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 rulings

Worldwide Trademarks sro t/a Worldwide Trademarks
- Upheld
- Direct mail
- 20 March 2024
A direct mailing was not obviously identifiable as an ad, and misleadingly had the appearance of an invoice.
One Source Digital Ltd
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 16 August 2023
A paid-for Facebook ad for an ECO funding and government grant scheme misleadingly implied that the company was endorsed by or affiliated with the UK Government.

View all rulings

Legal and regulation

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

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Popular advice

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Relevant codes

04 Harm and offence

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

07 Political and controversial matters

10 Prohibited categories

Appendix 1 Statutory framework for the regulation of broadcast advertising

02 Recognition of marketing communications

01 Compliance

Appendix 3 VSPs Advertising rules for video-sharing platforms regulated by statute

04 Harm and offence

03 Misleading advertising

07 Political advertisements

How the system works

Appendix 3 The CPRs and BPRs

31 Other categories of radio advertisements that require central copy clearance

03 Misleading advertising

32 Scheduling

01 Compliance

Appendix 1 The CPRs and BPRs

Appendix 2 Extracts from directive 89-552-EEC as amended (audiovisual media services directive)