Imprint for your website in Austria: what must be in it

Short answer: every commercial website in Austria needs an imprint (Impressum) under § 5 ECG. Companies in the commercial register add the details required by § 14 UGB, other tradespeople those of § 63 GewO, and every website needs the disclosure under § 25 Media Act (MedienG). The imprint has to be easy to find and directly accessible. This is general information, not legal advice (keine Rechtsberatung).

Austria has no single imprint law. Several laws each require certain details, and they overlap. The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) summarises them in its guide “Das korrekte Website-Impressum” (status August 2025), which this article follows. Check the current version and your individual case with your chamber or a lawyer.

Which laws apply

What § 5 ECG requires

According to the WKO guide, the E-Commerce Act applies to all commercially operated websites, whether or not you sell goods. The information must be available permanently, easily and directly. Typical contents:

• Name or company name and the full geographic address of the actual establishment.
• Contact details through which visitors can reach you quickly: an e-mail address plus a second channel such as a phone number or a web form. Web shops should always state a phone number and e-mail address.
• Membership of the chamber of commerce organisation.
• The supervisory authority where your activity is supervised (for trades, usually the trade authority).
• A reference to the applicable trade or professional rules, and access to them, for example a link to the legal information system RIS.
• Your VAT ID, if you have one.

Violating the information duty is an administrative offence with a fine of up to €3,000 (§ 26 ECG, RIS).

UGB and GewO: depends on your legal form

§ 14 UGB applies to companies in the commercial register, § 63 GewO to trades that are not registered, so the two complement each other. Common details: name or company as registered, legal form (only for registered companies), seat or location of the trade licence, register number and court. If you state share capital, you must also state paid-up status. For partnerships where no natural person is fully liable, such as a GmbH & Co KG, the details must be given for both the KG and the GmbH.

Media Act: small or large website

Under § 25 MedienG, every website needs a disclosure. According to the WKO guide, a small website only presents the company or its products and services (an ordinary shop without editorial content counts as small). It needs the name or company of the media owner, the business purpose and the residence or seat.

A large website goes beyond company presentation and can influence opinion, for example through editorial articles with general commentary. It also needs a statement on the basic direction of the medium, the managing bodies, and the shareholders and their shares. If your company blog stays within your own services, you are normally on the small side. If you are unsure, ask a lawyer or the chamber.

Where the imprint must be

• Easy and direct to reach: a clearly labelled “Impressum” link in the footer of every page is the usual solution.
• On your own website. A link to your WKO company directory entry can help, but WKO advises publishing the imprint directly on your site as well.
• The duties also apply on social media profiles and in apps, according to WKO.

Mistakes we see most often

• Only a PO box or no street address, although a full address for service is required.
• Missing details such as register number, authority or VAT ID.
• Outdated copied text, for example a link to the EU online dispute platform. WKO notes that the ODR regulation was repealed on 20 July 2025 and the notice should be removed.
• Imprint and privacy policy mixed up. WKO advises a separate, prominent privacy section, see our GDPR checklist.
• Forgotten after a relaunch. Check the imprint when you rebuild, see the process in 7 steps.

Not legal advice: this article summarises public information from the Federal Economic Chamber and the legal information system. Laws and practice change, and your case may have special features, for example regulated professions. Have your imprint checked by your chamber of commerce or a lawyer. If you need a website built with the legal pages in place, see our web design page or contact us.

Written byChristoph SpeiserProject lead & sales

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