This is general information about UK rules, checked on the date above. It is not legal advice, and rules change. For a decision that matters, check the sources below or ask a qualified adviser.
Many small business websites are missing something the law requires, usually because a template did not include it. The list is short, and most of it takes minutes to fix. The rules below are the ones we check on every site we build.
The short version
- A limited company’s website must show its registered name, registration details and registered office.12
- Most business websites must show contact details, including an email address.3
- If you collect personal data, you must tell people about it with privacy information.4
- Non-essential cookies and similar technologies have rules of their own.5
If you are a limited company
On websites, as well as business letters and order forms, you must show:21
- the part of the UK in which the company is registered, for example England and Wales
- the company’s registered number
- the address of its registered office
You must also include your company’s name on all company documents and publicity.2 Most companies put these details in the website footer, where they appear on every page. It is one reason a footer can look a little formal.
The Electronic Commerce Regulations
If you sell online or provide a service through your site, the Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 require you to make certain information easily available, including:3
- your name
- the geographic address where you are established
- your contact details, including an email address, so people can contact you rapidly and directly
- if you are on a public trade or similar register, details of it and your registration number
- details of any relevant professional body, where applicable
In practice, a contact form on its own is not enough, because an email address is specifically listed.
Privacy information
If your website collects personal data, including through a simple enquiry form, you must tell people about it. The ICO says you must provide information including your purposes for processing, your retention periods and who the data will be shared with. It calls this “privacy information”.4
You must provide it at the time you collect the data. If you get personal data from other sources, you must provide it within a reasonable period, and no later than one month.4
A template privacy notice is a reasonable start, but only if you change it to describe what you actually do. A notice that mentions a live chat you do not have, or fails to mention your email provider, is a common problem. It also needs a real retention period, and you then need to keep to it.
Cookies and similar technologies
PECR restricts storing or accessing information on people’s devices. The ICO finalised its guidance on storage and access technologies in April 2026, following the Data (Use and Access) Act, and it includes a chapter on the exceptions.5
In short, tracking and advertising technologies will generally need consent, while some strictly necessary uses will not. Read the ICO’s guidance before relying on an exception.
The simplest way to comply is to set fewer cookies. A site with no tracking and no third-party scripts may not need a cookie banner at all, because there is nothing to ask permission for. That is how we build ours, and our Cookie Policy shows what that looks like. You still need to check what your tools are actually doing, because many add cookies without making it obvious.
The ICO fee
Most organisations that process personal data, including sole traders, must pay a data protection fee to the ICO unless they are exempt.6 Having a website with an enquiry form may well bring you into scope, so check using the ICO’s self-assessment. See UK GDPR basics for what this involves.
Other rules that may apply
Depending on what you do, you may also need:
- Terms and conditions, particularly if you sell through the site.
- Cancellation information, for many sales to consumers. See our guide to the 14-day cancellation rule.
- Accurate marketing claims. Do not claim awards, reviews or results you cannot back up.
- Regulatory details, if your sector is regulated.
A 10-minute checklist
Open your website and check the following. This list is our summary, and it does not replace legal advice for your own situation.
| Check | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Registered company name appears | Footer |
| Registered number and part of the UK | Footer |
| Registered office address | Footer |
| An email address, not just a form | Contact page or footer |
| Privacy notice that describes what you actually do | Footer link |
| Retention periods in that notice | Privacy notice |
| No tracking cookies before consent | Browser developer tools or a cookie scanner |
| VAT number, if registered and required | Footer or contact page |
If you run a limited company and the first three are missing, fixing that may be the most valuable five minutes you spend this week.
Our website design service includes these basics by default, with all your company details stored in one place so they stay consistent on every page. For the other half of building a good site, see SEO basics.
Sources
-
UK Government, The Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015, regulation 25, legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026. ↩ ↩2
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GOV.UK, Running a limited company: signs, stationery and promotional material, accessed 7 November 2026. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
-
UK Government, The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, regulation 6, legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026. ↩ ↩2
-
Information Commissioner’s Office, The right to be informed, accessed 7 November 2026. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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GOV.UK, Pay the data protection fee, accessed 7 November 2026. ↩
Websites that bring in enquiries
A fast site that works on the phone in your customer’s hand, says clearly what you do, and makes it easy to get in touch.
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