The SRA advertising rules are the parts of the SRA Standards and Regulations that govern how regulated law firms publicise their services. The main rules are paragraphs 8.6 to 8.11 and 5.1 to 5.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs, and the SRA Transparency Rules, with the CAP Code and PECR alongside them.
Rules checked: October 2026. The SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs and the SRA Transparency Rules quoted here are the current versions, both in effect from 11 April 2025.
Key takeaways
- Paragraph 8.8 of the SRA Code requires all publicity to be "accurate and not misleading", including claims about charges.
- Paragraph 8.9 bans unsolicited approaches to members of the public, not advertising itself.
- The SRA Transparency Rules require a firm's website to show prices for listed services, complaints information, the SRA number and the SRA digital badge.
- Under paragraph 5.1(e), a firm answers for how its lead generators and introducers acquired the clients they refer.
- Reviews and testimonials need consent and must not mislead, under paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code and the CAP Code.
- A firm's COLP and the SRA Professional Ethics helpline are the places for questions about a specific campaign.
This guide is marketing guidance from Affirmed Digital, written by Rich Voller, Founder, and is not legal advice. The guide covers SRA-regulated firms in England and Wales, and solicitors in Scotland and Northern Ireland follow their own Law Society rules.
Contents
- What are the SRA advertising rules?
- What does paragraph 8.8 mean for law firm marketing?
- Is cold calling allowed for solicitors?
- What must a solicitor's website show under the SRA Transparency Rules?
- What is the SRA digital badge and where does it go?
- Can solicitors use client testimonials and online reviews?
- Can solicitors pay referral fees or use lead generators?
- How should law firms advertise 'no win, no fee'?
- What do the SRA rules mean for social media?
- Do the CAP Code and PECR apply to law firms?
- What other SRA rules affect law firm marketing?
- SRA marketing compliance checklist
- Who signs off law firm marketing?
- Where does this fit in SEO for solicitors?
- FAQs
- Next step
What are the SRA advertising rules?
The SRA advertising rules are not one document. The rules are a set of SRA provisions, chiefly paragraphs 8.6 to 8.11 and 5.1 to 5.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs and the SRA Transparency Rules, with the CAP Code and PECR applying alongside them to advertising and electronic marketing.
The SRA Glossary says publicity "includes all promotional material and activity", listing among others "advertisements, brochures, websites, directory entries, media appearances" and "direct approaches to potential clients and other persons". The SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs says "paragraphs 8.1 to 8.11 apply only when you are providing your services to the public or a section of the public".
Paragraph 7.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms applies paragraphs 5.1 to 5.3 and 8.6 to 8.11 to firms "as though references to 'you' were references to you as a firm". The table below sets out each rule set.
| Rule set | Who sets it | What it covers | Where it applies in marketing |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRA Principles | SRA | Integrity, honesty and public trust | All conduct, including online |
| SRA Code for Solicitors, 8.6 to 8.11 | SRA | Client information and publicity | Websites, ads, directories, approaches |
| SRA Code for Solicitors, 5.1 to 5.3 | SRA | Referrals, introducers, separate businesses | Lead generators, fee sharing |
| SRA Code for Firms, 7.1 | SRA | Applies those paragraphs to the firm | The firm as a whole |
| SRA Transparency Rules | SRA | Prices, complaints, SRA number, digital badge | Website, letterhead, emails |
| SRA warning notices and guidance | SRA | How the SRA applies the rules | Cold calling, lead sources, no win no fee, AI |
| LASPO 2012, section 56 | Parliament | Referral fee ban for personal injury and death claims | Paid referrals and lead buying |
| CAP Code | CAP, enforced by the ASA | Advertising standards | Ads, claims, reviews, testimonials |
| PECR | Parliament, enforced by the ICO | Electronic marketing | Email and text marketing |
What does paragraph 8.8 mean for law firm marketing?
Paragraph 8.8 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, RFLs and RSLs says: "You ensure that any publicity in relation to your practice is accurate and not misleading, including that relating to your charges and the circumstances in which interest is payable by or to clients." Paragraph 8.8 reaches every website page, ad and directory listing.
In marketing, paragraph 8.8 covers price claims and "from" prices, success claims, awards, specialist claims, review counts and comparisons. The SRA warning notice "Marketing your services to members of the public", published 19 December 2024, lists publicity that must not mislead, including "the prospects of success of any claim", "the level of any award likely to be made" and "awards or other credentials held by your firm".
