For US businesses that publish customer reviews on their own site: dentists, clinics, contractors, salons, agencies, coaches and online shops. Change who wrote the review or what they got for it, and the answer changes.
| Rule that applies | |
| Insider reviews on your site without a disclosure | |
| FTC civil penalty per knowing violation (2026) | $53,088 |
| Your penalty ceiling |
Gravity Forms, a general form builder, costs $59 to $259 per year and ships no disclosure questions. This is one payment, not a subscription. Try it with your own business name first, free.
Sources: FTC Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465, in force since 21 October 2024 — § 465.4 (rewards that depend on sentiment), § 465.5 (reviews by officers, managers, employees, agents and their relatives). FTC Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR Part 255 (material connections such as free products). Penalty: $53,088 per violation, the 2025 level, with no FTC adjustment in 2026. This is not legal advice.
Your name* · Your email address (never published)* · Your city and state · Your rating* (5 choices) · Your review, in your own words* · When did you use our product or service? · Your connection to our business* (No connection – I am a customer; I work for this business; I am a relative of someone who works here; I am a business partner, affiliate or supplier) · Did you receive anything for writing this review?* (Nothing; a discount, coupon or gift card; a free product or service; an entry into a prize draw; money or a commission) · May we publish your review?* (3 choices)
Above the form: your review promise and the connection question. Every review is listed in WordPress admin with all 9 answers, 50 per page. Install: Plugins ▸ Add New Plugin ▸ Upload Plugin ▸ choose the .zip ▸ Install Now ▸ Activate, then paste [testimonial-submission-form-ftc] into a "Leave a review" page. Needs PHP 7.4 or newer.