Write Website Disclaimers
Protect your business with the right disclaimers for your industry and content type.
Most websites need disclaimers to protect against liability claims. The good news: you don’t need a lawyer—a generator handles this in under an hour.
This guide covers: What disclaimers you actually need, where to get them, and industry-specific requirements if they apply to you.
What this covers: Which disclaimers your site actually needs, how to generate them with free tools, and industry-specific requirements for legal, medical, financial, and affiliate content.
Who it’s for: Site owners who publish advice, recommendations, or industry-specific content and need liability protection.
Key outcome: You’ll have the correct disclaimers generated, placed in the right locations on your site, and formatted to meet FTC and industry compliance requirements.
Time to read: 5 minutes
Part of: Privacy & Compliance series
What Most Websites Need
For typical small business websites, you need three things:
- Privacy Policy – What data you collect, how you use it (required if you use analytics or forms)
- Terms of Use – Basic rules for using your site, limits your liability
- Cookie Notice – If you use any tracking (GA4, Meta Pixel, etc.)
The fastest path:
- Termly (free tier) – Privacy policy, terms, cookie consent all-in-one
- Iubenda (€27/year) – Professional templates, multi-language support
- TermsFeed (free generator) – Quick templates for basic needs
Time: 30-60 minutes with a generator vs 4+ hours from scratch.
Industry-Specific Disclaimers
If you’re in a regulated industry or provide advice that can affect health, safety, or finances, you need additional disclaimers.
Legal Content
If you discuss legal topics:
- State that content is not legal advice
- Clarify no attorney-client relationship is formed
- Note that laws vary by jurisdiction
- Add disclaimer to contact forms to prevent accidental representation
Medical/Health Content
If you discuss health, wellness, or fitness:
- State content is not medical advice
- Recommend consulting healthcare providers
- Note that individual results vary
- If selling supplements: include FDA disclaimer language
Financial Content
If you discuss money, investing, or business finances:
- State content is for educational purposes only
- Clarify you’re not a licensed financial advisor (unless you are)
- Include “past performance doesn’t guarantee future results”
- Disclose any affiliate relationships with financial products
Affiliate/Commission Content
If you earn commissions from recommendations (required by FTC):
- Disclosure must be “clear and conspicuous” – visible, not buried
- Place near the recommendation, not just in footer
- Simple language: “This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through them.”
Where to Place Disclaimers
- Privacy Policy: Dedicated page, linked from footer on every page
- Terms of Use: Dedicated page, linked from footer on every page
- Cookie Notice: Banner that appears on first visit
- Professional Disclaimers: At the top or bottom of relevant content pages
- Affiliate Disclosures: Near the affiliate link/recommendation, not hidden
- Contact Form: Below the form on professional services sites
WordPress Implementation
For privacy policy and terms:
- Create pages at /privacy-policy/ and /terms/
- Go to Settings → Privacy → Select your privacy policy page
- Add links to footer via Appearance → Menus or theme settings
For cookie consent:
When to Get a Lawyer
Generators work for most businesses. Get professional legal help if:
- You’re a licensed professional (attorney, doctor, financial advisor)
- You operate in heavily regulated industries (healthcare, finance, cannabis)
- You do significant business internationally
- You’ve received legal threats or complaints
The Disclaimer Placement Checklist
- Privacy policy is published and linked in footer
- Terms of use is published and linked in footer
- Cookie consent banner appears (if you track visitors)
- Industry-specific disclaimers are on relevant content pages
- Affiliate disclosures are visible near recommendations
Sources
Website Disclaimer Questions Answered
What disclaimers does my website need?
At minimum: a general disclaimer limiting liability for content accuracy. If applicable, add specific disclaimers for affiliate links (FTC required), professional advice (medical, legal, financial), testimonials, and external links. E-commerce sites need product disclaimers.
Are website disclaimers legally enforceable?
Partially. Disclaimers cannot override consumer protection laws or remove liability for negligence, but they do establish expectations, limit certain claims, and demonstrate good faith. Courts consider them as one factor in liability disputes.
Do I need an affiliate disclosure on every page with affiliate links?
Yes. The FTC requires clear and conspicuous disclosure near affiliate links, not buried in a separate page. Place disclosure at the top of posts containing affiliate links and near individual links when practical. “This post contains affiliate links” is a minimum.
Where should disclaimers appear on my website?
General disclaimers belong on a dedicated Disclaimer page linked from the footer. Context-specific disclaimers (affiliate, medical, financial) must appear on the relevant pages, ideally near the top before the content they apply to.
✓ Your Disclaimers Are Published and Positioned Correctly
- General disclaimer, earnings disclaimer, and professional advice disclaimer are drafted and specific to your content
- Affiliate disclosure appears on every page containing affiliate links, above the fold or before the first affiliate link
- Disclaimers use plain language that a non-lawyer can understand
- Each disclaimer is placed near the content it applies to, not buried in a footer-only legal page
Test it: Visit a page with affiliate links and confirm the affiliate disclosure is visible before you encounter the first affiliate link, then check that your general disclaimer page is linked from the site footer.