase, cap the age rating of islands they can enter, and set a daily time limit.
What age is Fortnite for?
Fortnite is several games under one roof, and PEGI rates them separately.
| Game | PEGI | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fortnite Battle Royale | PEGI 12 | Moderate violence. No blood: defeated players vanish. |
| LEGO Fortnite Odyssey | PEGI 7 | Cartoon violence. Characters break into bricks. |
| Fortnite Festival | PEGI 12 | Song lyrics with bad language and sexual innuendo. |
| Fortnite (the whole platform) | Parental guidance | Player-made islands change all the time, and some may not suit younger kids. |
PEGI notes that all of them sell in-game items, but you can play without buying anything. Every player-made island also carries its own age rating, which matters for the controls below.
Under 13? They start on a restricted account
If a player says they're under 13 (the UK's age of digital consent), Epic gives them a cabined account. They can still play, but features such as voice chat stay off until a parent or guardian gives consent by email. One catch: this only works if your child typed in their real birthday when they signed up.
Step 1: set a parental controls PIN
Sign in to your child's Epic Games account on the Epic website and open Parental Controls, then set your PIN. You can also change settings inside Fortnite itself, and sign up for an email whenever settings change.
Step 2: chat and friends
- Voice chat and text chat: choose who they can talk to, or nobody.
- Filter mature language in Fortnite's text chat.
- Require a PIN to add friends, so you see every friend request.
Step 3: money
- Require a PIN for Epic Games payments. No real-money purchase through Epic without you.
- Allow paid random items: switch this off and they can't spend V-Bucks on items where the reward is random.
- Buying through a console shop (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) goes through the console's own account, so lock that too. Our Switch guide covers the Nintendo side.
Step 4: island age ratings
Pick the highest rating you're happy with. Your child needs your PIN to open any island rated above it. You can also block Creative mode and Unreal Editor for Fortnite, the tools for building and publishing islands.
Step 5: time limits
- Set a total time limit, or split it into play time and create time.
- Choose whether they can request more time as the limit approaches.
- Turn on time reports for a weekly email of how long they've played.
Step 6: AI characters
Fortnite now has AI characters that players can talk to by voice or text. A separate setting decides whether your child can.
Don't forget the console
Epic says it plainly: turn off voice chat in Fortnite and your child may still be able to use the console's own chat system. Check the settings on the PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, phone or PC they play on.
Questions parents ask
What age rating is Fortnite?
It depends which part. PEGI rates Fortnite Battle Royale 12 for moderate violence and LEGO Fortnite 7. Fortnite as a whole is rated 'Parental Guidance Recommended' because players build their own islands, and some of that content may not suit younger children.
Can a child under 13 play Fortnite?
Yes. Under-13s in the UK get a 'cabined' account. They can play, but features like voice chat stay off until a parent gives consent by email. It only works if your child entered their real date of birth.
How do I stop my child buying V-Bucks?
In Epic's parental controls, turn on 'Require a PIN for Epic Games payments'. Nobody can spend real money through Epic without your PIN. Buying through the console's own shop is controlled on the console, so check that too.
Can I limit how long my child plays Fortnite?
Yes. Epic's parental controls let you set a total time limit, or separate limits for playing and building, and send you a weekly email report of their time.