The SRA guidance "Transparency in price and service", updated 30 September 2024, adds that "bait advertising etc." is "likely to be a breach of paragraph 8.8". A "from" price in an ad needs to match the published price information, and the price transparency section of our SEO vs PPC guide covers that for Google Ads and landing pages.
Evidence for claims
Rule 3.7 of the CAP Code says marketers "must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation". The CAP Code requirement applies before an ad is published.
A firm can keep a file of evidence for each objective claim on its pages and ads, such as an award or an accreditation. Paragraph 8.8 and the December 2024 warning notice both warn against outcome promises.
Is cold calling allowed for solicitors?
Cold calling is not allowed for solicitors marketing to the public. Paragraph 8.9 of the SRA Code says: "You do not make unsolicited approaches to members of the public, with the exception of current or former clients, in order to advertise legal services provided by you, or your business or employer."
The SRA guidance on unsolicited approaches, published 16 December 2019, says paragraph 8.9 is not a blanket ban on advertising. A firm "cannot make direct or specifically targeted 'approaches' to members of the public in person, by phone or via other means which target them individually", and the SRA warning notice of 19 December 2024 names "cold calling and door knocking".
What advertising the SRA allows
The SRA guidance says a firm "may place an advert on the radio or TV, on billboards, in a local newspaper, online or on a social media platform". Leaflets are allowed where distribution is not targeted, "for example you may send leaflets to all homes within a large geographic area".
The SRA guidance gives a breach example: letters to people identified from online media as recently involved in a road traffic accident. The same guidance points firms to UK GDPR and PECR as well.
Direct messages and re-marketing
The SRA guidance draws the line at approaches that target people individually, and the December 2024 warning notice asks firms to take care with "re-marketing". The SRA has not issued a channel-by-channel ruling, so edge cases such as direct messages are questions for the firm's COLP or the SRA Professional Ethics helpline.
What must a solicitor's website show under the SRA Transparency Rules?
The SRA Transparency Rules, current version in effect from 11 April 2025, require a firm's website to show cost information for listed services, the complaints procedure, the SRA number and the SRA digital badge. Rule 1.1 applies the price rules to firms that publish "as part of its usual business the availability of" the listed services.
Which services need published prices
Rule 1.3 of the SRA Transparency Rules lists the services for individuals:
- residential conveyancing, covering freehold or leasehold sales or purchases, and mortgages or re-mortgages
- the collection and distribution of assets after a death, where the assets are within the UK and the matters are not contested
- immigration applications, excluding asylum applications
- advice and representation at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) on appeals against Home Office visa or immigration decisions, excluding asylum appeals
- advice and representation at the magistrates' court on summary only road traffic offences dealt with at a single hearing
- advice and representation for employees bringing Employment Tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
Rule 1.4 of the SRA Transparency Rules lists the services for businesses:
- advice and representation for employers defending Employment Tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
- debt recovery up to the value of £100,000
- advice, assistance and representation on licensing applications for business premises
Rule 1.2 says rule 1.1 does not apply to publicly funded work. Firms with conveyancing, immigration or employment service pages will usually find listed services among them.
What the cost information must include
Rule 1.5 of the SRA Transparency Rules sets out seven elements. The cost information must include:
- (a) the total cost of the service or, where not practicable, the average cost or range of costs
- (b) the basis for the charges, including any hourly rates or fixed fees
- (c) the experience and qualifications of anyone doing the work, and of their supervisors
- (d) a description and the cost of any likely disbursements
- (e) whether any fees or disbursements attract VAT, and the amount
- (f) what the price includes, the key stages and likely timescales, and anything a client might expect to be included but is not
- (g) for conditional fee or damages based agreements, when clients may have to make payments themselves
Where the information must appear
Rule 1.6 says cost information must be "clear and accessible and in a prominent place on your website". The SRA guidance "Transparency in price and service" adds that the location should be "accessible, clearly signposted and easy for visitors to find".
Rule 2.1 requires the complaints procedure on the website, "including, details about how and when a complaint can be made to the Legal Ombudsman and to the SRA". Rule 4.2 says a firm's "letterhead and e-mails must show its SRA authorisation number and the words 'authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority'", so email signatures need the same check as the website.
What is the SRA digital badge and where does it go?
The SRA digital badge is the SRA clickable logo, and rule 4.1 of the SRA Transparency Rules requires a firm to display the digital badge and its SRA number in a prominent place on its website. The SRA says use of the logo "became a mandatory requirement on 25 November 2019".
