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Create an imprint for a website? That's the right way!
Katharina Rösner
If you a webpage creates or a Online shop or web shop Open, do you usually need a imprint. This is used by transparency for consumers and customers. It is not always clear where the Impressum obligation starts and stops. What kind of a Rejection-proof Impressum must consider what it actually is and which Mandatory information There is, you can find out in this blog post.
Impressum means literally “pushed in” and is located as”digital business card“on used for business websites, in online shops or in business emails. It contains the contact details of the person responsible for content or products or their distribution and thus serves transparency. This allows your customers to get in touch with you quickly. This option regulates the legal notice requirement in State Broadcasting Treaty (§ 55 RStV) And that Telemedia Act (§ 5 TMG). It must be done with a maximum of two clicks reachable or visible be for customers or visitors to the site so that they know who to contact if they have urgent questions.
As soon as a website is not only for private purposes, it needs an imprint. This may already be the case when you include a link with advertising or promote a product. Also as Influencer Do you need one and must also link to it in posts on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn. Also in business emails The legal notice must be linked. Alternatively, you can write it as a footer under the text. The boundaries between private and business are not always clear. If you want to be sure, have a lawyer check whether you are subject to an imprint.
Which specific information must be included in the legal notice depends on Which legal form Your company has what type of company and what purpose the website serves.
Mandatory information is First and last nameWhen you freelance or publishes journalistic and editorial content. Natural persons provide their full name. As legal entity Like a GmbH or AG, do you give the company name or the company name. This also applies to partnerships like GbR and OHG. In the case of a partnership, you also provide the first and last name of authorized representative on.
Do you set journalistic and editorial texts available, you must also provide the full name of the person responsible for the content in the legal notice. This “person responsible under press law” must be prosecutable under criminal law and be legally allowed to hold public office, have full legal capacity and have permanent residence in Germany.
Natural persons write their own address in the Impressum. In return, legal entities and partnerships provide the Headquarters on.
Depending on what legal form and form of company you have, you must enter into different Enter registers Leave, then enter their number and location in the Impressum. As a company, you are subject to the publication requirement.
Clubs must join Register of associations Register registered cooperatives in the cooperative register. Individual entrepreneurs who join forces to form a partnership must Partnership register be registered.
The entry in commercial register is mandatory for open trading companies (OHG), limited partnerships (KG), entrepreneurial companies (UG), joint stock companies (AG) and limited liability companies (GmbH). Sole proprietors Do you only have to register there once you have the Turnover limit exceed 22,000 euros per year. Because then they are considered real merchants. Freelancers, small business owners and small businesses are also affected by this. Small businesses that are united as a GbR do not necessarily have to register in the commercial register, but only after the turnover limit has been exceeded. Note, however, that you still have to provide the registration number, even if you only Voluntarily added to the register You have registered.
Registration is usually done by the tax advisor and is subject to a fee. All relevant economic facts or information can be retrieved via the registers. Especially as a legal entity such as a partnership or stock corporation, you must publish the annual financial statements. If you do not register, this may result in fines.
Another mandatory information is the contact. That must be a email address be as well as a phone number. It is important that the telephone is busy and that customers receive an answer to their emails. You can do without the phone number if you offer a live chat instead or a contact form. The purpose of listing the contact in the legal notice is for your customers to be able to get in touch with you quickly.
As legal entity Do you also state which legal form you have chosen for your company. As a partnership, the GbR must also provide this information. Institutions, foundations and corporations must also indicate their legal form.
If you have a sales tax identification number or a business identification number, this must also be in the legal notice. You'll get them when you the Reducts sales tax, which you apply to the tax office. Or as a small business owner, you can be exempted from this.
For some freelancers, their job is specially regulated. This concerns, for example, Tax advisors, lawyersNen, doctors and auditors. They must have their legal job title specify their chamber, the state that awarded them the professional title, and the name of Professional regulations and access to it. The Chambers of Crafts or Chambers of Industry and Commerce oblige you to become a member because they act as mediators between crafts or industry and politics and thus represent the interests of the members. Approval for doctors and lawyers is given by the regional chambers, which you must then join as a member.
If you want to be sure, yes. In itself, however, it depends on whether you have your Use the page purely privately or not. However, the boundaries can become blurred. As Influencer Do you have to create an imprint and always link to it in your posts. The link must be clearly visible and customers or site visitors must be able to reach it with a maximum of two clicks. If in doubt, you can solve the problem with a Linktree solve. As soon as you Promoting a product Do or link something, it is no longer a private channel and you will be required to publish an imprint — even if you are not an influencer. If in doubt, you can have the duty checked by a lawyer. Or you create it just to be safe.
As already indicated above, every page needs an imprint that is used for business purposes. That concerns your corporate website, your online shop and business emails. You also need that for social media And for your newsletters. Auch blogsthat you use to promote your website, products, or services need a legal notice. If you only use the blog privately, promote or recommend products from others, for example, an imprint is also required here. Pages with An imprint for journalistic and editorial texts.
It is not uncommon for competitors to search for sites without impressing and then sue them. One Warning from lawyer may up to 50,000 euros costs. Website visitors can also report missing impresses.
It is possible templates or Impressum generators to use. However, they are not legally secure. If you want to be absolutely sure, you should have your legal notice checked for accuracy and completeness
Your delivery service as a sole trader, can you as small businesses establish. You must register this with the trade office and the tax office. If you do not exceed the turnover limit of 22,000 euros per year, you can make use of the small business regulation. Then all you have to do is make a surplus income statement and pay no sales tax. Then your imprint requires the following points:
If your delivery service is a GmbH or a UG, your legal notice contains the following:
The imprint is a digital business card. It is required for quick and transparent contact on the part of your customers. It is important that it is not missing if you use your site commercially. Then it must also legally secure and complete be. If in doubt, it is better to have it checked by a lawyer. The information in the legal notice vary depending on the legal form of the company. This means that it can also be used with delivery services be different, as they differ from founding be able to opt for different shapes.
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