How to Write Terms of Service with Claude

Terms of Service (ToS) are an essential legal document for any website or application. They define the rules for using your service, protect your business, and inform users of their rights and obligations. Drafting comprehensive and compliant ToS may seem complex, but Claude significantly simplifies this process. With its deep understanding of legal frameworks, including GDPR and French law, Claude guides you step by step to produce customized, clear, and professional ToS. This tutorial shows you how to leverage Claude to generate ToS tailored to your business while meeting current legal requirements.

Prerequisites

1.A Claude account (free or paid)
2.A clear description of your website, application, or service
3.The list of features offered to users (accounts, purchases, content, etc.)
4.Your company's legal information (company name, headquarters, registration number)

Steps

Describe your service and its legal context

Start by providing Claude with a detailed description of your service: type of platform (e-commerce, SaaS, blog, marketplace), target audience, main features, and country of residence of your users. The more precise the context, the more relevant and adapted the generated ToS will be to your legal situation.

I want to draft the Terms of Service for my service. Here is the context:

Type of service: [e.g., SaaS project management platform]
Target audience: [e.g., professionals and companies in France and Europe]
Main features: [e.g., account creation, task management, file sharing, online billing]
Headquarters: [e.g., Paris, France]
Data collected: [e.g., name, email, payment data]

Before drafting, ask me all the necessary questions to produce complete ToS compliant with French law and GDPR.

Tip: Let Claude ask you follow-up questions before drafting. This clarification phase is essential to cover all relevant legal aspects.

Generate the complete ToS structure

Ask Claude to produce a detailed outline of the ToS before full drafting. This allows you to validate the structure, add or remove sections as needed, and ensure all essential points are covered: purpose, acceptance, registration, intellectual property, liability, personal data, termination, etc.

Based on the information provided, generate a detailed and structured outline for my ToS. Include all mandatory sections under French law as well as sections recommended for my type of service. For each section, indicate in one sentence what it will cover. Also propose sections specific to my activity.

Tip: Compare the proposed structure with the ToS of similar services to ensure no important point has been overlooked.

Draft the ToS section by section

Rather than asking for the full draft at once, proceed section by section for a more accurate and controlled result. Validate each section before moving to the next. This allows you to rephrase, refine, or adjust content as you go.

Now draft the [section name, e.g., 'Intellectual Property'] section of my ToS. The text must be:

Written in clear and accessible legal French
Compliant with French law and applicable European regulations
Specifically tailored to my service as described earlier
Structured with numbered sub-articles

Use a professional but understandable tone for non-lawyers.

Tip: For sensitive sections (liability, personal data, termination), ask Claude to specify the legal basis for the proposed clauses.

Add GDPR and data protection clauses

GDPR compliance is mandatory. Ask Claude to draft a dedicated section on personal data protection, including legal bases for processing, user rights, retention period, transfers outside the EU, and DPO contact details if applicable. This section can also refer to your detailed privacy policy.

Draft the 'Personal Data Protection' section of my ToS in compliance with GDPR. Include:

Categories of data collected
Legal bases for each processing
User rights (access, rectification, deletion, portability, objection)
Data retention period
Any transfers outside the EU and their safeguards
Procedures for exercising rights
Possibility to contact the CNIL

Reference a separate privacy policy if necessary.

Tip: Ask Claude to check consistency between your ToS and your privacy policy if you already have one.

Review, adjust, and finalize the document

Once all sections are drafted, ask Claude to assemble the complete document, check internal consistency, article numbering, and absence of contradictions. Use this opportunity to adapt the vocabulary to your brand and add required legal notices (effective date, modification procedures, applicable law and competent jurisdiction).

Assemble all drafted sections into a complete and coherent ToS document. Check:

Continuous numbering of articles
No contradictions between sections
Presence of all mandatory mentions (effective date, applicable law, jurisdiction, modification procedures)
Consistency of vocabulary and tone

Add a preamble recalling the purpose of the ToS and acceptance procedures. End with the effective date and modification clause.

Tip: The ToS generated by Claude are a solid foundation, but always have them reviewed by a lawyer before publication, especially if your service processes sensitive data or involves financial transactions.