The SRA digital badge is provided through the SRA's partner Yoshki and works on domains registered in mySRA, and the SRA asks firms to "allow at least 24 hours after updating your details". The badge shows a date that updates after daily checks, to "prevent fraudulent use of the logo".
On other channels, the SRA digital badge Q&A says: "No, the logo can only be used on your website." The SRA number is still required in text under rule 4.1, so the badge does not replace the number.
Practical points for the website
The SRA digital badge loads from a script, so a redesign or a new domain can stop the badge rendering without anyone noticing. A check that the badge and the SRA number appear on every page template keeps rule 4.1 visible in practice.
Can solicitors use client testimonials and online reviews?
Solicitors can use client testimonials and online reviews, but paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code requires client affairs to stay confidential unless "the client consents", and paragraph 8.8 requires accuracy. The CAP Code adds rules 3.45 to 3.50 on incentivised reviews, misleading displays and permission for testimonials.
Paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code says "You keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless disclosure is required or permitted by law or the client consents." A testimonial or a reply to a review can confirm that a person was a client, and the reviews and replies section of our Google Business Profile guide covers replies and Google's review policy.
What the CAP Code says about reviews
Rule 3.45 of the CAP Code says marketing "must make clear where consumer reviews have been incentivised". Rule 3.46 says marketers "must not publish consumer reviews, or consumer review information, in a misleading way", with examples including removing negative reviews and "giving greater prominence to positive consumer reviews over negative ones".
Rule 3.47 of the CAP Code requires evidence that a testimonial "is genuine" and contact details for the person who gave it. Rule 3.50 says marketing "must not feature a testimonial without permission".
The SRA warning notice of 19 December 2024 also lists "feedback provided by other claimants about your firm" among publicity that must not mislead. On the positive side, the SRA guidance "Transparency in price and service" says "Using an online review service can showcase the quality of your work."
Can solicitors pay referral fees or use lead generators?
Solicitors can pay referral fees in many areas, subject to paragraph 5.1 of the SRA Code, but section 56 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) bans referral fees for personal injury and death claims. Under paragraph 5.1(e), a firm also answers for how an introducer acquired each referred client.
The SRA Glossary defines an introducer as "any person, business or organisation who or that introduces or refers clients to your business". Lead generators, claims management companies and referral partners can all fall within that definition.
What paragraph 5.1 requires
Paragraph 5.1 of the SRA Code requires that clients are told of any financial or other interest in a referral and of any fee sharing arrangement, and that fee sharing agreements are in writing. Paragraph 5.1(d) rules out referral payments for clients who are the subject of criminal proceedings.
Paragraph 5.1(e) requires that a referred client "has not been acquired in a way which would breach the SRA's regulatory arrangements if the person acquiring the client were regulated by the SRA". Paragraph 5.2 says a payment that appears to be a referral fee "will be treated as a referral fee unless you show that the payment was not made as such".
The LASPO ban on personal injury referral fees
Section 56 of LASPO 2012 bans a regulated person from paying or being paid for referring "prescribed legal business", which includes legal services relating to "a claim or potential claim for damages for personal injury or death". Section 56(8) says payment "includes any form of consideration" but not "the provision of hospitality that is reasonable in the circumstances".
The SRA warning notice "Referral fees LASPO and SRA Principles", first published 11 October 2013 and updated 25 November 2019, sets out how the SRA applies the ban. Personal injury firms need particular care with any paid lead source.
Checking third-party lead sources
The SRA warning notice of 19 December 2024 says firms "must be able to demonstrate that a third party who makes a referral to you did not acquire the client through cold calling or door-knocking, or other targeted or unsolicited approaches". The notice adds: "It is not acceptable to say that the third party was not regulated by the SRA."
The December 2024 warning notice expects "regular spot checks on new clients". Pay-per-lead arrangements and paid directory listings raise questions under paragraphs 5.1 and 8.8, so a firm's COLP is the person to review them.
How should law firms advertise 'no win, no fee'?
The SRA warning notice "'No win, no fee' and other fee arrangements in high-volume consumer claims", published 28 January 2026, says firms "must be cautious when using the term 'no win, no fee' in marketing or advertising materials". The December 2024 warning notice adds that such marketing "should clearly explain what that means".
The January 2026 warning notice says firms "must avoid using language or testimonials that could create unrealistic expectations", and that marketing "must not exaggerate the benefits of 'no win, no fee' arrangements or downplay the potential costs" and risks. The notice also expects firms to monitor marketing "carried out by third-party introducers".
