It is reported that, in order to register a new domain name under the ".sv" top‑level domain, an individual must be appointed as the administrative contact (that is, the person responsible) for the respective domain name. This individual is required to be a permanent resident of El Salvador.

Decree No. 776 on Consumer Protection Law provides a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions. Art. 4 of the Consumer Protection Law provides a taxative list detailing the basic rights of the subjects benefited by the law. In addition, Arts. 21-A and 21-B refer to the obligations of suppliers in e-commerce.

El Salvador has acceded to the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.

El Salvador has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

El Salvador has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

The Law for the Protection of Personal Data establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for data protection in El Salvador. It grants data subjects the rights of access, rectification, erasure, and objection to direct marketing. The Law imposes obligations on both public and private entities, including the requirement to obtain prior consent for data processing, and compliance with provisions concerning data transfers and the processing of sensitive data. It also designates the State Cybersecurity Agency as the supervisory authority and provides for sanctions in cases of non-compliance. In addition, the Consumer Protection Law, as amended in 2018, regulates the financial sector and e-commerce, and sets out obligations regarding the security and confidentiality of consumer personal information.

Under Art. 15 of the Law for the Protection of Personal Data, entities that process personal data are required to appoint a data protection officer.

Art. 5 of the Law for the Regulation of Information Services on Credit History of Persons states that the Central Reserve Bank shall have unrestricted access to the databases of public law institutions or private entities containing real-time credit history data information on individuals.

The Intellectual Property Law establishes a safe harbour regime under which intermediaries that control computer systems connected to digital communication networks may be exempted from liability for copyright infringements committed through their systems. Arts. 305.n and 306 jointly provide that operators and other intermediaries are liable only when they have actual or duly substantiated notice of infringing activity, or when the infringement could not reasonably be ignored without gross negligence. Once placed on notice, intermediaries must act promptly to remove or disable access to the infringing material in order to retain the safe harbour protection. They are exempt from liability when acting in good faith and adopting appropriate technical measures to prevent or halt unauthorised uses of protected works.
In addition, Art. 24 of the Law of Electronic Commerce establishes that providers offering internet access services or data transmission via telecommunications networks shall not be held liable for electronic commercial transactions carried out by users in respect of the goods or services acquired, nor for the information transmitted or its content, unless the provider itself has initiated the transmission, altered the data, or selected the data or their intended recipients.

Art. 24 of the Law of Electronic Commerce establishes that providers offering internet access services or data transmission via telecommunications networks shall not be held liable for electronic commercial transactions carried out by users in respect of the goods or services acquired, nor for the information transmitted or its content, unless the provider itself has initiated the transmission, altered the data, or selected the data or their intended recipients.

It is reported that El Salvador imposes an identity requirement for SIM registration. Anyone wanting to purchase a SIM card has to provide their national ID card or a passport in case of foreigners to activate a new prepaid SIM card.

Foreign companies have reported that customs regulations and procedures in El Salvador are applied inconsistently and discretionarily, resulting in unpredictable delays and administrative fines. Exporting from a duty-free zone is considered unduly cumbersome, as representatives of both the receiving and shipping companies must be physically present to exchange documents and release materials, although the government has begun piloting online processing. In addition, the customs valuation process for express shipments remains unclear.

Self-certification is permitted in El Salvador for radio transmission equipment and for compliance with electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements, allowing both domestic and foreign companies to demonstrate conformity through a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC), whereby the supplier or manufacturer attests that the equipment meets the applicable technical and administrative requirements. In practice, the conformity assessment procedures for EMC and EMI rely on such declarations, as there is no obligation to register equipment with the regulatory authority, nor a requirement to undertake testing in an accredited or recognised laboratory; where testing is conducted, the choice of laboratory remains at the discretion of the supplier or manufacturer. Compliance is primarily assessed against standards established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Art. 44 of the Law for the Protection of Personal Data stipulates that international transfers of personal data are permitted only when the recipient country adheres to the principles set out in this Law or the transfers are conducted through recognised international standards. Where the recipient country lacks an adequate level of protection, the transferring country must ensure compliance with this Law during data processing. Regardless of the recipient country’s protection level, data controllers must adopt appropriate and effective measures to ensure both the proper handling of the transferred data and the security of records at the time of transfer. An exception applies to transfers carried out under Central American Economic Integration treaties, where data transfers may proceed in accordance with the terms legally agreed by member states. In all cases, prior consent from the data subject is required, unless international instruments provide otherwise and such provisions are reciprocally applied among the signatory countries.

El Salvador lacks binding commitments on open transfers of cross-border data flows. Art. 14.5 of the Central America-Dominican Republic-US Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) incorporates a provision relating to cooperation on the free flow of data. However, this provision is not binding; instead, it proposes collaboration on this issue.