{"release":{"id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","pinned":false},"limits":{"coverage":{"history":"full","held_since":"2016-05-04","gaps":[],"covered":["GDPR L1"],"not_covered":["national guidance","court decisions"]},"freshness":{"release_id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","release_published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","checked_at":"2026-10-26","checked_against":"EUR-Lex"},"truncation":null,"failures":[],"incomplete":[]},"page":{"path":"/gdpr/articles/18","url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/18","title":"Article 18 — Right to restriction of processing","family":"l1_generated","work_id":"gdpr","status":"in_force","force_status":"in_force","date_state":"current","requested_date":null,"as_of":"2026-11-02","applies_from":"2018-05-25","application":{"state":"applicable","next":null,"dates":[{"at":"2018-05-25","note":"Article 99(2)"}]},"version_label":"Consolidated version of 4 May 2016","check":{"against":"EUR-Lex","on":"2026-10-26"},"check_result":"matched","official_url":"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504","valid_from":"2016-05-04","valid_until":"2018-05-25","revision":1,"content_id":"bd6ea577924e3823","change_date":null,"nearest_versions":["2016-05-04"],"first_text_date":"2016-04-27","correction_applies":false,"versions":["2016-05-04"],"version_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/18/versions/2016-05-04","revision_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/18/versions/2016-05-04/rev/bd6ea577924e3823","versions_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/18/versions","relations_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/18/relations","source_line":null,"attribution":null},"provenance":{"official_url":"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504","check":{"result":"matched","checked_at":"2026-10-26","against":"EUR-Lex"},"repo_path":"spaces/gdpr/articles/18.md","body_sha256":"617992f89b7f724ed685c9fa33e5c8e9a668afb935d223ba8fe94e045f9b867d"},"units":[{"locator":"gdpr/art/18","kind":"article","status":"in_force","label":null,"heading":"Right to restriction of processing","text":"","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/1","kind":"paragraph","status":"in_force","label":"1.","heading":null,"text":"The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the controller restriction of processing where one of the following applies:","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"e42d2af0f666b05c81f0dc0f61323af8f64102387bec64ac481e00e1fb44ce72","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/1/pt/a","kind":"point","status":"in_force","label":"(a)","heading":null,"text":"the accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data;","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"1e69e8f657fff649f116cac3208f2b315c5ce22c194177340620c604ad43b083","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/1/pt/b","kind":"point","status":"in_force","label":"(b)","heading":null,"text":"the processing is unlawful and the data subject opposes the erasure of the personal data and requests the restriction of their use instead;","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"3b1d7506adb48e39137b879001d6787dff07dd5797802542aef6ac31c27db60d","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/1/pt/c","kind":"point","status":"in_force","label":"(c)","heading":null,"text":"the controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but they are required by the data subject for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"f33f43ef582702912d72798802d71b764d535d7e94c7296227efd8c9e5ea3db7","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/1/pt/d","kind":"point","status":"in_force","label":"(d)","heading":null,"text":"the data subject has objected to processing pursuant to Article 21(1) pending the verification whether the legitimate grounds of the controller override those of the data subject.","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"e469472d999d388e2be4d4e6fde813b8a6ac138c67c53c9c482fd25022c30ed9","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/2","kind":"paragraph","status":"in_force","label":"2.","heading":null,"text":"Where processing has been restricted under paragraph 1, such personal data shall, with the exception of storage, only be processed with the data subject's consent or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the Union or of a Member State.","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"1f23db68c2a05c239cdbdd0779bcad1eaa99fe9b3312c60280f70f99abe4d56e","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/18/para/3","kind":"paragraph","status":"in_force","label":"3.","heading":null,"text":"A data subject who has obtained restriction of processing pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be informed by the controller before the restriction of processing is lifted.","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"23b0ae09f053a885fd98169e1f461580581e75d9bf272db9fac16f3cd0f912f0","reason":null}],"markdown":"---\ntitle: \"Article 18 — Right to restriction of processing\"\ntype: regulation\nlegal_status: in_force\nsource: \"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504\"\nsource_retrieved: 2026-09-28\nshortTitle: \"Article 18 — Right to restriction of processing\"\ninstrument_type: level1_regulation\nauthority: Commission\nbinding: true\nbinding_character: binding\nmica_level2: false\nlegal_basis: \"Regulation (EU) 2016/679\"\ninstrument: gdpr\ncelex: \"32016R0679\"\nregulation: GDPR\nregulation-full: \"Regulation (EU) 2016/679\"\narticle: 18\nstatus: in_force\nobject_id: eu.gdpr.legal_text.article.18\ntext_version: \"Consolidated version of 4 May 2016\"\nsource_url: \"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504\"\ncheck_status: matched\nverified: true\nlast_checked: 2026-10-26\n---\n\n*In force · Consolidated version of 4 May 2016 · Checked against EUR-Lex on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504)*\n\n1. The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the [controller](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/controller) [restriction of processing](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/restriction-of-processing) where one of the following applies:\n\n **(a)** the accuracy of the [personal data](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/personal-data) is contested by the data subject, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data;\n\n **(b)** the [processing](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/processing) is unlawful and the data subject opposes the erasure of the personal data and requests the restriction of their use instead;\n\n **(c)** the controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but they are required by the data subject for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;\n\n **(d)** the data subject has objected to processing pursuant to [Article 21(1)](21.md) pending the verification whether the legitimate grounds of the controller override those of the data subject.\n2. Where processing has been restricted under paragraph 1, such personal data shall, with the exception of storage, only be processed with the data subject's [consent](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/consent-of-the-data-subject) or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the Union or of a Member State.\n3. A data subject who has obtained restriction of processing pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be informed by the controller before the restriction of processing is lifted.\n\n***\n\n[Chapter III — Rights of the data subject](../chapters/iii.md) · [← Article 17](17.md) · [Article 19 →](19.md)\n"}