Rule 1.5(g) of the SRA Transparency Rules connects the advert to the price page. Where a firm uses conditional fee or damages based agreements, the published cost information must explain when clients may have to make payments themselves.
What do the SRA rules mean for social media?
The SRA rules apply to social media as to other publicity. Paid social ads fall under paragraph 8.8 of the SRA Code and the CAP Code, direct messages to individuals raise paragraph 8.9 questions, and the SRA topic guide "Use of social media and offensive communications", updated 25 November 2019, covers conduct online.
The SRA topic guide says action can be taken "if the sender is identifiable as someone we regulate (even if acting in a personal capacity) and the communication would tend to damage public confidence". Personal accounts are therefore within reach of the SRA Principles.
Firm posts about matters also engage paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code on confidentiality. A post about a completed matter needs the client's consent and must stay accurate under paragraph 8.8.
Do the CAP Code and PECR apply to law firms?
The CAP Code applies to law firms because the ASA says the Code "must be followed by all advertisers, agencies and media". PECR also applies, and regulation 22 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 limits unsolicited marketing emails and texts to individuals without consent.
The CAP Code
The CAP Code is written by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The CAP Code is general, not written for law firms, and rule 3.1 says marketing communications "must not materially mislead or be likely to do so". Rule 3.7 on evidence and rules 3.45 to 3.50 on reviews, covered above, apply alongside paragraph 8.8 of the SRA Code.
PECR and email marketing
Regulation 22 of PECR bars unsolicited direct marketing email to individuals without prior consent. The soft opt-in exception covers contact details obtained "in the course of the sale or negotiations for the sale of a product or service", marketing of similar services and a simple way to opt out.
The ICO guidance says "You can send marketing emails or texts to companies", keeping a do-not-email list of any that object, while sole traders and some partnerships count as individuals. The ICO also says the guidance "is under review" after the Data (Use and Access) Act, so firms should check the current ICO guidance before a campaign.
What other SRA rules affect law firm marketing?
Two other SRA sources affect law firm marketing: paragraph 8.10 of the SRA Code with the SRA "Separate Business Guidance", published 8 March 2022, and the SRA warning notice "Misuse of AI", published 17 August 2026. The guidance covers firms with an unregulated sister business, and the warning notice covers AI tools.
Separate businesses
Paragraph 8.10 of the SRA Code requires firms not to represent any business "which is not authorised by the SRA, including any separate business, as being regulated by the SRA". The SRA Separate Business Guidance says firms "must take care to ensure that clients are not confused between the authorised firm and the unauthorised separate business".
The guidance uses the example of R Solicitors and R Estates sharing a website. Where a firm and a separate business share a name, website or marketing, the pages need to make clear which business the SRA regulates.
AI-written marketing content
The SRA warning notice "Misuse of AI", published 17 August 2026, is relevant to all firms the SRA regulates. The notice focuses on AI "hallucinations" and on client confidentiality, saying client information "should only be entered into AI systems where appropriate contractual, technical and organisational safeguards are in place".
The Misuse of AI warning notice is not a marketing rule, but two points carry over. AI-drafted pages, posts and ads still fall under paragraph 8.8, so a person needs to check them, and client details should not go into AI tools without those safeguards. Our AI search guide for law firms covers how AI tools use legal pages.
SRA marketing compliance checklist
The SRA marketing compliance checklist below maps each check to its rule, from paragraph 8.8 of the SRA Code to rule 4.1 of the SRA Transparency Rules and regulation 22 of PECR. A firm's COLP can use the checklist to review a website, an ad account or a new lead source.
| Check | Rule | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Claims are accurate and evidenced | SRA Code 8.8; CAP Code 3.7 | Service pages, ads, directories |
| "From" prices match published prices | SRA Code 8.8 | Ads, landing pages |
| No targeted unsolicited approaches | SRA Code 8.9 | Calls, letters, direct messages |
| Prices for each listed service | Transparency Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4 | Price pages |
| All seven cost elements | Transparency Rules 1.5 | Price pages |
| Price information prominent | Transparency Rules 1.6 | Navigation, service pages |
| Complaints procedure with Ombudsman and SRA details | Transparency Rules 2.1 | Complaints page |
| SRA number and digital badge | Transparency Rules 4.1 | Every page template |
| SRA number and regulated wording | Transparency Rules 4.2 | Letterhead, email signatures |
| Client consent for testimonials | SRA Code 6.3; CAP Code 3.47, 3.50 | Testimonials, posts, review replies |
| Fair review displays, incentives disclosed | CAP Code 3.45, 3.46 | Review widgets |
| Introducers checked and disclosed | SRA Code 5.1; Dec 2024 warning notice | Lead generators, referral agreements |
| No paid personal injury referrals | LASPO 2012 s.56 | Lead sources |
| 'No win, no fee' explained | Jan 2026 warning notice; Rule 1.5(g) | Ads, price pages |
| Separate business marked as unregulated | SRA Code 8.10 | Shared websites |
| Consent or soft opt-in for emails | PECR regulation 22 | Email lists, forms |
Who signs off law firm marketing?
