If you do need to pay, the online form will ask for your sector. You can choose, but are not limited, to:
- Retail and Manufacture, Supplier of goods, Mail Order Trader
- Retail and Manufacture, Supplier of goods, E-Commerce
- Retail and Manufacture, Supplier of goods, Retail/Wholesale
- Retail and Manufacture, Manufacturing, Manufacturer
- General Business, Business Advice and Consultancy, Consultant
- General Business, Supplier of services, Other
Frequently asked questions
I have CCTV on my business premises for crime prevention reasons – do I need to pay a fee?
Yes. Images of people caught on camera is their personal data. If you record these images to prevent crime, and crime prevention is not the purpose of your business, then you need to pay.
I do credit checks on my clients – do I need to pay?
Yes. When performing a credit check via a credit reference agency you will need to pay the fee.
I sell my own goods and services on a third party platform - do I need to pay?
No, you would not be required to register and pay a fee.
However, a company that also advertises for others is likely to need to pay a data protection fee.
We have a loyalty card scheme – we do need to pay?
If you have a loyalty card scheme you are not required to pay a data protection fee providing you don’t share or trade this information, i.e. within your group of companies for another purpose, or carry out research on customer habits and behaviours based on what they have bought.
If you have CCTV for the purpose of crime prevention in or on your business premises you are required to pay the fee.
If I email promotional offers to customers – do I need to pay?
There is an exemption for processing personal information for the purpose of advertising or marketing your business activity, goods or services and promoting public relations only in connection with that business activity, or those goods and services. This processing does not require you to pay the fee.
If you use your business to promote another person's business activity, goods, or services, you will need to pay because you are advertising and marketing for others and this would require you to pay the fee.
Do I have to pay if I have a website?
It depends on what’s on your website and what other personal data you hold.
If you use your website to promote another person's business activity, goods, or services, you will need to pay because you are advertising and marketing for others.
If you just have a website that advertises your own products or services, then you won’t need to pay because of your website. But you will need to use our self-assessment tool to see if there are any other activities you undertake that mean you do need to pay.
Do I have to pay because I hold customer data on a computer?
You are not usually required to pay just because you hold client details on computer, but the important point is what you do with those details. Our self-assessment tool will help you to see if any of your activities mean you need to pay.
Do I have to pay because I take card payments?
You are also not required to pay just because you take card payments. However, if you do credit checks on customers via a credit reference agency, or if you process personal data for any other non-exempt reason, then you do need to pay.
I only hold names, addresses and contact details of my customers – do I need to pay?
If the information you are holding about people is only for the purposes of keeping your own accounts and records, such as keeping records of purchases, sales or other transactions to ensure the relevant payments, deliveries or services happen, then you are likely to be exempt from the requirement to pay.
However, this specifically excludes information processed by or obtained from credit reference agencies.
I have received a letter for one of my companies, however, I have a group of companies. Can I do a group registration?
It isn’t possible to have a group entry on the public register of data protection fee payers. Each individual company, if it is a data controller and a separate legal entity e.g. has a separate companies house number, would be required to pay a data protection fee unless an exemption applies.
I have a dashcam on my business vehicle – do I need to pay the fee?
If you have a dashcam that you use for work purposes on a vehicle that you use for work – even if you own the vehicle - then you will need to pay a data protection fee. Again, images of people recorded on camera – even when in their cars - will be their personal data.
I am already registered – why have I received a letter?
If you are registered as a sole trader or your registration does not include your companies house number this could be the reason why you have received our letter. Please let us know.
I have a limited company but I’m a sole trader – who needs to be registered?
This depends on who the data controller is and which entity has the relationship with the client. You will need to determine who is the legal person responsible for the personal data held.
If your limited company is set up for the sole purpose of processing your own accounts through then this would not require a fee.
My company is dormant – do I need to pay?
It depends. If your business is dormant and you are not processing personal data electronically, then you’re not required to pay the fee.
However, some businesses and professionals are required to retain some personal data after they cease trading or practicing, as required by industry guidelines. If this applies to you then you probably will need to pay.
Please visit our self-assessment tool to check.
More information
There is more information about the data protection fee on our website.
There is also lots of information for sole traders and smaller businesses on our SME web hub, to help you understand data protection and how it can help you safely make the most out of the personal data you hold.