Legal notice for trades businesses in Germany: must-haves, extras and typical mistakes

The five most common mistakes in a tradesperson's legal notice

1. Outdated legal basis: "Angaben gemäß § 5 TMG" still appears on many sites. The TMG has not existed since May 2024.
2. Only one way to get in touch: an email address is not enough if customers cannot also reach you quickly and directly. The ZDH names email and phone number.
3. GmbH without representatives: for GmbH and UG, the managing director, register court and register number are often missing.
4. Legal notice only on the home page: it must be easy to reach from every page, according to the ZDH within two clicks at most. The footer is the safest place.
5. Forgetting social media: your Facebook or Instagram profile also needs a route to the legal notice.

What § 5 DDG means for trades businesses

The law applies to all commercial digital services, including your business website, even if you don't sell anything through it. The table translates each item into the everyday life of a trades business.

The Handwerksrolle (register of crafts) is not explicitly mentioned in § 5 DDG, because it is not a commercial register in the sense of no. 4. Many businesses name it anyway, together with the responsible Handwerkskammer, because it shows customers that a registered specialist business stands behind the site. This is voluntary and entirely unproblematic.

Handwerkskammer and master title: mandatory or optional?

This is where many templates online differ. According to the interpretation of the Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH), only the health crafts are regulated professions within the meaning of § 5 (1) no. 5 DDG: opticians, hearing aid acousticians, orthopaedic technicians, orthopaedic shoemakers and dental technicians. These businesses name the chamber, statutory professional title, Germany as the country and the Handwerksordnung. For electrical, roofing or painting businesses, this is not mandatory under that reading.

Sample: legal notice of a trades GmbH

A fictional roofing business from Rosenheim, organised as a GmbH, with 14 employees and a small advice blog on its website:

• Dachtechnik Muster GmbH, Innstraße 5, 83022 Rosenheim
• Represented by the managing directors Max Muster (Dachdeckermeister) and Eva Muster
• Phone 08031 123456, email info@dachtechnik-muster.de
• Register court: Amtsgericht Traunstein, HRB 12345
• USt-IdNr.: DE123456789
• Entered in the Handwerksrolle of the Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern (voluntary detail)
• Responsible for editorial content under § 18 (2) MStV: Max Muster, address as above
• Consumer dispute resolution: we are neither willing nor obliged to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

Check the responsible register court in your commercial register extract: in Bavaria it is not always the local court where the company is based. A sole trader without a commercial register entry simply leaves out the register line.

Extra details: VSBG, MStV and DL-InfoV

Consumer dispute resolution under § 36 VSBG

If your business had more than ten employees on 31 December of the previous year and you have a website or general terms and conditions, you state whether you are willing or obliged to take part in proceedings before a consumer arbitration board. Smaller businesses are exempt. The link to the EU online dispute resolution platform that used to be common is outdated: the platform was shut down in July 2025, so the notice can go.

Responsible person under § 18 (2) MStV

As soon as your website has journalistic or editorial content, such as a blog with advice on roof renovation or news from the business, you name a responsible natural person with name and address. A pure overview of services does not need this. If in doubt, include the line; it costs nothing.

Service information duties (DL-InfoV)

Before a contract is concluded, the DL-InfoV (Service Information Ordinance) requires, among other things, details on general terms, choice of law, guarantees beyond the statutory warranty and, if one exists, a professional liability insurance with the insurer and territorial scope (§ 2 (1) no. 11). You may also provide this information electronically. Opinions differ on whether a trades business's ordinary business liability insurance falls under this; many businesses name it on their website or in their quote as a precaution.

Privacy policy and consent

Besides the legal notice, your website needs a privacy policy under Art. 13 GDPR. For cookies and any other access to the device that is not strictly necessary, § 25 TDDDG requires consent. In concrete terms for the trades:

If you also recruit staff through your website, you will find tips on job ads and application forms in the post Finding staff in the trades.

Accessibility Strengthening Act: usually not affected

Since 28 June 2025, the BFSG (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz) has applied to certain products and services, including e-commerce services through which consumers conclude contracts online. Micro-enterprises that provide services are exempt (§ 3 (3) BFSG). This means businesses with fewer than ten employees and no more than €2 million annual turnover or balance sheet total. A painting business with six people and an enquiry form therefore has nothing to do. A plumbing and heating business with 25 employees and an online shop for spare parts, on the other hand, should take the issue seriously.

Mandatory details beyond the website

For the lettering on your company vehicle, legal notice law has no general requirement. But if you advertise there with "Meisterbetrieb" (master craftsman business), "24-hour emergency service" or fixed prices, you must follow the rules of competition law. More on this in the post Advertising and price information for trades in Germany.

Starting out right now? Then you will find every step from the Handwerksrolle to the trade registration in the guide Starting a trades business in Germany.