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Copying and pasting generic ToS without adapting them to your specific service, making them legally weak and potentially unenforceable
✗Neglecting the GDPR section or treating it superficially, exposing the company to fines of up to 4% of annual turnover
✗Using overly complex legal jargon that makes the ToS incomprehensible to users, which may render them contestable in court
✗Forgetting to provide for modification procedures of the ToS and notification to users in case of change
✗Not having the final document validated by a legal professional before going live

FAQ

Are the ToS generated by Claude legally valid?

Claude produces professional-grade ToS based on French and European legal frameworks. However, they are a solid starting point, not legal advice. It is strongly recommended to have them reviewed and validated by a specialized lawyer before publication, especially for regulated activities or services handling sensitive data.

What is the difference between ToS and T&C?

ToS (Terms of Service) govern the use of a service or platform. T&C (Terms and Conditions of Sale) specifically regulate commercial transactions (prices, delivery, returns, warranties). If your site offers online sales, you need both documents. Claude can help you draft either one.

How often should I update my ToS?

It is recommended to review your ToS at least once a year and after any significant change to your service (new features, business model change, regulatory update). You can ask Claude to compare your existing ToS with the latest legal developments to identify necessary updates.

Can Claude draft GDPR-compliant ToS for a site operating in multiple European countries?

Yes, Claude is familiar with European regulations and can adapt ToS for a multi-country audience. Specify the countries involved in your initial description, and Claude will incorporate relevant local specifics while respecting the common foundation of GDPR and European e-commerce directives.

How to use this prompt

Copy the prompt with the button above.
Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or your favorite AI assistant.
Replace the bracketed variables with your details, then refine the result.

About Prompt Guide

Prompt Guide is a free library of 2500+ ready-to-use prompts for ChatGPT, Claude and other AIs, with guides to learn prompting and tools to build and optimize your own prompts.

Prompt library Learn prompting Prompt builder Prompt optimizer

More tutorials

How to Write Terms of Use with Perplexity

Terms of Use (ToU) are an essential legal document for any website or application. They govern the relationship between the publisher and users, define the rights and obligations of each party, and legally protect your business. Writing ToU compliant with French and European law may seem complex, but Perplexity significantly simplifies this process. Thanks to its real-time search capability and sourced responses, Perplexity helps you identify mandatory clauses, get inspired by industry best practices, and produce a structured and comprehensive document. This tutorial guides you step by step to create professional ToU tailored to your project, while reminding you of the importance of having the result validated by a legal professional.

How to Draft a Contract with GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant integrated into Visual Studio Code, is not limited to code generation. Thanks to its advanced natural language processing capabilities, it can help you draft structured legal documents like contracts. Whether you are a freelancer, entrepreneur, or project manager, Copilot allows you to quickly create a first draft of a contract while respecting essential clauses. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use GitHub Copilot to generate a professional contract step by step, customizing each section to your needs. Note: the result must always be reviewed by a legal professional before signing.

How to Draft a Contract with Perplexity

Drafting a contract can be intimidating, especially without legal training. Perplexity, with its real-time search and synthesis capabilities, becomes

How to Draft Terms of Service with ChatGPT

Terms of Service (ToS) are an essential legal document for any website or app. They define the rules of use, protect your business, and inform users of their rights and obligations.

How to Draft Terms of Service with GitHub Copilot

Terms of Service (ToS) are a legal document essential for any website or application. They define the rules for using your service, protect your interests, and inform users of their rights and obligations. Drafting complete and compliant ToS can seem complex, but GitHub Copilot simplifies this process significantly. With artificial intelligence, you can generate a solid structure, cover essential clauses, and adapt the document to your specific context. This tutorial guides you step by step to create professional ToS using GitHub Copilot as a writing assistant, while keeping in mind that legal validation is still recommended.

How to Write a Blog Post with ChatGPT

Writing a quality blog post takes time, research, and good structure. With ChatGPT, you can significantly speed up this process while keeping content relevant and engaging.

Get new prompts every week

Join our newsletter.