Google Play Trader Status Declaration: What Developers Need to Know

Google now requires every active Play Console developer account to state whether it operates as a trader or a non-trader under EEA and UK law. The deadline is February 1, 2027, and it applies wherever your apps are published or aimed. The accuracy of your declaration is your responsibility, and you need to keep it up to date. If your apps aren’t available in the EEA or the UK, you can simply declare yourself a non-trader.

So, who counts as a trader?

In legal terms, a trader is anyone, whether an individual or a company, who acts for reasons connected to a trade, business, craft, or profession. If you build apps purely as a hobby or for other non-commercial reasons, you probably aren’t one.

The European Commission’s guidance (Section 2.2) offers several signals that point toward trader status. They aren’t an exhaustive checklist:

Earning money: You make, or plan to make, income from your apps on an ongoing basis, through paid downloads, in-app purchases, or ads.
Volume of sales: Your transactions are frequent, numerous, or large in value.
How you operate: You run app development and publishing like a business.
Legal standing: You hold a status, such as a D-U-N-S number, that lets you do business commercially.

Why it matters

In regions that require it, including the EEA and UK, your status is displayed publicly to users. If you choose non-trader, Google tells consumers there that consumer protection rights don’t cover their dealings with you. Pretending not to be a trader when you are is banned under the EU’s Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the UK’s DMCCA, and it can get your apps removed worldwide.

Google says this is general guidance, not legal advice, and it can’t judge your situation for you. If you’re unsure, talk to a legal professional.

How to make the declaration

Account level:

Log in to Google Play Console.
Open Manage account, then Account details, then About you.
Follow the prompts to set your trader status.

App level (traders only):

Log in to Play Console and pick the app.
In the left menu, go to Monitor and improve, then Policy and programs, then App content.
Confirm the trader status for that app.

Extra requirements for traders

Traders must self-certify that everything they offer complies with applicable law, and they must supply a terms of service link for each app. Personal developer accounts also need a contact phone number, and both that number and your address will be shown publicly on Google Play.

Keeping your status accurate

Your declaration should always match what your account and apps are actually doing. If Google sees activity that suggests you’re a trader despite a non-trader declaration, it may ask you to confirm or change your status. Ignore that request past the deadline and your apps could be taken down.

SmartlyMonetize