CNPJ in the footer: why it matters
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
A CNPJ and legal business name in the footer matter for two reasons. First, the law: for e-commerce, Decree 7.962/2013, which implements Brazil’s Consumer Protection Code, CDC (Law 8.078/1990), for online sales, requires the business name, CNPJ number, and physical and electronic addresses in a prominent location. Second, trust: anyone can check a CNPJ through Receita Federal in 30 seconds, and a business displaying its own is saying “you can check.”
Fake stores are a common online scam, and cautious people first look for the CNPJ in the footer. A website without it loses that customer before they see the product. And it costs nothing: one line of text you already have on your registration card and invoices.
What does the law require in the footer?
For online sellers, article 2 of Decree 7.962/2013 lists what the website must show clearly and prominently:
| Item | How it appears |
|---|---|
| Legal business name | “Doce Renata Alimentos Ltda.” beside the trade name |
| CNPJ | Full number, with punctuation |
| Physical and electronic addresses | Registered business address and a working email |
| Product features and price, with shipping and charges | On each product page |
| Offer terms: payment, delivery, exchanges | In the terms and on the product page |
The footer usually contains the first three, with links to terms, exchange policies, and privacy policies. For terms, see What are terms of service?.
A corporate website that does not sell online is not covered by this decree, but the trust reason applies equally. And if the website has a form collecting data, the LGPD (Law 13.709/2018) requires identifying the data controller, which in practice means the same legal business name and a contact.
Why is a CNPJ more convincing than any badge?
Because anyone can verify it for free at the official source. With the number, customers can see through Receita Federal whether the business exists, when it opened, whether it is active, its activity, and its city. No paid badge provides that. An eight-year-old active CNPJ with an activity matching the website’s products settles the doubt.
And the opposite: a store with prices far below market, no CNPJ, and a generic address is the picture of a scam. Displaying your CNPJ separates you from that picture in one line.
There is no risk in displaying it. A CNPJ is inherently public data. It already appears on invoices, shipping labels, contracts, and public searches. Hiding it protects nothing; it only removes a trust signal.
What else belongs in the footer?
The footer is what skeptical visitors read. Besides legal name, CNPJ, and address:
- Email on your own domain and a WhatsApp link.
- Links to terms of service, privacy policy, and exchange policy.
- Customer service hours.
- Professional council registration, where applicable, with its number.
- Founding year: “since 2014.”
What to omit: rows of unlinked badges, five lines of “all rights reserved,” and social media icons with no one responding. A good footer fits into four lines and answers “who are you, where are you, how do I contact you, what are the rules?”
A motorcycle parts store had only its trade name and Instagram in the footer. Carts were frequently abandoned before payment. The store added its legal name, CNPJ, workshop address, hours, and exchange and privacy links. This was not the only change that month, so no one assigns a number to it, but WhatsApp messages asking “are you trustworthy?” virtually disappeared.
What to do now
Open your website footer. If CNPJ and legal name are missing, add them today; it is a two-minute edit. Then check the five list items and policy links. Your contact page must match the footer: A contact page that builds trust. If you want to know what else is exposed on your website and in operations, we assess it in a conversation: avilaops.com/contato or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
Must an MEI display its CNPJ on the website?
If selling online, yes, under Decree 7.962/2013, which refers to the supplier’s CNPJ or CPF. On a purely corporate website, it is not mandatory, but it is the cheapest trust signal available.
Does displaying the CNPJ expose a business to scams?
No. A CNPJ is public and appears on every invoice you issue. Weak passwords and email without two-step verification expose the business, not the number in the footer.
Where should it go on a one-page website?
At the bottom as a footer, or in the contact section. What matters is that any visitor can find it without searching.
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