What UK companies must legally show on their website

Most small business owners have never been told this, but the rules have been around for years. They are mainly in the Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business (Names and Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2015. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice.

The four details every limited company must show

• Your registered company name, exactly as it appears on your certificate of incorporation. This might be different from the name you trade under.
• The part of the UK you are registered in, for example England and Wales.
• Your company number.
• Your registered office address.

Most businesses put these in the footer, so they appear on every page. A footer that only says "Smith Heating Ltd, company number 01234567" is not enough on its own, because it misses the place of registration and the address.

If you are VAT registered

Show your VAT number on your website too.

If you sell or take enquiries online

Separate rules for online businesses mean people should be able to find your full business name, a geographic address and an email address easily. A clear contact page and footer covers it.

Privacy and cookies

If your site collects people's details, through a contact form or email sign-up, you need a privacy notice explaining what you collect, why and how long you keep it. If you use tracking or advertising cookies, you need visitors' consent before setting them, usually through a cookie banner. A site with no tracking cookies does not need a banner at all.

An example footer

Example Heating Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 01234567. Registered office: 1 Example Street, Norwich, NR1 1AA. VAT number GB 123 4567 89.

Change the details to yours and you are covered for the basics.

Every site we build includes the right company details, a privacy notice and no tracking cookies unless you ask for them. Get in touch if you would like us to check yours.

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