Technology & Digital Registration and Fees UK-wide

Register with Ofcom for Online Safety Act compliance

How to register with Ofcom as a regulated online service and understand fee requirements under the Online Safety Act 2023. Covers scope, the registration portal, qualifying worldwide revenue thresholds, and annual fee obligations.

Guide summary

You must notify Ofcom if your service lets users share content or search online and has many UK users. Check your category based on user numbers and features. If your worldwide revenue is over £250 million, you may need to pay annual fees. The first notification window is December 2025 to 11 April 2026.

  • Check if your service is regulated (user-to-user or search with UK users)
  • Identify your category: 1A, 1B, 2A, or 2B based on user numbers and features
  • Notify Ofcom via their online portal between December 2025 and 11 April 2026
  • Calculate fees: worldwide revenue over £250m and UK revenue over £10m
  • Submit annual fee returns by the deadline each year
  • Failure to notify Ofcom is an offence and does not exempt you from duties
  • Maximum penalty: 10% of global turnover or £18 million (whichever is larger)
  • Illegal content risk assessments were due by 16 March 2025 – do them now if not done
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Regulated services must register with Ofcom and may be liable for annual fees based on qualifying worldwide revenue (QWR).

  1. 1

    1. Determine if your service is in scope

    Your service is regulated if it is a user-to-user service or search service with a significant number of UK users, and is not exempt (e.g. internal business services, email). Check Ofcom's published threshold criteria.

  2. 2

    2. Identify your service category

    Determine whether your service meets Category 1, 2A, or 2B thresholds based on user numbers, functionality, and reach. Your category determines your duties and fee band.

  3. 3

    3. Register via Ofcom's online portal

    Complete registration through Ofcom's Online Safety registration portal during your notification window. You need your company details, service description, user numbers, and revenue figures.

  4. 4

    4. Calculate your fee liability

    Services with qualifying worldwide revenue above the threshold are liable for annual fees. Services with UK revenue under the exemption threshold may be exempt. Check current thresholds in the fee structure above.

  5. 5

    5. Submit annual fee returns

    If liable, submit your annual revenue return to Ofcom by the specified deadline. Fees are calculated as a proportion of Ofcom's online safety costs, allocated by QWR band.

Failure to register does not exempt you from Online Safety Act duties. Ofcom can take enforcement action against unregistered services.

Official sources