In short. A German business imprint supplies provider identity and contact details, plus disclosures required by legal form, registration and activity.
Definition: A German business website's imprint identifies its provider and supplies contact details together with disclosures required by its legal form or activity. As of 17 October 2026, Section 5 of Germany's Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz (DDG) requires this information for businesslike digital services normally offered for remuneration.
Key facts
- Germany's DDG Section 5(1) requires the provider's name, establishment address and email address, with additional information where its listed conditions apply.
- The EU E-Commerce Directive, Article 5(1), requires provider information to be easily, directly and permanently accessible to service recipients and competent authorities.
- The Court of Justice's judgment in Case C-298/07 interprets Article 5(1)(c) as requiring another rapid, direct and effective contact method alongside email; that method need not be a telephone number.
Which identity and contact details are required?
Under DDG Section 5(1), points 1 and 2, the provider publishes its name and the address where it is established. A legal person also identifies its legal form and authorised representative. Contact information must enable rapid electronic contact and direct communication, and expressly includes an email address.
Point 1 also makes capital disclosures conditional. If information about company capital is given, the share capital or registered capital must be stated. Where monetary contributions remain unpaid, the total outstanding contributions must also appear.
Which disclosures depend on the business?
DDG Section 5(1), points 3 to 8, adds the following requirements when the relevant condition applies:
- Authorised activities: If the activity requires official authorisation, the provider gives details of the competent supervisory authority under point 3.
- Registered businesses: The provider names the commercial register or similar register in which it is entered and supplies the corresponding registration number under point 4.
- Regulated professions: Point 5 requires the professional chamber, statutory professional title, state awarding that title, applicable professional rules and information on accessing those rules.
- Tax identifiers: Point 6 requires the VAT identification number or business identification number where the provider holds one under the provisions named there.
- Winding up or liquidation: Point 7 requires disclosure of this status for an Aktiengesellschaft, Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien or Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung.
- Audiovisual media services: Point 8 requires providers to name their home Member State, or the Member State deemed to be their home state, and the competent regulatory and supervisory authorities.
How must the information remain accessible?
DDG Section 5(1) requires the information to be easily recognisable, directly reachable and permanently available. The corresponding EU requirement in E-Commerce Directive Article 5(1) expressly covers access by both service recipients and competent authorities.
For contact methods, the Court of Justice's Case C-298/07 judgment, operative part, interprets Article 5(1)(c) as requiring information beyond an email address before a contract is concluded. An electronic enquiry form answered by email can provide the additional channel. The ruling includes an exception: a recipient who loses network access after contacting the provider electronically and requests another means of communication must have access to a non-electronic channel.
Related terms
- What information must a business website make directly accessible?
- What legal information must an Italian business website publish?
- What contact information must a Swedish business website display?
FAQ
Must I publish company capital figures in every imprint?
DDG Section 5(1), point 1, ties the capital requirement to cases where information about company capital is given. In that case, the stated capital and any outstanding monetary contributions belong in the disclosure.
Does Section 5 cover every website disclosure duty?
Section 5(2) expressly preserves further information duties under other legislation. The provider details listed in Section 5 therefore sit alongside any additional requirements applicable to the business.
Sources
- Gesetze im Internet, "DDG Section 5: Allgemeine Informationspflichten", undated
- European Parliament and Council, "Directive 2000/31/EC, Article 5", 8 June 2000
- Court of Justice of the European Union, "Judgment in Case C-298/07", 16 October 2008
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