Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as retained in UK law (UK GDPR) – Article 12A – Meaning of “applicable time period”
Articles
Article 12A[F1Meaning of “applicable time period”
1. In Article 12, “the applicable time period” means the period of one month beginning with the relevant time, subject to paragraph 3.
2. “The relevant time” means the latest of the following—
- (a)when the controller receives the request in question;
- (b)when the controller receives the information (if any) requested in connection with a request under Article 12(6);
- (c)when the fee (if any) charged in connection with the request under Article 12(5) is paid.
3. The controller may, by giving notice to the data subject, extend the applicable time period by two further months where that is necessary by reason of—
- (a)the complexity of requests made by the data subject, or
- (b)the number of such requests.
4. A notice under paragraph 3 must—
- (a)be given before the end of the period of one month beginning with the relevant time, and
- (b)state the reasons for the delay.
5. Where the controller reasonably requires further information in order to identify the information or processing activities to which a request under Article 15 relates—
- (a)the controller may ask the data subject to provide the further information, and
- (b)the period beginning with the day on which the controller makes the request and ending with the day on which the controller receives the information does not count towards—
- (i)the applicable time period, or
- (ii)the period described in paragraph 4(a).
- (i)
6. An example of a case in which a controller may reasonably require further information is where the controller processes a large amount of information concerning the data subject.]
Amended text
This Article is shown as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), among other instruments (see the annotations below) (commenced provisions as at 30 September 2026, ELI), as incorporated in the text in force on 30 September 2026 as published on legislation.gov.uk.
Annotations and footnotes
Textual Amendments
- F1 Art. 12A inserted (5.2.2026) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 76(3), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 2(h) (with reg. 4)
https://uk-gdpr.digiphile.law/article/article-12A.html
Text as at 17 September 2026.
This is an unofficial convenience version of the UK GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as retained in UK law). It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in September 2026.