The short version: PlateBase does not sell your data. We do not require you to create an account. The only personal data we collect is your email address if you voluntarily sign up for price alerts — and you can unsubscribe at any time. We use cookies to make the site work and to understand how people use it. That's it.
1. Who we are
PlateBase is a free private number plate price comparison website. It is a trading name of Project27, a sole trader business based in the United Kingdom.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at: hello@platebase.co.uk
2. What data we collect and why
Data you give us voluntarily:
- Email address — only if you sign up for a price drop alert. We use this solely to send you the alert you requested. We will never use it for marketing without your separate consent.
- Contact form messages — if you email us or use a contact form, we will use the information you provide to respond to your query only.
Data collected automatically:
- Cookies — small files stored on your device to make the site function correctly and to understand how visitors use PlateBase. See Section 5 for full details.
- Usage data — via analytics tools (such as Google Analytics), we may collect anonymised information including which pages were visited, how long you spent on the site, and your approximate location (country/region level only). This data cannot be used to identify you personally.
We do not collect payment information. All purchases are made directly with dealers on their own websites. PlateBase never handles any financial transactions.
3. Legal basis for processing your data (GDPR)
Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal data. Our bases are:
- Consent — for email alerts. You explicitly opt in, and you can withdraw consent at any time by clicking unsubscribe in any email we send you.
- Legitimate interests — for anonymised analytics, to understand how the site is used and improve it. This does not override your rights.
- Legal obligation — if we are required by law to retain or disclose certain data.
4. How we use your data
We use the data we collect only for the following purposes:
- To send you price alerts you have specifically signed up for
- To respond to enquiries you send us
- To understand how the site is used so we can improve it
- To ensure the website functions correctly
We will never sell your data to third parties. We will never share your email address with dealers or any other third party for marketing purposes.
5. Cookies
We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies — required for the site to function. These cannot be disabled.
- Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors use PlateBase. These are anonymised and do not identify you personally. You can reject these via our cookie banner.
- Affiliate cookies — when you click through to a dealer, that dealer may set their own cookies to track that the visit came from PlateBase, so we can receive a referral fee. These are governed by the dealer's own privacy policy.
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the cookie settings link in our footer. You can also control cookies through your browser settings.
6. Third party links and dealers
PlateBase links to external dealer websites. Once you leave our site, we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those dealers. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before making any purchase.
We may use the following third-party services on our site:
- Google Analytics — anonymised website analytics (Google's privacy policy applies)
- Email service providers — to send price alert emails
7. How long we keep your data
- Email addresses (price alerts) — kept until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Contact form messages — kept for up to 12 months
- Analytics data — anonymised, retained per Google Analytics default settings (26 months)
8. Your rights under UK GDPR
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to access — you can request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to object — you can object to us processing your data
- Right to withdraw consent — you can unsubscribe from emails at any time
- Right to complain — you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe we have mishandled your data
To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@platebase.co.uk and we will respond within 30 days.
9. Data security
We take reasonable steps to protect any personal data we hold. Email addresses collected for price alerts are stored securely and are not accessible to third parties. However, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Children
PlateBase is not directed at children under the age of 13 and we do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to check back periodically. Continued use of PlateBase following any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please get in touch:
📧 hello@platebase.co.uk
PlateBase is a trading name of Project27, United Kingdom.