ICO

What ICO does

Contact ICO

Types of regulation

Official guidance from ICO

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

• Pay the data protection fee
  Detailed Guidance
• Direct marketing guidance (ICO)
  Detailed Guidance
• ICO AI and data protection guidance
  Detailed Guidance
• UK GDPR guidance (ICO)
  Detailed Guidance
• ICO guidance for organisations
  Detailed Guidance
• ICO personal data breach guidance
  Detailed Guidance
• Guide to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (ICO)
  Detailed Guidance
• ICO: Age Appropriate Design Code
  Detailed Guidance

View all 41 guidance documents →

Legal framework

Legislation that ICO directly enforces.

Primary legislation

• DPA 1998 Act 1998
• Freedom of Information Act 2000 Act 2000
• Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014 Act 2014
• Data Protection Act 2018 Act 2018
• Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 Act 2024
• Data Use and Access Act 2025 Act 2025
• Data Use and Access Act 2025 Act 2025

Secondary legislation

• Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 UK Statutory Instrument 2002
• Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 UK Statutory Instrument 2003
• Environmental Information Regulations 2004 UK Statutory Instrument 2004
• Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004 UK Statutory Instrument 2004
• INSPIRE Regulations 2009 UK Statutory Instrument 2009
• The Data Protection (Monetary Penalties) (Maximum Penalty and Notices) Regulations 2010 UK Statutory Instrument 2010
• The Data Protection (Monetary Penalties) Order 2010 UK Statutory Instrument 2010
• The Freedom of Information (Time for Compliance with Request) Regulations 2010 UK Statutory Instrument 2010
• Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 UK Statutory Instrument 2011
• The Data Protection Act 1998 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2011 UK Statutory Instrument 2011
• ... and 57 more statutory instruments

Related legislation

Legislation connected to ICO's remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.