Is Your Visitors’ Book GDPR Compliant? What Every Business Needs to Know

Many businesses still rely on traditional paper visitors’ books to sign guests in and out of their premises. But if your sign-in book collects personal data - such as names, company names, vehicle registrations, phone numbers or email addresses - you could be at risk of a GDPR breach.

Even something as simple as listing a business name can count as personal data, particularly if the visitor is a sole trader.

With GDPR regulations fully enforceable, it’s essential to ask: Is your visitors’ book GDPR compliant?

Below is a practical checklist to help you assess your data protection risk.


1. Can Visitors See Previous Entries?

If your sign-in book allows visitors to view information entered by earlier guests, this likely constitutes a data privacy breach under GDPR.

Standard paper visitors’ books rarely protect confidentiality. Anyone signing in can potentially see names, contact details, or company information belonging to others. This lack of privacy makes traditional logbooks non-compliant in most cases.


2. What Happens if the Visitors’ Book Is Lost or Stolen?

A paper sign-in book is vulnerable. If it’s misplaced, stolen, or removed from reception, you may face a data security breach involving unauthorised access to personal information.

Under GDPR, organisations must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal data. A physical book sitting on a reception desk offers minimal protection.


3. Can You Honour the ‘Right to Be Forgotten’?

GDPR gives individuals the Right to Erasure (also known as the “Right to be Forgotten”). If a visitor requests deletion of their personal data, you are legally required to comply.

But how do you delete a single entry from a paper visitors’ book without removing an entire page? In most cases, you can’t — making compliance extremely difficult.


4. Are You Retaining Visitor Data for Too Long?

How long does your visitors’ book remain at reception?
What happens when it’s full?
Is it stored in a desk drawer or cupboard indefinitely?

GDPR’s data retention principle states that personal data must not be kept longer than necessary. Storing old visitors’ books long after guests have left — particularly if they are unlikely to return — may put your organisation in breach of regulations.


5. Do You Obtain Clear GDPR Consent?

Before collecting personal data, you must:

  • Explain how the information will be used

  • State how long it will be retained

  • Clarify who will have access to it

  • Obtain valid consent (where required)

Can you prove that each visitor provided informed consent before signing your book?

Most traditional sign-in systems fail to meet GDPR’s data consent and transparency requirements.


6. Are You Collecting More Data Than Necessary?

GDPR follows the principle of data minimisation - you should only collect information that is genuinely required.

Does your visitors’ book request the same information from everyone, regardless of whether they are a contractor, interview candidate, delivery driver or client?

If so, you may be collecting excessive personal data, which increases compliance risk.


Why Paper Visitors’ Books Often Breach GDPR

In practice, traditional visitors’ books frequently fail to meet GDPR standards for:

  • Confidentiality

  • Data security

  • Lawful processing

  • Consent management

  • Data retention

  • Right to erasure

As awareness of data protection regulations grows, many organisations are replacing paper sign-in books with secure, digital alternatives.


The GDPR-Compliant Alternative: Visitor Management Software

Modern visitor management systems offer a secure, compliant way to register guests while protecting personal data.

Digital solutions can:

  • Prevent visitors from seeing previous entries

  • Securely store and encrypt data

  • Automate data retention policies

  • Enable individual record deletion

  • Provide audit trails for compliance

  • Capture digital consent


Need an Effective Alternative?

If you need to find an effective alternative, you will probably appreciate this summary of three mainstream visitor management software options. 

To find out more about data protectionand cyber security measures, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to assist you!