ICO Data Protection Fee Calculator 2025/26
Calculate your UK ICO data protection registration fee for 2025/26. Most organisations that process personal data must pay an annual fee to the Information Commissioner's Office. Enter your organisation size and turnover to determine your tier and annual fee.
Key Inputs
- Number of staff (including directors and part-time)
- Annual turnover (£)
- Organisation type (limited company, sole trader, charity, public authority)
- Whether the organisation is a charity (reduced fees apply)
What You'll Get
- Applicable fee tier (Tier 1, 2 or 3)
- Annual ICO fee (£)
- Whether your organisation qualifies for an exemption
Important Notes — 2025/26 Rates & Caveats
ICO data protection fee tiers 2025/26: Tier 1 (micro organisations — 10 or fewer staff AND annual turnover/income £632,000 or less) £40/year; Tier 2 (small and medium organisations — not meeting Tier 1 criteria and not a large organisation) £60/year; Tier 3 (large organisations — 250+ staff or turnover over £36M) £2,900/year. Charities: most charities pay the Tier 1 rate of £40, regardless of size. Public authorities: £455/year. Exemptions: individuals processing data purely for personal, family or household use; and certain other specified categories. Failure to register is a criminal offence — fines up to £4,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs to pay the ICO data protection fee?
Most organisations and sole traders that process personal data as a controller must pay the annual ICO data protection registration fee. This includes businesses that hold customer records, employee data, marketing lists or any other personal information. Exemptions include: processing carried out purely for personal/household purposes; some not-for-profit organisations; regulatory bodies; and organisations that only process personal data for staff administration, advertising or marketing their own services and accounts.
What are the ICO fee tiers for 2025/26?
The ICO data protection fee has three tiers: Tier 1 (micro — 10 or fewer employees AND £632,000 or less annual turnover) £40/year; Tier 2 (small/medium organisations not meeting Tier 1 or Tier 3 criteria) £60/year; Tier 3 (large organisations with 250+ staff or turnover above £36 million) £2,900/year. Charities pay a maximum of £40/year. Public authorities pay £455/year. A 10% early payment discount applies if you pay at the start of the registration period.
What happens if I do not register with the ICO?
Failing to pay the ICO data protection fee when required is a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 2018. The ICO can issue a fixed penalty notice of £400 or prosecute — fines on conviction can be up to £4,000 (Level 4 on the standard scale). The ICO proactively identifies unregistered organisations and sends reminders before taking enforcement action. Registration can be completed online at ico.org.uk in around 15-20 minutes.
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