---
title: What does a business website in Portugal legally need?
source: https://rubradigital.com/answers/what-does-a-business-website-in-portugal-legally-need
site: Rubra Digital
language: en
description: The legal essentials for a small business website in Portugal: company details, the electronic complaints book, RAL notice, privacy and cookies.
updated: 2026-10-08
topic: legal
also_asked: Does my website need the Livro de Reclamações? | What is the RAL notice on Portuguese websites?
---

# What does a business website in Portugal legally need?

**Summary:** A business website in Portugal needs to identify the business under Decreto-Lei 7/2004, with name, address, email, registration details and NIF or NIPC; show access to the electronic complaints book, the Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico, in a visible and prominent place if it sells to consumers; tell consumers which alternative dispute resolution centre they can use under Lei 144/2015; publish a privacy policy that matches what the site does; and ask for consent before non-essential cookies. Online shops and booking services may also need to meet accessibility rules.

This is general information, not legal advice. For anything specific to your
business, ask a lawyer or your accountant.

## The essentials

**Company identification (Decreto-Lei 7/2004).** The site must show the business
name, geographic address, contact details including email, the commercial
registration and the tax number (NIF or NIPC), plus professional details for
regulated professions.

**Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico.** Businesses that sell goods or services to
consumers and have a website must give access to the electronic complaints book
in a visible, prominent place. The Direção-Geral do Consumidor provides official
icons; the usual solution is one in the footer linking to the platform.

**Dispute resolution (Lei 144/2015).** Consumer-facing businesses must inform
customers about the Entidade RAL, the alternative dispute resolution centre,
they can use, on the website and in their terms of sale.

**Privacy and cookies (RGPD and Lei 41/2004).** A privacy policy that matches
what the site does, and consent before analytics or marketing cookies are set.
The CNPD is the supervisory authority.

## Depending on the business

- **Accessibility (Decreto-Lei 82/2022).** The Portuguese transposition of the
  European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025 to online shops and
  booking services for consumers, with an exemption for micro-enterprises
  providing services.
- **Online shops** also need clear pre-contract information: total prices,
  delivery costs, payment methods and the right of withdrawal.

## Language

Portuguese customers expect European Portuguese. Copy written in Brazilian
Portuguese, or machine translated and left unchecked, reads as foreign and
undermines trust, even when every legal element is present.

---

Source: https://rubradigital.com/answers/what-does-a-business-website-in-portugal-legally-need
Rubra Digital. Websites, online shops, SEO and workflow automation for small businesses in Portugal, since 2019.
Contact: hello@rubradigital.com