Privacy Policy

Who we are

CarCostCheck (carcostcheck.co.uk) provides free and premium vehicle analysis reports using government and licensed third-party data sources.

What data we collect

We collect minimal data:

• Registration plates you search: These are sent to the DVSA, DVLA, and (for premium reports) Experian APIs to generate your report. We do not store registration plates or search history.
• Email addresses (premium only): If you purchase a premium report, your email address is collected by Stripe during checkout and used to send your report via Resend. We do not store your email address after the report is sent.
• Payment information: Payment is handled entirely by Stripe. We never see or store your card details.
• Analytics data: We use Google Analytics to understand how people use the site (pages visited, time on site, device type). This uses cookies and is anonymised.

Cookies

We may use essential cookies for site functionality and analytics cookies (Google Analytics) to understand site usage. Stripe may also set cookies during the checkout process. You can disable cookies in your browser settings at any time.

Third-party services

• DVSA: MOT history data is fetched from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency API.
• DVLA: Vehicle details are fetched from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency API.
• Experian (via OneAuto): Premium vehicle history data (stolen, finance, write-off, keepers, VIN, plate transfers) is provided by Experian. Data is fetched at the time of your request and not stored by us.
• Stripe: Processes payments for premium reports. See their privacy policy.
• Resend: Delivers premium report emails. See their privacy policy.
• Vercel: Our hosting provider. See their privacy policy.

Premium report data retention

When you purchase a premium, valuation, or bundle report, we store the generated report data alongside your Stripe checkout session ID in our Supabase database. This allows us to deliver a persistent “view your report online” link in your confirmation email that you can revisit at any time to see the latest version of your report, including any corrections we may push in the future.

We retain this report data indefinitely so your link continues to work. We do not sell, share, or use this data for marketing. It is held solely to support your ability to re-access the report you paid for and to support any customer-service queries you may raise.

Right to deletion. You can request deletion of your report data at any time by emailing hello@carcostcheck.co.uk. Once deleted, your live report link will stop working, but any PDF copy you have saved or printed will continue to function.

Your rights (UK GDPR)

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to access, correct, or delete any personal data we hold about you. For report data specifically, see the Premium report data retention section above for details on deletion. For any other concerns, contact us at hello@carcostcheck.co.uk.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.