The firm's compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) signs off law firm marketing in practice, because paragraph 9.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms requires the COLP to take "all reasonable steps" to ensure compliance with the SRA's regulatory arrangements. Marketing approval sits with the firm, not its agency.
Paragraph 2.2 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms says a firm must "keep and maintain records to demonstrate compliance with your obligations under the SRA's regulatory arrangements". A record of who approved each campaign, page and lead source supports that duty.
An agency such as Affirmed can brief, draft and flag points against the rules, but the firm approves what is published. The SRA warning notices on marketing, 'no win, no fee' and AI all point firms to the SRA Professional Ethics helpline for conduct questions.
Where does this fit in SEO for solicitors?
The SRA advertising rules shape a law firm's search marketing, from price pages under the SRA Transparency Rules to Google reviews under paragraph 6.3 and the CAP Code. The guides below cover the search side of the same work, with the rules in this guide applying throughout.
Our SEO for solicitors guide covers the full picture, and the Google Business Profile guide covers SRA details on the profile. Accurate service pages are also part of a sound legal content strategy. To see how Affirmed approaches the organic side, read about our law firm SEO services, or start with a free law firm SEO audit.
FAQs
Are solicitors allowed to advertise?
Solicitors are allowed to advertise. The SRA guidance on unsolicited approaches, published 16 December 2019, says paragraph 8.9 of the SRA Code is not a blanket ban, and firms may advertise on the radio or TV, on billboards, in a local newspaper, online or on social media. Paragraph 8.9 limits unsolicited approaches that target members of the public individually.
Is the SRA digital badge mandatory?
The SRA digital badge has been mandatory since 25 November 2019. Rule 4.1 of the SRA Transparency Rules requires a firm to display its SRA number and the SRA digital badge in a prominent place on its website. The SRA digital badge Q&A says the logo can only be used on the website, not in emails or print.
Which legal services must show prices online?
Rules 1.3 and 1.4 of the SRA Transparency Rules list the services. For individuals, the list is residential conveyancing, uncontested estate administration, immigration applications, First-tier Tribunal immigration appeals, summary only road traffic offences and employee unfair or wrongful dismissal claims. For businesses, the list is defending those dismissal claims, debt recovery up to £100,000 and business premises licensing applications.
Can a law firm offer an incentive for a Google review?
A law firm cannot offer incentives for Google reviews, because Google's review policy does not allow them, as our Google Business Profile guide explains. Rule 3.45 of the CAP Code also says marketing must make clear where consumer reviews have been incentivised. Google's policy also does not allow selectively asking happy clients for reviews.
Can solicitors pay referral fees?
Solicitors can pay referral fees in many areas, provided paragraph 5.1 of the SRA Code is met, including telling clients about the arrangement and putting fee sharing in writing. Section 56 of LASPO 2012 bans referral fees for personal injury and death claims, and paragraph 5.1(d) rules out referral payments for clients in criminal proceedings.
Can solicitors send marketing emails?
Solicitors can send marketing emails within PECR. Regulation 22 of PECR requires consent before marketing emails to individuals, unless the soft opt-in applies, and the ICO says firms can email companies while keeping a do not email list. Paragraph 8.9 of the SRA Code still rules out unsolicited approaches that target members of the public individually.
Does the SRA regulate a solicitor's personal social media?
The SRA can act on a solicitor's personal social media. The SRA topic guide on social media and offensive communications, updated 25 November 2019, says regulatory action can be taken if the sender is identifiable as someone the SRA regulates, even when acting in a personal capacity, and the communication would tend to damage public confidence.
More answers on our law firm SEO FAQs page.
Next step
The free law firm SEO audit reviews how a firm's website performs in search today, including whether the SRA number, the SRA digital badge and the price pages are easy to find. The audit is not a compliance review or legal advice.
The free audit is a written report and a recorded video walkthrough, delivered in 3 to 5 business days, with no contract tie-ins. The audit includes an AI search check, which checks whether the site is set up as well as possible for LLMs, including not blocking AI bots.