Is Your Website Legal? 9 Things Every UK Business Site Must Show in 2026

Your website has a nice photo, a list of services and a contact form. It probably does not say who legally runs the business, where it is based, or what happens to the details people type into that form. Most small business sites miss at least one of these, and most owners find out only when a customer complains or a competitor points it out.

The website legal requirements in the UK are not complicated. There are nine things to show or do, most take a few lines of text, and the whole job fits into an afternoon. This checklist is written for sole traders and small companies, with every rule checked against GOV.UK and regulator guidance on 4 October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice.

How we checked this guide

1. GOV.UK first. Company disclosures, sole trader rules and the rules for online and distance selling come from GOV.UK guidance.
2. Data rules from the regulator. Privacy, the data protection fee and cookies come from the Information Commissioner's Office and from commentary on the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
3. Consumer rules from the 2024 Act. Pricing and review rules come from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act and the Competition and Markets Authority.
4. Plain limits. Where a rule depends on your circumstances, we say so and point to the source.

The 9 website legal requirements at a glance

Who you are

1. Name, address and a way to reach you

GOV.UK says that before a customer orders, an online seller must give its business name, contact details and address, and must give an email address. For a sole trader, GOV.UK also says you must include your own name and your business name, if you have one, on official paperwork. Put all of it in the footer so it appears on every page.

2. Company details

A limited company must show on its website its registered number, its registered office address, where it is registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland) and the fact that it is a limited company. If you name any director, GOV.UK says you must list them all.

3. VAT number

If the business is registered for VAT, the number belongs on the site. The footer is the usual place.

What you do with people's details

4. A privacy notice

If your site has a contact form, a newsletter box, a booking page or analytics, you are collecting personal data. People have a right to know what you collect, why, how long you keep it, who you share it with and how to complain. That is the privacy notice. One clear page is enough for most small businesses, and the ICO offers guidance and a notice generator for small organisations.

5. The data protection fee

The ICO says organisations, including sole traders, that use personal information must pay a data protection fee unless they are exempt. It is £52 a year for a business with a turnover of up to £632,000 or no more than 10 staff, and £78 for most businesses larger than that, with £5 off for direct debit. Some businesses are exempt, for example if they only process data for staff administration, their own marketing, or accounts and records. The ICO has a short online check. Fixed penalties for not paying start at £400.

6. Cookies

Non-essential cookies, such as those used for advertising, need consent before they are set. The rules changed on 5 February 2026, when the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 created exemptions for some low-risk cookies, including analytics that stay on your own site, on strict conditions that include a clear way to opt out. The same change raised the maximum fine under the cookie rules from £500,000 to £17.5 million. The practical position for a small site:

• If you use only essential cookies, you need no banner, only a short explanation.
• If you use advertising or tracking tools, you need a banner with a real choice, and nothing should load before the visitor agrees.
• If you use simple analytics, read the ICO's guidance on the new exemption before removing your banner.

What you sell

7. The full price before purchase

GOV.UK's rules for online sellers say you must give the total price or how it will be calculated, the delivery cost, how customers can pay, and the steps involved in placing an order. You must make it clear that an order means an obligation to pay, let customers correct errors, and get their consent, for example with a ticked box, before charging for optional extras. Since 6 April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has also required unavoidable fees to be part of the headline price.

8. Cancellation rights and terms

For online sales to consumers, GOV.UK says customers can cancel up to 14 days after their order is delivered. If you do not tell them about that right, they can cancel at any time in the next 12 months. You must also:

• tell them how to cancel and when the right is lost;
• provide a standard cancellation form;
• confirm the contract, for example by email, in a form they can save;
• deliver goods within 30 days unless you agreed otherwise.

Put this on a terms page and repeat the key points in the order confirmation. Some sales are treated differently, such as made-to-measure goods, so check the rules for what you sell.

