CarAdvisor CarAdvisor

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 30, 2025

1. Who We Are (Controller)

This Privacy Policy explains how CarAdvisor ("we", "us", "our") collects and uses personal data when you use the CarAdvisor website and iOS app (together, the "Service"). CarAdvisor is operated by an individual. For the purposes of UK GDPR, the individual operating CarAdvisor is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

If you need to contact us about privacy, email support@caradvisor.uk.

2. Summary

  • We process vehicle registration numbers you enter to retrieve MOT history and related vehicle data.
  • Your History and Garage are stored on your device (unless you share information with us via email or a third-party service).
  • We use service providers for app analytics, crash reporting, performance monitoring, and feature feedback for first-party purposes only.
  • We do not track you across other companies' apps or websites for advertising purposes.
  • We do not share your data with data brokers or advertising networks.
  • We do not sell personal data.

3. Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you use the Service, we may process the following categories of personal data:

  • Vehicle registration number (VRN) you enter to perform a lookup.
  • Lookup results and app content such as MOT history data returned from official sources and any nickname you assign to a vehicle.
  • On-device history and garage data (e.g., saved vehicles, recent lookups, timestamps). This is stored locally on your device.
  • Support communications if you email us (content of your message and any attachments). The iOS app may include device/app details in the message to help troubleshooting.
  • Device and usage data such as basic device information, app interactions, diagnostics, and performance data collected via service providers (see “Service Providers”).

4. Where Vehicle Data Comes From

Vehicle and MOT information displayed in the app is sourced from official UK government data services, including DVSA (for MOT history) and DVLA (for vehicle information services, where applicable). We request this information when you enter a registration number.

5. How We Use Your Data and Our Lawful Bases

UK GDPR requires us to have a lawful basis to process personal data. We typically rely on the following:

  • Performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b)): to provide the lookup features you request (processing the VRN, retrieving results, and displaying them).
  • Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)): to keep the Service secure, diagnose issues, understand usage, and improve reliability (for example, crash reporting and performance monitoring). We balance these interests against your rights and expectations.
  • Legal obligations (Article 6(1)(c)): to comply with applicable laws, where required.
  • Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): where we ask for it (for example, if we introduce optional settings for specific analytics features). If we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

6. Sharing and Service Providers

We share data only as needed to operate the Service:

  • Government data services: when you perform a lookup, the VRN is sent to the relevant UK government service endpoint to retrieve vehicle/MOT information.
  • Analytics, diagnostics and performance: we use providers (such as Google Firebase) to help us understand app usage, measure performance, and diagnose crashes. These providers may receive device and usage data. Important: this data is used exclusively for first-party analytics to improve CarAdvisor's functionality. We do not use this data for cross-app tracking, advertising purposes, or share it with advertising networks or data brokers. Vehicle registration numbers are explicitly excluded from analytics and masked in logs.
  • Feature feedback: if you submit feedback through an in-app feedback tool (such as WishKit), your submission and related metadata may be processed by that provider to facilitate the feedback system.
  • Support: if you email us at support@caradvisor.uk, we process the information you send to respond to your request.
  • Legal: we may disclose information where required by law or to protect rights, safety, and security.

6.1. No Tracking or Advertising

We do not track you. Tracking means linking data collected from our app with third-party data for advertising purposes, or sharing the collected data with data brokers. We do not:

  • Use your data for behavioral advertising or ad targeting
  • Create user profiles for advertising purposes
  • Share your data with advertising networks or data brokers
  • Link your data from CarAdvisor with your activity on other companies' apps or websites
  • Enable Google's advertising features in Firebase Analytics

Our analytics are used solely to understand how CarAdvisor is being used so we can fix bugs, improve performance, and develop better features.

7. International Transfers

Some of our service providers (for example, analytics, crash reporting, and feedback tools) may process personal data outside the UK. Where this happens, we use providers and contractual arrangements designed to help ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (for example, relevant contractual protections and other measures as applicable).

8. Retention

  • On-device History/Garage: retained on your device until you delete it in-app or uninstall the app.
  • Support emails: retained as long as reasonably necessary to handle your request and maintain support records.
  • Diagnostics/analytics: retained according to our service providers’ retention settings and policies, and for as long as needed for the purposes described.

9. Your Rights (UK GDPR)

Subject to certain legal limits, you have rights including:

  • Right of access
  • Right to rectification
  • Right to erasure
  • Right to restrict processing
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to object (including to processing based on legitimate interests)
  • Rights related to automated decision-making (where applicable)

To exercise your rights, contact us at support@caradvisor.uk. For on-device History and Garage, you can also delete entries directly in the app (or uninstall the app to remove local data).

10. Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Children

The Service is not directed to children and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

12. Complaints

If you have concerns, please contact us first at support@caradvisor.uk so we can try to resolve them. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will update the “Last Updated” date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.