Best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses

Real‑world examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses

Let’s start where most course creators actually need help: seeing real language in context. These are not templates to copy word‑for‑word, but they are realistic examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses that you can adapt with your attorney.

Example of a general “no professional advice” disclaimer

If your course touches law, finance, tax, medical, or psychological topics, you need to be very clear you are not giving personalized professional advice.

Sample wording:

“The content provided in this course is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, professional advice of any kind, including legal, financial, tax, or medical advice. You should consult with a licensed professional in your jurisdiction before making any decisions based on this information.”

This kind of clause shows up in many of the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses because regulators and courts care deeply about misleading professional claims. In the U.S., for instance, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regularly reminds businesses that online content must not misrepresent expertise or guarantee results.

Authoritative starting points:

• FTC guidance for online businesses: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance
• U.S. Small Business Administration on legal basics: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide

Example of “results not guaranteed” for skills and business courses

If you teach business, marketing, or “make money online,” you are in a high‑risk category for complaints and regulatory attention. Clear earnings and results disclaimers are non‑negotiable.

Sample wording:

“We make no guarantees regarding the level of success you may experience by applying the concepts and strategies taught in this course. Your results will vary and depend on many factors, including but not limited to your background, experience, work ethic, and market conditions. Any testimonials or case studies presented are real examples from actual students, but they are not typical and are not intended to represent or guarantee that you will achieve the same or similar results.”

This is one of the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses in the business niche because it tackles two hot‑button issues at once: no promises, and proper framing of testimonials.

For current context, see the FTC’s guidance on earnings claims in advertising: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-guidance-concerning-earnings-claims

Health, wellness, and fitness: examples include symptom and safety disclaimers

Health‑related courses—nutrition, fitness, mental wellness, alternative therapies—carry higher legal and ethical risk. You’re expected to warn users not to treat your course as a substitute for a doctor or licensed provider.

Sample wording:

“This course provides general information about health, wellness, and fitness and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any new exercise or nutrition program. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have learned in this course.”

To ground your approach, review consumer‑facing health guidance from:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov
• Mayo Clinic patient education: https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-care-and-health-information

These sites won’t give you a ready‑made disclaimer, but they show the tone and caution regulators expect around health claims.

Intellectual property and content use: example of protecting your course materials

If you’re putting original videos, worksheets, and downloads online, you should be clear about what students can and cannot do with them.

Sample wording:

“All content included in this course, including but not limited to videos, audio recordings, slides, workbooks, text, graphics, and downloadable materials, is the intellectual property of [Your Business Name] or its content suppliers and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, personal, non‑exclusive, non‑transferable license to access and use the course materials for your own personal or internal business use only. You may not reproduce, distribute, share, sell, or otherwise exploit any course content without our prior written consent.”

Among the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses, IP language like this is often paired with a short reminder inside the course player and in the terms of use at checkout.

Example of a “no guarantee of availability” and tech disclaimer

Platforms go down. Videos break. Payment processors glitch. A technology disclaimer helps set expectations.

Sample wording:

“We strive to keep the course and its related services available at all times, but we make no representation or warranty that access will be uninterrupted, timely, or error‑free. From time to time, we may suspend or limit access to the course for maintenance, updates, or other reasons. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from the temporary unavailability of the course platform or related services.”

This example of a technology‑focused disclaimer is especially relevant in 2024–2025, as more course creators rely on third‑party SaaS platforms, AI tools, and integrations they do not fully control.

User conduct and community: example of behavior and moderation disclaimer

If your course includes a community forum, live chat, or group coaching, you should set expectations for behavior and clarify your limited responsibility for user‑generated content.

Sample wording:

“Some parts of this course may allow you and other users to post comments, share content, or participate in community discussions. You are solely responsible for the content you post and for your interactions with other participants. We do not routinely monitor all user‑generated content, but we reserve the right to remove any content we consider inappropriate, offensive, or in violation of these terms. We are not responsible for the conduct of any user and shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from user‑generated content or interactions within the community.”

This is one of the more practical examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses that include coaching groups, Discord servers, or private Facebook communities attached to the curriculum.

How to adapt these examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses

The temptation is to copy‑paste from someone else’s website and call it a day. That’s risky. Laws differ by country and even by state, and your actual business model matters.

