Advertising for mediators in Austria: what is allowed and where the limits are

No advertising law of its own, but three hard limits

The Zivilrechts-Mediations-Gesetz contains no advertising provision in the narrow sense. There are no rules on the size of ads, tone or channels. Anyone who is registered may therefore, in principle, advertise like other service providers. The Bundesgesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb (Federal Act against Unfair Competition) applies to everyone: no misleading statements, no aggressive commercial practices. Three points of the ZivMediatG, however, shape almost every marketing activity:

If you also practise a chamber profession, for example as a lawyer or Wirtschaftstreuhänder (tax adviser or auditor), you are additionally subject to that profession's advertising rules. More on that at the end.

Title and focus areas: what you may write

The title “eingetragene Mediatorin” is your strongest selling point, because it is checked by the state and has effects other providers cannot offer: only mediation with registered mediators suspends limitation periods and deadlines (§ 22 ZivMediatG). You may and should explain this, factually and without pressure.

You can also add your fields of work to your entry on the BMJ list. Make sure your website, list entry and Google Business Profile name the same focus areas. This helps parties find their way and helps Google categorise you.

Referral fee ban: recommendations, partnerships, platforms

§ 15 Abs 2 ZivMediatG is short and strict: registered mediators may not give, accept or promise any payment for referring or recommending people to mediation. Contracts that breach this are void. In concrete marketing terms, this means:

• No bounty for lawyers, tax advisers or counselling centres that send couples or business partners your way, and no reciprocal deals that work like a bounty either.
• No accepting commission when you refer parties on to a law firm, a notary or an expert witness.
• No referral schemes along the lines of “Recommend us and get a free session”.
• Check platforms: if a portal charges a fee per referred enquiry or a share of your fee, this can fall under the ban. A flat listing or advertising fee that does not depend on referrals is assessed differently. If in doubt, have the model legally checked before signing.

Everything that works without anything in return remains permitted: mutual professional recommendations, joint talks with a family lawyer, a listing in your association's directory or paid ads where you pay for the advertising space and not for the individual case.

Reviews, case examples and testimonials

Under § 18 ZivMediatG, mediators must keep confidential everything confided to them or otherwise learned during mediation. This includes the fact that someone came to you at all. For advertising based on experiences, this means:

Advertising neutrally: language for both sides

A mediator is impartial towards all parties. The person who looks for one, however, is usually only one side, often the side that wants the conflict to move. Advertising that addresses this person as a “client” against the other side contradicts your own role and can put off the other party before they have even been invited.

Prices, initial meeting and subsidised family mediation

Mediation fees in Austria are freely agreed and are usually charged by time spent, not by the amount in dispute. If you state prices, say clearly whether they include VAT (§ 5 Abs 2 ECG), whether the hourly rate applies per person or to the co-mediation team, and how long a session lasts. You may advertise a free initial meeting if it really is free and creates no obligation.

If you take part in the subsidised family mediation of the Bundeskanzleramt (Federal Chancellery) through a recognised provider, that is a strong, factual argument. According to the 2026 rate table, the fee is 220 € per hour for the pair of mediators; the family pays a contribution based on income and number of children. Only mention this if you are actually on the Bundeskanzleramt's list, and link to the official information instead of promising your own contribution calculations.

Google Ads, social media and newsletters

• Google Ads: search terms such as “Mediation Scheidung Linz” (divorce mediation Linz) or “Wirtschaftsmediation Wien” (business mediation Vienna) are unproblematic. Third-party brands and the names of other mediators do not belong in your ads. The ad copy must be as truthful as the website.
• Social media: expert posts on process, costs or communication in conflicts work well. Photos from sessions, even with faces hidden, and stories from current cases are off limits.
• Newsletters: only with express consent, ideally via double opt-in. § 174 TKG 2021 prohibits marketing emails without prior consent; the exception for your own clients in para 4 is narrow and rarely fits mediation.
• Cold outreach: unsolicited marketing calls, text messages or emails to businesses or private individuals are not an option. For business mediation, talks at associations and expert articles are the better route.

How to become visible in local searches without spending money on ads is shown in the article Local SEO for professional firms.

Additional rules for lawyers and other chamber professions

Lawyers who mediate remain bound by their profession's advertising law: advertising must be true, factual and compatible with the honour and standing of the profession. The ÖRAK (Austrian Bar) guidelines for lawyers acting in mediation stress independence and impartiality and rule out representing one side in the same conflict after a mediation. Advertising such as “Mediate first, then we'll represent you in court” is therefore ruled out. Psychologists and psychotherapists are subject to their own profession's advertising guidelines. Details for lawyers can be found under Advertising for lawyers in Austria, the mandatory information under Mandatory website information for mediators in Austria.