The Register of data controllers is a United Kingdom database under the control of the UK Information Commissioner's Office mandated by the UK Data Protection Act 1998 (The Act) which records the name of the data controller and the purpose(s) for the processing of the data processed by that controller within the meaning of The Act.
Under The Act a data controller may, under some circumstances, be exempt from registration (previously termed notification). When not exempt, failure to notify the Information Commissioner's Office formally before the start of processing data is a strict liability offence for which a prosecution may be brought by the Information Commissioner's Office in the criminal court of the UK. Failure to notify is a criminal offence unless exempt. Exemption from registration does not exempt a data controller from compliance with The Act.
Amendments to a data controller's notification may be made at any time, and must be made before the start of a new processing purpose.
Registration carries a fee, the proceeds of which fund the UK Information Commissioner's Office directly.
Any entry may be inspected at any time at no cost to the enquirer.