Imprint Requirements for Websites in Austria

Every business website that targets the Austrian market needs an imprint, called an Impressum: a legal notice naming the operator and a serviceable physical address where documents can be delivered. A PO box does not qualify, and missing or incorrect imprints can be fined with up to 3,000 euros. This guide explains who needs an imprint, what it must contain, and how to keep your home address off the internet. Last updated June 2026.

Who needs an imprint in Austria?

Every website used for business purposes, from a one-page freelancer site to a full online shop, must carry an imprint. The duty applies to Austrian companies of every legal form, including sole proprietors, and it extends beyond the website itself to newsletters and business social media profiles.

International founders are often surprised by this: unlike in some countries, where a contact page is a courtesy, the Austrian imprint is a legal requirement with defined minimum content. If you operate an Austrian company, plan the imprint before the site goes live, not after.

What information must the imprint contain?

At minimum: the name or company name, a serviceable physical address, an electronic contact option, and for registered companies the commercial register number and the competent register court. Depending on your activity, more details follow.

The core checklist:

• name or registered company name including legal form (for example GmbH)
• a serviceable business address, meaning a real physical address, not a PO box
• email address, ideally also a phone number
• commercial register number (Firmenbuchnummer) and register court for registered companies
• VAT number (UID), if you have one
• the competent trade authority for regulated activities

Websites with editorial content, such as a company blog with opinion pieces, face additional disclosure duties about ownership and editorial direction. For most company websites, the list above covers it.

Can you use a PO box in your imprint?

No. The address in the imprint must be serviceable, which means official and court documents can be delivered there and someone can take delivery. A PO box fails that test by definition, and so does an address that exists only on paper.

What counts as a proper registered address in Austria, and how it differs from a mail drop, is covered in detail in our guide to the registered address in Austria. The short version: it has to be a real, physical location connected to your business.

What happens if your imprint is missing or wrong?

Administrative fines of up to 3,000 euros, plus the risk of paid warning letters from competitors. Imprint violations are easy to spot and easy to prove, which makes them a popular target: competitors and professional associations actively scan websites for missing details.

An outdated address is just as risky as a missing one. If you move and forget to update the imprint, official deliveries may go to the old address, and the consequences stay with you. Review your imprint whenever your address, legal form or register data changes.

How do you keep your home address out of the imprint?

Rent a business address and use it consistently in the imprint, on invoices and in the commercial register. The law requires a serviceable business address, not your private one, so home-based founders have a clean way out.

The business address in Vienna at 1010 Works puts your company at Seitenstettengasse 5/37 in Vienna's first district, two minutes on foot from Schwedenplatz with the U1 and U4 metro lines. It is a real physical address, not a PO box. The Basic plan costs 49 euros per month plus VAT on annual billing, or 59 euros monthly, cancellable every month. Incoming mail is scanned to you digitally, or you pick it up in person Monday to Sunday. Your home address stays private while your imprint stays fully compliant.

Conclusion

An Austrian imprint needs your name, a serviceable physical address, contact details and, for registered companies, the commercial register number. A PO box does not satisfy the rule, and violations can cost up to 3,000 euros before warning-letter fees even start. None of this forces your home address onto the internet: a rented business address fulfils the requirement completely. At 1010 Works, a compliant address at Seitenstettengasse 5/37 starts at 49 euros per month, with all plans listed on the pricing page.