Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
Do I Need to Show My Address on My Online Store?
Whether your store must show a business address depends on where you sell. Here are the rules for the US, the UK and the Netherlands, and how to handle a home address.
Key takeaways
- In the US, no general federal rule makes a store publish a street address on its website, but every marketing email must carry a valid postal address.
- The FTC accepts a PO box registered with USPS, or a registered private mailbox, as that email address.
- In the UK, GOV.UK says you must give customers your business name, contact details and address before they order. Limited companies also show their registered office address.
- Dutch webshops must show the address registered with the KvK, plus their KvK and VAT numbers.
- Who it is for
- Home-based and new store owners
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- Your markets and a mailing address
It depends on where you and your customers are. A US store isn't generally required by federal law to publish a street address on its website, but every marketing email must include a valid postal address, and a registered PO box counts. In the UK and the Netherlands the rules are stricter: you must give customers your business name and address before they buy, and Dutch stores must show the address registered with the KvK.
I set up stores for owners who run their business from home, and this is usually where they get stuck. The rules below were checked on GOV.UK, the FTC, the ACM and the Shopify Help Center on 7 November 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
The rules by market
| Market | What to show | PO box? |
|---|---|---|
| US | Postal address in marketing emails | Yes, if registered |
| UK, any business | Name, contact details and address | Street address is safer |
| UK limited company | Registered name, number and office | Registered office address |
| Netherlands | KvK name and address, KvK and VAT numbers | No, use the KvK address |
In the US: the email rule
The CAN-SPAM Act is the rule most US stores meet first. The FTC's guide says your commercial emails must include your valid physical postal address. That can be your current street address, a post office box you've registered with the U.S. Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency.
On the website itself, there is no single federal rule for a typical store. Still, I add a contact page with a mailing address and an email, because shoppers look for one before trusting a new store. My guide on building trust in a new Shopify store covers the other signals.
In the UK: name and address before the order
GOV.UK says that before an order is placed, you must give customers your business name, contact details and address. Its online selling page adds your email address, and your VAT number if you're registered for VAT. Shopify's own help notes that some legal disclosures require a physical business address and don't accept PO boxes, so a street address is the safer choice in the UK.
Limited companies have extra duties. Your website must show the company's registered name, registered number, registered office address and where it's registered, such as England and Wales. Many owners use a registered office service so their home address doesn't appear.
In the Netherlands: the ACM list
The ACM, the Dutch consumer authority, lists what a webshop must show: the name and business address you're registered under at the KvK, an email address, a phone number, your KvK number and your VAT number. Customers must be able to find these details easily before they buy, for example from every page of the site.
How Shopify shows your address
Shopify treats your store address as public. You set it in Settings > General under Store contact details, and customers can see it on your store and policy pages.
- Contact information policy: under
Settings > Policies, Shopify builds this page from your store address, company name, phone, email and any EU or UK VAT number. - Shopify Messaging emails: your store address goes in the footer of marketing emails by default. Shopify says you can replace it with a PO box address in
Settings > General, which meets the US email rule. - Legal name: if you trade under a brand, show the legal name too. My answer on using a different store name explains why.
What to do next
- List your markets and the rule for each, using the table above.
- Choose the address you're comfortable publishing: home, PO box or a business address service.
- Update Shopify: set the store address, publish the Contact information policy and link it in your footer.
- Review your privacy setup at the same time. My GDPR guide for Shopify stores and the settings every store owner should check cover the rest.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally need an address on my website in the US?
No general federal law requires a typical online store to publish a street address on its website. The CAN-SPAM Act does require a valid postal address in every commercial email, which can be a registered PO box.
Can I use a PO box as my business address?
For US marketing emails, yes, if it's registered with USPS or with a commercial mail receiving agency. For UK and Dutch website disclosures, a street address is safer, and Dutch stores must use the address registered with the KvK.
What address does a UK online store have to show?
GOV.UK says you must give customers your business name, contact details and address before they order. A limited company must also show its registered office address, registered number and where it's registered.
Does Shopify show my address to customers?
Yes. Shopify treats the store address in Settings > General as public, shows it on policy pages, and puts it in the footer of Shopify Messaging emails by default. You can change the store address to a PO box.
I work from home. How do I keep my address private?
Use a registered PO box for US emails, and a virtual office or registered office service where a business address is required, such as the UK and the Netherlands. Make sure you can receive mail at that address.
What does a Dutch webshop have to show?
The ACM lists the name and address registered at the KvK, an email address, a phone number, the KvK number and the VAT number. These details must be easy to find before the customer buys.
Sources
- Online and distance selling for businesses, GOV.UK
- Online and distance selling: online selling, GOV.UK
- Running a limited company: signs, stationery and promotional material, GOV.UK
- CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business, Federal Trade Commission
- Bedrijfsgegevens vermelden, ACM
- Adding and generating store policies, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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