9. Honest reviews and claims

Since 6 April 2025 fake reviews have been banned. You must not write or commission reviews of your own business, hide the negative ones, or show reviews in a misleading way, and if you publish reviews you must take reasonable steps to keep fakes out. The Competition and Markets Authority can impose penalties of up to 10% of global turnover. The same applies to "was £200, now £99" claims that were never true.

A footer you can copy

For a sole trader:

Bright Nails is the trading name of Priya Shah. 12 Example Street, Leeds LS1 1AA. hello@brightnails.example. 0113 496 0000. Privacy notice. Cookies. Terms.

For a limited company:

Carter Electrical Ltd. Registered in England and Wales, company number 01234567. Registered office: 12 Example Street, Leeds LS1 1AA. VAT number GB 123 4567 89. hello@carterelectrical.example. Privacy notice. Cookies. Terms.

Change the details, link the last three items to real pages, and requirements 1 to 3 are done.

Good practice that is worth the hour

• Accessibility. The Equality Act expects service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. There is no fixed technical standard for a private business, but readable text, good contrast, labels on forms and descriptions on images are a sound start.
• Terms even if you do not sell online. A page that explains quotes, deposits and cancellations prevents arguments.
• Subscriptions. New rules on reminders and easy cancellation for subscription contracts are expected from January 2027. If you sell memberships or plans, read them early.
• A real person to complain to. A name and a direct email reduce complaints to regulators.

What happens if you ignore it

For most small sites the first consequence is not a fine. It is a customer who cannot find out who they are dealing with and buys elsewhere, a refund you have to give because you never explained the cancellation right, or a complaint to the ICO or trading standards that takes a week to answer. The fines exist, and they have risen, but lost trust is the everyday cost.

How an AI agent helps you get compliant

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Manus and Meta's Muse can all draft a privacy page from a prompt. An agent can check the site you already have and build what is missing.

• Audits your site against the nine points. It reads every page and lists what is missing, with the line to add.
• Writes the privacy notice from your answers. It asks what you collect and why, then writes a page in plain English for you to review.
• Builds the footer and the pages. Terms, cookies and contact details, in your site's style.
• Lists your cookies. It tells you which tools set them and whether you need a banner.
• Hosts the result. On Jobbit the agent builds and hosts the site, with one small site on your own domain on Go at £7 a month.

If you do not have a site yet, compare the options in our guides to getting a free website, what a website costs a UK small business and where to buy a domain.

Your plan for this week

• Day 1: add the footer with your name, address, email and, for a company, the registered details.
• Day 2: take the ICO's online check and pay the fee if you need to.
• Day 3: write the privacy notice and link it from every page.
• Day 4: list your cookies and fix the banner.
• Day 5: if you sell online, add the cancellation wording to your terms and order emails.

Frequently asked questions

What are the website legal requirements in the UK?

Show who you are and how to reach you, show company and VAT details if they apply, publish a privacy notice, handle cookies properly, show full prices, explain cancellation rights if you sell online, and keep reviews honest. Most businesses that use personal data must also pay the ICO fee.

Do I need a privacy policy on my website in the UK?

Yes, if the site collects any personal details, and a contact form counts. The notice must say what you collect, why, how long you keep it and who you share it with.

Does a sole trader have to show an address on a website?

If you sell online, GOV.UK says you must give your business name, contact details and address before an order is placed. Many home-based businesses use a business or office address. Check the rule that applies to what you sell.

Do I need a cookie banner in 2026?

Only if you use non-essential cookies such as advertising or tracking tools. Since February 2026 some low-risk cookies are exempt on strict conditions, so read the ICO's guidance before you decide.

Do I have to pay the ICO fee?

Most businesses that use personal data do. It is £52 a year for the smallest, less £5 by direct debit, and there are exemptions. The ICO's online check takes a few minutes.

What must a limited company show on its website?

Its registered number, registered office address, where it is registered and the fact that it is limited, usually by showing the full name with Ltd or Limited.

Can AI check whether my website is compliant?

It can find what is missing and write the pages for you to review. Ask an agent on Jobbit to audit your site against the nine points: 100 free credits a day and no card.