Privacy Policy
Effective 2026-05-20
Who is the controller
Kiznis Studio (Vilnius, Lithuania) is the data controller for personal data processed via plainvat.com. Email: hello@plainvat.com.
What data we collect
- Page-view counts (aggregate) via privacy-friendly analytics (Umami, self-hosted). No personal identifiers, no cross-site tracking, no fingerprinting. Lawful basis: legitimate interests in measuring traffic.
- VAT numbers submitted to the validator are forwarded to the European Commission's VIES service (or HMRC for GB-prefix) in real time. We do not log, store, or retain the numbers you submit. Lawful basis: performance of the service you requested.
- Email and message content you send us via the contact address. Stored only as long as needed to respond and complete a correction trail. Lawful basis: legitimate interests.
- Server access logs (IP, user-agent, requested URL) for 14 days, used solely for security and abuse prevention. Lawful basis: legitimate interests.
Cookies and similar technologies
PlainVAT does not set tracking cookies. We use only first-party essential cookies for session-state on form pages (e.g. CSRF protection). Advertising on the site uses Google AdSense; AdSense may set its own cookies and obtain consent via the Consent Mode v2 banner.
Advertising
The site is monetised by Google AdSense display ads. AdSense uses cookies and similar tech to serve relevant ads; you can review and adjust your ad personalisation at My Ad Center. We do not share personal data with advertisers.
Your rights (EU GDPR + UK GDPR)
You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, port, and object to processing of your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, email hello@plainvat.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data-protection authority.
Data transfers
The site is hosted in the European Union (Hetzner, Germany). The European Commission's VIES service is hosted within the EU. HMRC's UK VAT checker is hosted in the UK (UK-EU adequacy decision applies). Some analytics infrastructure is in the EU. We do not transfer personal data to third countries that lack adequate protection.
Changes
We will update this policy when our processing changes. The effective date at the top of this page reflects the last revision.
Advertising & Third-Party Cookies
This website displays advertising served by Google AdSense, a service provided by Google LLC. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- Serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other sites on the internet
- Measure ad performance and the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
- Detect and prevent invalid traffic, fraud, and abuse
Third-party vendors, including Google, may use cookies to serve ads based on your past visits to this website. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
You can also opt out of third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting:
- Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out
- European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) opt-out (EEA visitors)
Cookies We Use
We and our advertising partners may set the following categories of cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies — required for the site to function (session management, security)
- Analytics cookies — anonymized traffic measurement (Google Analytics, Umami) used to improve content
- Advertising cookies — set by Google AdSense and partner ad networks to display relevant ads
- Functional cookies — remember your preferences (dark mode, language)
You can control cookies through your browser settings or, for EEA/UK/CH visitors, via the consent banner displayed on first visit.
Data Retention & Your Rights
We retain analytics data for 26 months. Advertising cookies follow Google AdSense's standard retention policy.
If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or California, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion
- Object to processing for direct marketing
- Lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority
To exercise these rights, please use the contact methods listed on our Contact page.