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Legal and regulation

Helpful information on the advertising rules for ads about legal services and regulatory matters.

In addition to our rules, advertisers have an obligation to stick to any relevant legislation that relates to their sector, product or service. Our rules are designed to reflect the law, and some sections of the Advertising Code have explicit references to relevant legislation. However advertisers’ legal obligations are not covered in full and it remains the advertiser’s responsibility to seek out legal advice and make sure they have taken any relevant legislation into account when preparing their ads. 

We do not enforce or interpret the law and if we believe it is better to refer a matter, or enquirer, to a law enforcement body, we will do so. 

The main rules advertisers should be aware of are: ads should comply with the law and should not incite anyone to break it, and advertisers must not state or imply a product can legally be sold if it cannot. 

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Latest news

  • A quick guide to changes to the misleading advertising rules

    • CAP News
    • 15 May 2025
  • Annual Report 2024: Transforming our regulation and maintaining trust in advertising 

    • ASA and CAP News
    • 29 April 2025
  • Stay up to data: four key tips on using personal data for marketing

    • CAP News
    • 10 April 2025
  • Staying on the right side of the line – updated guidance to make sure your ads don’t offend

    • CAP News
    • 27 March 2025
  • Community Radio: Advertising No-Nos

    • CAP News
    • 13 March 2025
  • Designed to Persuade - Dark Patterns and the Code

    • CAP News
    • 27 February 2025
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Popular advice

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Relevant codes

  • 02 Recognition of marketing communications

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    • Non-broadcast
  • 01 Compliance

    • Broadcast
  • 01 Compliance

    • Non-broadcast
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    • Non-broadcast
  • Appendix 1 Statutory framework for the regulation of broadcast advertising

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    • Broadcast
  • 04 Harm and offence

    • Broadcast
  • 04 Harm and offence

    • Non-broadcast
  • 03 Misleading advertising

    • Non-broadcast
  • 32 Scheduling

    • Broadcast
  • 07 Political advertisements

    • Non-broadcast
  • 07 Political and controversial matters

    • Broadcast
  • Appendix 2 Advertising rules for on-demand services regulated by statute

    • Non-broadcast
  • 31 Other categories of radio advertisements that require central copy clearance

    • Broadcast
  • Appendix 1 The DMCCA and the BPRs

    • Non-broadcast
  • 10 Prohibited categories

    • Broadcast
  • 03 Misleading advertising

    • Broadcast
  • Appendix 3 The DMCCA and the BPRs

    • Broadcast
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Contact us:

The Advertising Standards Authority Ltd. (trading as ASA), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 0733214
 
The Advertising Standards Authority (Broadcast) Ltd. (trading as ASAB), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 5130991
 
The Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd. (CAP), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 8310744
 
The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd. (BCAP), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 5126412
 
All companies listed are registered at: Castle House, 37-45 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4LS [view on map]

Tel: 020 7492 2222

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