Here’s a more thoughtful way to use these real examples:

• Start by mapping your risks: Are you giving health tips? Talking about investments? Promising business growth? Each risk category needs its own disclaimer language.
• Use each example of disclaimer wording as a starting point, then rewrite it in your own voice while keeping the legal meaning intact.
• Check the laws where you operate and where your main audience lives. A U.S.‑based course with mostly EU students may need to think about EU consumer law and GDPR, not just U.S. rules.
• Run your draft past a licensed attorney who understands online business. The examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses here are educational, not a substitute for legal advice.

For an overview of consumer and contract basics, university legal resources like Harvard’s Office of the General Counsel often publish plain‑language guidance (for example: https://ogc.harvard.edu). While aimed at institutions, the concepts—clarity, fairness, and disclosure—translate well to solo course creators.

2024–2025 trends that affect your course disclaimers

Online education in 2024–2025 looks very different from the early days of pre‑recorded video lessons. A few trends are shaping how the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses are written now:

AI‑generated and AI‑assisted content

If you’re using AI tools to draft lessons, quizzes, or feedback, your disclaimer should acknowledge that content may include automated outputs and may not always be accurate or up‑to‑date.

Sample wording:

“Some content in this course may be generated or assisted by artificial intelligence tools. While we review materials for accuracy and relevance, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or free from error. You are responsible for verifying any information before relying on it.”

This kind of clause is becoming a standard example of prudent risk management for modern course creators.

Global audiences and jurisdiction

Students now sign up from everywhere. Your disclaimer and terms need at least a basic jurisdiction and governing‑law clause, so you’re not arguing about which country’s law applies every time there’s a dispute.

Sample wording:

“These terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this course shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [Your State], United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. You and we agree that the courts located in [Your County and State] shall have exclusive jurisdiction.”

This is another example of legal disclaimer language that shows up consistently in the best‑drafted course terms.

Tighter rules on testimonials and earnings claims

Regulators in the U.S., U.K., and EU are paying far more attention to “I made $50,000 in 30 days” stories. If you use testimonials, your disclaimers and your marketing need to match.

Good practice now includes:

• Labeling testimonials as individual experiences.
• Avoiding any implication that results are typical unless you can prove it.
• Linking your disclaimer from sales pages that mention income or performance.

The FTC’s business guidance on endorsements and testimonials is a useful reference: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

Where to place your disclaimers in an online course

Even the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses won’t help you if no one ever sees them. Visibility matters.

Common, effective placements include:

• Checkout page: A short notice with a link to full terms and disclaimers, plus a required checkbox.
• Sales page: Brief earnings or health disclaimers near any bold promises, not hidden in the footer.
• Course dashboard: A persistent link to terms and disclaimers in the main navigation.
• Lesson 1: A short “read this first” lesson that summarizes key disclaimers in plain language.

Think of it this way: if someone complains, you want to be able to show that your disclaimer was both present and reasonably noticeable.

FAQ: examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses

Q: Can you give an example of a simple all‑purpose disclaimer for a general skills course?

A: For a non‑regulated topic like photography or graphic design, you might use something like:

“The information in this course is provided for educational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up‑to‑date content, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the course or the information contained in it. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.”

It’s still wise to layer this with more specific clauses if you offer coaching, community access, or business advice.

Q: Are boilerplate online disclaimer generators safe to use for courses?

A: They’re better than nothing, but they’re not tailored to your actual risk profile. Most do not account for sensitive areas like health claims, earnings promises, or AI‑generated content. Use them, at most, as a starting point, then refine with real‑world examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses and professional legal review.

Q: Do I need different disclaimer wording for live coaching versus self‑paced lessons?

A: Often, yes. Live coaching, Q&A calls, and 1:1 feedback blur the line between “general education” and “personalized advice.” Many of the best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses now include a line like: “Any feedback provided during live sessions is based on limited information and should not be considered personalized professional advice.” That helps clarify the boundary.

Q: How often should I update my course disclaimers?

A: At minimum, review them annually, and any time you change your business model, pricing, refund policy, or course scope. With AI tools, new regulations, and shifting platform terms in 2024–2025, it’s smart to build a yearly legal checkup into your business routine.

Q: If I’m outside the U.S., do these examples still help me?

A: Yes, as patterns and ideas. The examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses here reflect common risk categories worldwide—accuracy, professional advice, earnings, health, IP, and platform reliability. But you still need to adapt them to your own country’s consumer protection and e‑commerce laws with local legal advice.

Bottom line: use these real‑world examples as a practical reference, not a copy‑paste solution. The best examples of legal disclaimer examples for online courses are clear, honest, specific to the risks of the course, and actually visible to your students.