1. Introduction
VatInfo.org ("we", "our", or "us") respects the privacy of its visitors. This Privacy Policy explains what information is collected when you use the website at vatinfo.org, how it is used, who it is shared with, and what choices you have. Reading this page does not require an account, and most of the site can be used without providing any personal information.
2. Information we collect
2.1 Information you provide
You can use the calculator, country pages, and reference content without giving us any personal information. We only receive personal information when you choose to send it — for example, when you email us at one of our contact addresses to report an error or ask a question. In that case we hold the email address and contents of your message for as long as is needed to respond and to keep a reasonable record of correspondence.
2.2 Information collected automatically
When you visit the site, our hosting provider and analytics service automatically receive standard log information that browsers send. This typically includes:
- Your IP address (often truncated by analytics).
- Browser type and version, operating system, and device type.
- The page you requested and the page that referred you (if any).
- Approximate location derived from IP (typically country and region).
- The date and time of the request.
This information is used to keep the site running, to detect and prevent abuse, and — in aggregate — to understand which content is useful.
2.3 Cookies and similar technologies
VatInfo.org uses cookies for analytics, advertising, and to remember simple preferences such as a default country in the calculator. The categories, providers, and opt-out routes are described in our Cookie Policy.
3. How we use information
- To operate, maintain, and improve the site.
- To respond to messages you send us.
- To analyse aggregate usage and detect technical problems.
- To deliver and measure advertising on the site.
- To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents.
- To comply with legal obligations.
We do not sell or rent personal information.
4. Advertising and Google AdSense
VatInfo.org is supported by display advertising. We participate in the Google AdSense programme. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this site and/or other websites on the Internet.
- Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to our users based on their visits to our site and/or other sites on the Internet.
- Users may opt out of personalised advertising by Google by visiting Google Ads Settings.
- Users may opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalised advertising by visiting aboutads.info/choices or youronlinechoices.com.
For more information on how Google uses data when you use partners' sites or apps, see policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites. Google's main advertising-related policies are at policies.google.com/technologies/ads.
5. Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand site usage in aggregate. Google Analytics may set cookies and process information including your IP address, pages visited, time on site, and approximate location. This data is used to improve the site and is not used to identify you. You can opt out of Google Analytics across all sites by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
6. Third parties we share information with
We do not sell personal information. We do work with third-party service providers who process limited information on our behalf:
- Hosting and content delivery providers — to serve pages and protect the site from abuse.
- Analytics providers (Google Analytics) — to measure site usage.
- Advertising partners (Google AdSense and its certified partners) — to deliver and measure ads.
- Email service providers — to receive and store messages sent to our contact addresses.
We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect our legal rights, or to investigate suspected abuse or fraud.
7. Data retention
We keep information only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected:
- Server and access logs are typically retained for a short period (commonly up to 90 days) for security and abuse prevention, then deleted or aggregated.
- Analytics data follows the retention settings of Google Analytics; aggregate reports may be kept longer.
- Email correspondence is kept while it is operationally useful and is deleted on request.
8. Your rights
8.1 European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and similar regimes (GDPR)
If applicable data-protection law gives you these rights, you may:
- Ask what personal information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information.
- Ask us to delete information we hold about you.
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Receive a copy of information you provided in a portable format.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
- Lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.
8.2 California (CCPA / CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information is collected, request deletion of that information, opt out of any "sale" or "sharing" of personal information as defined by California law, and not be discriminated against for exercising these rights. We do not sell personal information for money. Some advertising-related sharing of identifiers may qualify as "sharing" under California law; you can opt out of personalised advertising using the routes described in section 4.
8.3 How to exercise your rights
To exercise any of these rights, write to privacy@vatinfo.org from the email address concerned. We may need to confirm your identity before acting on a request.
9. Children
VatInfo.org is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
10. International transfers
Our hosting, analytics, and advertising providers may process information in countries outside your own, including the United States and the European Economic Area. Where applicable law requires it, we rely on the safeguards offered by these providers, such as Standard Contractual Clauses, to keep your information protected.
11. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect information, including HTTPS/TLS for traffic to and from the site and limited access to any operational data we hold. No internet service can be guaranteed completely secure, but we work to reduce risk and to respond promptly to any incident.
12. Third-party links
The site links to external resources, including official tax authorities, Google's policy pages, and the EU's VIES system. Once you leave VatInfo.org, you are subject to the privacy practices of the destination site. We have no control over those practices and recommend reading their policies before sharing information with them.
13. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last reviewed" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent review. For material changes we will update the date and, where appropriate, place a notice on the site. Continued use of VatInfo.org after a change indicates that you accept the updated policy.
14. Contact
For privacy-related questions or to exercise the rights described above:
Email: privacy@vatinfo.org
General contact: vatinfo.org/contact