You are a solo entrepreneur or freelancer and you have just launched your website. One of the most widespread misconceptions among self-employed professionals is that their small size exempts them from online legal obligations. In 2026, this is simply wrong. The GDPR applies to every organization that processes personal data of EU residents, regardless of size. The CNIL and data protection authorities across Europe make no distinction between a one-person business and a multinational when auditing websites. This article covers the mandatory legal documents for your website as a solo entrepreneur, the penalties you face, and how to get compliant quickly.
The Myth: “I’m Too Small for GDPR”
This is by far the most persistent misconception among freelancers and solo entrepreneurs. Many believe that the GDPR only applies to large corporations or businesses handling thousands of records. In reality, the GDPR applies the moment your website collects any personal data whatsoever, including a simple email address through a contact form, an IP address through analytics tools, or a tracking cookie. To learn more about who the GDPR actually applies to, read our article GDPR: Who is Actually Affected?.
As a solo entrepreneur, if your website has a contact form, a payment system, a newsletter signup, or even a basic traffic analytics tool, you are processing personal data within the meaning of Article 4 of the GDPR. There is no minimum threshold: the regulation applies regardless of the size of the organization, its turnover, or the volume of data processed.
Data protection authorities regularly sanction small businesses for non-compliance. Fines for sole traders can range from a few hundred to several thousand euros, and public reprimands can cause lasting reputational damage.
Mandatory Legal Documents for Solo Entrepreneurs
1. Legal Notice (Mentions Légales)
Under the French LCEN law (Loi pour la Confiance dans l’Économie Numérique, Article 6-III), every professional website must display a legal notice. For a solo entrepreneur operating in France, this must include your full name, business address (or registered office address), SIRET number, email address, phone number, and your web host’s contact details. Failure to display a legal notice carries a fine of up to 75,000 euros for individuals. Our complete guide on legal notices and the 75,000 euro fine covers all required information in detail.
2. Privacy Policy
Mandatory as soon as you collect personal data (Articles 12, 13, and 14 of the GDPR), your privacy policy must clearly inform visitors about the data you collect, the purposes of processing, the legal basis, retention periods, data recipients, and the rights of data subjects (access, rectification, erasure, portability). For a solo entrepreneur, this covers data collected through a quote request form just as much as data from a traffic analytics tool. Read more in our article on mandatory privacy policies and penalties.
3. Cookie Policy
If your website uses cookies, whether analytics cookies (Google Analytics, Matomo), advertising cookies, or social media cookies, you must obtain prior user consent in line with the ePrivacy Directive and CNIL guidelines. Your cookie policy must list the cookies used, their purpose, their lifespan, and the means to refuse them. In practice, even a solo entrepreneur running a simple WordPress blog with an analytics plugin is concerned.
4. Terms of Use
While terms of use are not strictly mandatory under law, they are strongly recommended because they govern how users interact with your website and protect your rights (intellectual property, limitation of liability, acceptable use). In the event of a dispute with a user, your terms of use are your primary legal defense. For a solo entrepreneur, this is especially important since your personal liability is at stake.
5. Terms of Sale
If you sell products or services online, terms of sale are mandatory under French consumer law (Code de la consommation, Articles L111-1 and following) and equivalent EU consumer protection legislation. They must specify product or service characteristics, prices, payment methods, delivery conditions, the 14-day right of withdrawal (Article L221-18 of the Code de la consommation, implementing the EU Consumer Rights Directive), and legal guarantees. For a solo entrepreneur in e-commerce, this is an essential document. Find all the details in our article on the 4 essential legal documents for every e-commerce website.
Specific Considerations for Solo Entrepreneurs
The solo entrepreneur or freelancer status carries particular implications for your legal documents:
Personal liability. Unlike a limited company, a sole trader has no separate legal personality. If you face a sanction or legal dispute, you are personally responsible. Your legal documents are therefore your first line of defense.
Home address. If you operate from home, you may be required to disclose your address in the legal notice. In France, you can use a business domiciliation address to protect your privacy, provided it is a real address where mail reaches you.
Business registration number. Your business registration number (SIRET in France, or equivalent in your country) must appear in your legal notice. If registration is pending, state that explicitly.
Consumer mediation. Under EU consumer protection law, any professional selling to consumers must provide access to a consumer mediation scheme and include the relevant details in their terms of sale. This obligation applies fully to solo entrepreneurs.
VAT exemption. If you benefit from a VAT exemption scheme (such as the “franchise en base de TVA” in France), your documents (quotes, invoices, terms of sale) must include the appropriate VAT exemption notice.
Penalties You Face
Not having your legal documents in order exposes solo entrepreneurs to concrete penalties:
- GDPR fines: up to 20 million euros or 4% of annual worldwide turnover (Article 83 of the GDPR). In practice, data protection authorities scale fines to the size of the business, but they remain significant for a solo entrepreneur.
- Missing legal notice: up to 75,000 euros for individuals (LCEN law in France, with similar requirements across EU member states).
- Missing terms of sale: administrative fines of up to 3,000 euros for individuals and 15,000 euros for legal entities under French consumer law.
- Public reprimands: the CNIL can publish its formal notices, directly damaging your online reputation.
How to Get Compliant: Your Options
Option 1: Hire a Lawyer (200-500 euros per document)
A lawyer specializing in digital law will provide documents perfectly tailored to your business. This is the most customized solution, but also the most expensive. For a solo entrepreneur who needs 4 to 5 documents, the budget can quickly reach 1,000 to 2,500 euros, which represents a significant share of a freelancer’s revenue.
Option 2: DIY with Free Templates (0 euros, but risky)
Free templates are available online, but they are often generic, outdated, or unsuited to the solo entrepreneur context. They do not account for the specifics of your activity and may contain unfair or unenforceable clauses. Expect at least 3 to 5 hours of work with no guarantee of compliance.
Option 3: Generic AI (ChatGPT, Claude) (0 euros + lawyer review 150-300 euros)
Generic AI tools can produce an initial draft, but they require multiple iterations to achieve consistent documents. A review by a legal professional remains essential, adding a non-negligible cost.
Option 4: Specialized Legal AI (€14.90-19.90)
Solutions like WebLegal.ai are specifically designed to generate GDPR-compliant legal documents tailored to your situation. In less than 10 minutes, you get all your documents for €14.90-19.90, with content personalized to your solo entrepreneur activity. This is the best value option for self-employed professionals who want to get compliant without spending a disproportionate budget.
Conclusion
In 2026, no solo entrepreneur can afford to ignore their online legal obligations. Whether you have a simple portfolio website or a full e-commerce store, legal documents are mandatory and the penalties are real. Being a freelancer or sole trader does not protect you; in fact, it exposes you even more since your personal liability is at stake. Do not wait for an audit or a client dispute to take action. Get your website compliant now by following our 10-step GDPR compliance action plan.