In brief: We use a small number of essential cookies for security and two browser storage entries that stay on your device. Analytics runs only if you choose "Accept all." We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies, and we honor Global Privacy Control signals.
1. What cookies and similar technologies are
Cookies are small text files a website stores in your browser so it can recognize your browser on later requests. Similar technologies include local storage, which lets a site save information in your browser that is never sent to our servers automatically, and small scripts or beacons that measure how pages perform. In this policy, "cookies" refers to all of these. This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy.
2. How we use them
- Strictly necessary: required for security and to deliver the site, such as identifying malicious bot traffic. These cannot be switched off through our banner because the site cannot work safely without them.
- Preferences: remember your cookie choice and the VINs you recently searched, so you do not have to type them again. This information stays in your browser.
- Analytics (only with consent): aggregated, privacy-friendly statistics such as page views and load times that help us improve the site. These run only after you select "Accept all."
- Payment and fraud prevention: when you check out, our payment processors may set cookies to detect fraud and keep the payment secure.
We do not use cookies for targeted advertising, and we do not allow advertising networks to track you on our site.
3. Cookies and storage we use
| Name | Provider | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| __cf_bm | Cloudflare | Strictly necessary cookie | Distinguishes people from malicious bots to protect the site | 30 minutes |
| cf_clearance | Cloudflare | Strictly necessary cookie | Set only if you pass a security check, so you are not challenged again | Up to the period set for the security check |
| cch_cookie_consent | CleanCarHistory | Local storage (preference) | Remembers whether you chose "Essential only" or "Accept all" | Until you clear your browser storage |
| cch_recent_vins | CleanCarHistory | Local storage (preference) | Lists VINs you recently searched, stored only on your device and never sent to us | Until you clear your browser storage |
| Cloudflare Web Analytics | Cloudflare | Analytics script (consent required) | Counts page views and measures performance in aggregate without setting cookies or building user profiles | No cookie stored |
| __stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Stripe | Payment / fraud prevention cookie | Helps detect fraudulent card payments at checkout | 1 year / 30 minutes |
| PayPal cookies | PayPal | Payment / fraud prevention cookie | Set if you choose PayPal at checkout, to secure the payment and detect fraud | Set by PayPal; see PayPal's cookie notice |
Third-party providers control the cookies they set and may change their names or durations. Payment processors' cookies are governed by their own privacy and cookie policies.
4. Your choices
- Our banner: on your first visit, choose "Essential only" to decline analytics or "Accept all" to allow it. To change your mind later, click "Cookie Settings" in the footer of any page to reopen the banner and make a new choice.
- Global Privacy Control: if your browser sends a GPC signal, we treat it as a choice of "Essential only" and as an opt-out of any sale or sharing of personal information. Learn more on our Your Privacy Choices page.
- Browser settings: most browsers let you view, block and delete cookies and local storage. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may cause security checks to repeat or parts of the site to stop working.
- Recent searches: you can remove your list of recent VINs at any time by clearing this site's data in your browser.
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. Because there is no common standard for it, we rely on GPC instead, which is recognized by several US state privacy laws.
5. Changes to this policy
If we add, remove or change cookies, we will update the table above and the "Last updated" date. If we introduce a new category of optional cookies, we will ask for your consent again.
6. Contact
Questions about cookies or privacy can be sent to privacy@cleancarshistory.us or through our contact page.