Legal Pages Every Course Site Needs

This lesson isn’t glamorous. But it’s the one that protects you from lawsuits, refund disputes, and platform account suspensions.

Every course site needs specific legal pages. Not because they’re nice to have . Operating without them exposes you to real liability.

The Five Pages You Need

1. Terms of Service (ToS)

Your ToS governs how students use your course. It covers:

What they’re buying — access to course content, not ownership of the materials
Intellectual property — your content is copyrighted; they can’t reproduce, share, or resell it
Account responsibilities — they can’t share login credentials
Limitation of liability — you’re teaching, not providing licensed professional advice
Modification rights — you can update the course content and terms

Why it matters: Without a ToS, a student could argue they own the course content because they paid for it. They could share your videos publicly, and you’d have no contractual basis to stop them.

2. Privacy Policy

Required by law in most jurisdictions. Covers:

What data you collect — name, email, payment information, course progress
How you use it — delivering the course, sending emails, processing payments
Who you share it with — payment processors (Stripe, PayPal), email platforms, analytics tools
Cookie usage — if your site uses cookies (it does), disclose what and why
Data retention — how long you keep student data
User rights — how students can request data deletion

Why it matters: GDPR (Europe) and CCPA (California) require privacy policies. Fines for non-compliance can reach 4% of annual revenue. Even if you only sell to US customers, some states have privacy laws that require disclosure.

3. Affiliate Disclosure

If you earn commissions by recommending products or services — which you should, because affiliate income is a natural revenue stream for course creators — you must disclose it.

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) requires:

Clear and conspicuous disclosure — not buried in fine print
Before the recommendation — the disclosure should appear before or at the point of the affiliate link
Plain language — “I earn a commission if you purchase through this link” is sufficient
On every page with affiliate links — not just one global disclosure

Why it matters: FTC enforcement is real. The commission has sent warning letters to creators who failed to disclose affiliate relationships. The disclosure itself is simple; the penalty for not having it is not.

4. Refund Policy

Your refund policy sets expectations and protects you:

Refund window — 14 days, 30 days, or conditional (e.g., “must complete 50% of the course”)
Refund method — full refund, partial refund, or course credit
Process — how students request a refund (email, support ticket)
Exceptions — circumstances where refunds aren’t available

Why it matters: Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal) require a stated refund policy. Without one, processors often side with the customer in disputes. A clear policy also reduces chargebacks.

What we recommend: A 14-day no-questions-asked refund policy for courses under $500. For premium programs ($1,000+), consider a conditional refund that requires students to show they completed the work.

5. Earnings Disclaimer

If your course discusses making money — even indirectly — you need an earnings disclaimer:

No guarantees — results vary based on effort, market, and other factors
Examples are illustrative — testimonials and case studies represent specific results, not promises
Not financial/legal/medical advice — your course teaches, it doesn’t replace professional counsel

Why it matters: Without an earnings disclaimer, a student who doesn’t achieve the results you described could claim you made false promises. This is the most common legal issue course creators face.

Where to Put These Pages

Footer of your site — link to all legal pages from every page
Sales page — link to ToS, refund policy, and privacy policy near the checkout button
Course checkout — “By purchasing, you agree to our Terms of Service”
Affiliate content — disclosure at the top of any page with affiliate links

How to Create These Pages

You have three options:

1. Use free generators — TermsFeed, PrivacyPolicies.com, and similar services generate basic legal pages for free. They’re not customized to your specific situation, but they’re better than nothing.

2. Use your platform’s built-in tools — Most course platforms (GHL, Teachable, Kajabi) include legal page templates or generators in their setup process.

3. Hire a lawyer — The gold standard, but expensive ($500–$2,000 for a full set of legal documents). Worth it when you’re making $50,000+/year from courses.

Our recommendation: Start with free generators. When your course business generates consistent revenue (over $5,000/month), invest in proper legal documents. It’s an operating expense, not an upfront cost.

One More Thing: Accessibility

While not strictly a legal page, accessibility matters. In the US, the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has been applied to websites. Adding captions to your videos, using alt text on images, and ensuring your site works with screen readers isn’t just ethical — it’s becoming a legal requirement.

Most course platforms handle basic accessibility (keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility). Captions are your responsibility — add them to every video.