Require a checkout acknowledgment
Required checkout checkbox adds an unchecked, mandatory acknowledgment before placing an order. Store owners can set its wording and validation message. Accepted orders retain the displayed wording, acceptance time and checkout type for later review.
Configure the checkbox
- Open Settings → POM Tweaks → E-Commerce → Accounts & privacy → Required checkout checkbox and enable it.
- Enter the Checkbox label. Classic checkout supports basic inline HTML and links. Use concise wording that explains what the customer is confirming.
- Set Checkout error text, or leave it empty to use the default message. An empty label also uses a readable default acknowledgment.
- Enable Require the checkbox in Checkout block too if the store uses block checkout. Include WooCommerce's Additional information block in the checkout layout.
- Save and open checkout with a product in the cart.
The label and error text support POM Framework translations. Checkout block displays the label as plain text, so any link destinations needed by customers must also be presented elsewhere in that layout. Existing classic configurations leave the block option disabled until explicitly enabled.
Customer behavior and order records
The checkbox starts unchecked. The customer must select it before submitting the order; the server rejects missing or invalid acknowledgment values. Changing a payment or address choice preserves the checked state during classic checkout updates. Loading or clearing a customer through Shop as customer resets it so the new order details must be confirmed again.
POM Theme's stepped checkout validates the acknowledgment at payment, allowing customers to advance through earlier steps first. Single-page and sidebar layouts place it beside the order submission controls.
Order administration shows Checkout acknowledgment with the accepted wording and its UTC timestamp. Records describe the wording at the time of that order, even when the setting is changed later. This is a general order acknowledgment; use the product-specific terms feature when policies vary by product.
Verify and troubleshoot
- Leave the checkbox unchecked and confirm checkout rejects the submission with the configured message.
- Select it, change an address or payment option, and confirm classic checkout retains that choice after totals refresh.
- Complete a sample order and inspect Checkout acknowledgment in order administration.
- With assisted checkout enabled, change customers and confirm the checkbox becomes unchecked again.
- If block support is enabled, verify the checkbox appears in Additional information and prevents submission while unchecked.
If no checkbox appears, check the enabled state, checkout type and required block. Custom checkout templates must preserve WooCommerce's classic submission hooks. Switching off this control removes its requirement; existing order records remain stored.