{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/data-protection-act-2018/section-142",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/data-protection-act-2018/section-142.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2018/12",
  "legislation_title": "Data Protection Act 2018",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/data-protection-act-2018",
  "path": "section/142",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "142",
  "heading": "Information notices",
  "text": "(1) The Commission may, by written notice (an “information notice”)—\n(a) require a controller or processor to provide the Commission with information or documents that the Commission reasonably requires for the purposes of carrying out the Commission's functions under the data protection legislation, or\n(b) require any person to provide the Commission with information or documents that the Commission reasonably requires for the purposes of—\n(i) investigating a suspected failure of a type described in section 149(2) or a suspected offence under this Act, or\n(ii) determining whether the processing of personal data is carried out by an individual in the course of a purely personal or household activity.\n(2) An information notice must state—\n(a) whether it is given under subsection (1)(a), (b)(i) or (b)(ii), and\n(b) why the Commission requires the information or documents.\n(3) An information notice—\n(a) may specify or describe particular information or documents or a category of information or documents;\n(b) may specify the form in which the information or documents must be provided;\n(c) may specify the time at which, or the period within which, the information or documents must be provided;\n(d) may specify the place where the information or documents must be provided;\n(but see the restrictions in subsections (5) to (7)).\n(4) An information notice must provide information about—\n(a) the consequences of failure to comply with it, and\n(b) the rights under sections 162 and 164 (appeals etc).\n(5) An information notice may not require a person to provide information or documents before the end of the period within which an appeal can be brought against the notice.\n(6) If an appeal is brought against an information notice, the information or documents need not be provided pending the determination or withdrawal of the appeal.\n(7) If an information notice—\n(a) states that, in the Commission's opinion, the informationor documents are required urgently, and\n(b) gives the Commission's reasons for reaching that opinion,\nsubsections (5) and (6) do not apply but the notice must not require the information or documents to be provided before the end of the period of 24 hours beginning when the notice is given.\n(8) The Commission may cancel an information notice by written notice to the person to whom it was given.\n(9) In subsection (1), in relation to a person who is a controller or processor for the purposes of the UK GDPR, the reference to a controller or processor includes a representative of a controller or processor designated under Article 27 of the UK GDPR (representatives of controllers or processors not established in the United Kingdom).\n(10) Section 3(14)(c) does not apply to the reference to the processing of personal data in subsection (1)(b).",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in s. 142(1)(2) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(2)(3); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(1)(a) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(a)(i), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(1)(b) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(a)(ii), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(2)(b) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(b), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(3)(a) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(c)(i), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(3)(b) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(c)(ii), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(3)(c) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(c)(iii), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(3)(d) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(c)(iv), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(5) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(d), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(6) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(e), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Word in s. 142(7)(8) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(2)(3); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(7)(a) substituted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(f)(i), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(7) inserted (19.8.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 97(2)(f)(ii), 142(3)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(9) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 59(a) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 142(9) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 59(b) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 142 in force at 25.5.2018 by S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(f)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/section/142",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:04:55.804064+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}