# [How to create an effective cookie policy for your website](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-policy/) **A cookie policy is a document that provides a comprehensive list of the cookies and trackers used on a website, along with detailed information about each.** · [Get Started with Cookiebot CMP](https://admin.cookiebot.com/signup) · [Learn More About Cookiebot CMP](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/why-choose-cookiebot-cmp/) --- ## What is a cookie policy? A cookie policy is a document that provides a comprehensive list of the cookies and trackers used on a website, along with detailed information about each. The purpose of a website cookie policy is to help users understand how you store and process the personal data you collect via cookies. Your website’s cookie policy must be kept up to date and should answer the following questions: - What types of cookies, and which specific cookies, are set? - What purpose(s) are the cookies used for? - What personal data do the cookies collect and process? - How long will the cookies stay on users’ browsers? - Who is the data shared with, or who has access to the data collected, including any third parties? - How can users set or change their cookie preferences? Having a cookie policy for websites is a legal requirement under many global data privacy laws, including the [European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr-cookies/) and the [California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)/California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/ccpa/). The difference between a privacy policy and a cookie policy is that a privacy policy includes, among other information, all the various ways your business may collect, process and store data from users, both online and offline. A cookie policy is specifically about the tracking technologies embedded on your website, which process personal data from end users. --- ## Why is a cookies policy important? A cookies policy for websites is important because it shares detailed information with users about: - how your website collects, processes and shares their personal data - how users can change or withdraw cookie consent - what users’ rights or options are and how they can exercise them A cookies privacy policy helps boost your compliance with global data protection laws and builds user trust, which is a growing priority for users worldwide. [79% of consumers](https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_ie/www/PDF/state-of-connected-customer-fifth-ed-comp.pdf) say they’re more likely to trust a company with their information if the company clearly explains how it’ll be used. --- ## What are the different types of cookies, and how does my website use them? There are three different ways to classify cookies: - Session vs. Persistent - Essential vs. Non-essential - First-party vs. Third-party ### Session cookies vs persistent cookies Session cookies are temporary cookies that stay in a user’s browser during that particular session, e.g. a specific visit to a website. These cookies expire when the user leaves the website. Persistent cookies don’t expire when a user leaves a website, but they do have an expiration date that can vary from days to months. Users can manually delete persistent cookies from their browser settings. ### Essential cookies vs. Non-essential cookies Essential cookies are necessary for a website to function. Cookies that remember your shopping cart items before you check out or keep you logged into your account for a particular session are examples of essential cookies. You don’t need prior consent to place essential cookies on a user’s device, but you must include them in your cookie privacy policy to comply with data privacy regulations. Non-essential cookies are used for ancillary purposes such as marketing, statistics and setting user preferences. ### First-party cookies vs. third-party cookies First-party cookies are stored on a user’s device by the website they are browsing. Session cookies are an example of first-party cookies. Third-party cookies are stored on a user’s device by an organization other than the website owner. Marketing cookies are often third-party cookies. --- ## What are the requirements of a cookie privacy policy? A comprehensive cookie privacy policy requires the following: - **Notice of cookie usage:** A statement that your website uses cookies and an explanation of what a cookie is for users who may not be familiar with the term or function. - **List of cookies:** A regularly updated and detailed list of all the cookies your website uses, by name, with the following information outlined for each one: - Purpose of the cookie, such as storing a user’s currency preference, live chat preference or advertising pixel - Cookie type, i.e. essential, marketing, performance, or preference - Cookie provider or organization that is collecting data via this cookie - Cookie duration or when it expires - **Consent options:** An explanation of which cookies users can accept or decline, and how users can withdraw cookie consent they have previously given --- ## How do I write a cookie policy? **1) Identify all cookies and trackers** The first step to writing a cookie policy is to make a list of all the cookies and trackers your website uses. This can run into tens or even hundreds of cookies. Also, a cookie policy must be updated each time your website adopts new cookies or tracking technologies. To simplify this process and ensure you’re not missing any cookies, you can use a consent management platform like [Cookiebot CMP](https://www.cookiebot.com/), which automatically scans and updates for new cookies at prescribed intervals. **2) Include the required cookie information** For each cookie, you need to include why you use it, the cookie type, cookie provider, and expiration date. **3) Share consent withdrawal options** Users have a right to change or withdraw consent at any time, and the cookies privacy policy should clearly state the process for them to do so. **4) Share company contact information** The cookie policy should share the website owner’s name, or that of the responsible party, and contact information, such as a mailing and/or email address. **5) Use simple language** Like the [cookie text](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-texts/) on your banner, your cookie policy must be easy for users to understand. This means it should be written in a way that anyone can understand it even if they don’t have legal or technical knowledge. --- ## Get an automated cookie policy with Cookiebot CMP Cookiebot CMP is a leading solution in the data privacy and consent management market, providing transparency and control to end users when it comes to cookies on your website. After [signing up to Cookiebot CMP](https://admin.cookiebot.com/signup), your website will be scanned automatically at regular or prescribed intervals. All cookies will be detected and controlled according to the specific data privacy requirements in your end-users’ locations. Cookiebot CMP also generates an automatic cookie policy for your website that is fully comprehensive, providing end users with transparency and control. Simply install it in your privacy policy or as a standalone subpage that is easy for users to find, enabling data privacy compliance and building trust with customers at the same time. --- ## Your website’s cookie policy, a quick how-to guide **1) What your website’s cookie policy should contain** Your website’s cookie policy must contain the following information: - the different types and categories of cookies in use - the duration of each cookie and tracker (how long they remain active on end-user browsers) - the categories of personal data/information that each cookie collects and processes - the purpose of each cookie (whether it’s for necessary functionality, statistics, marketing, etc.) - the third parties with which each cookie shares personal data - the countries/regions that each cookie sends personal data to - information about how end users can accept or reject cookies, and how they can check and change their consent status **2) How to update your website’s cookie policy** Your cookie policy must always be up to date, and since cookies and trackers are dynamic, meaning that they often change upon repeated visits by users, you need to scan your website regularly to detect any new cookies and trackers that might have changed since last time you published the cookie policy on your website. **3) Regional cookie policy requirements for your website** Though most cookie policy requirements are the same across many major data privacy laws, some obligations remain specific to countries and regions in the world. For the [EU’s GDPR](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr/), this includes informing end users about where and how they can make consent choices for all the non-necessary cookies in use on your domain. --- ## Frequently asked questions ### How are a cookie policy and a privacy policy different? A privacy policy includes, among other information, all the various ways your business may collect, process and store data from users, both online and offline. A cookie policy is specifically about the tracking technologies embedded on your website, which process personal data from end users. ### Cookie policy examples Let’s take a look at [Cookiebot’s cookie policy](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/privacy-policy/) to see a published example of a cookie policy. Other examples include: - [Canva’s cookies policy page](https://www.canva.com/policies/cookies-policy/) - [The Guardian’s cookie policy page](https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) - [Meta’s cookies policy page](https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policies/cookies/) --- ## Stay informed Join our growing community of data privacy enthusiasts now. Subscribe to the Cookiebot™ newsletter and get all the latest updates right in your inbox. --- ## Download the CMP integration for your preferred CMS *Used by: Brand A, Brand B, Brand C* [Usercentrics Cookiebot WordPress Plugin](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/wordpress-cookie-plugin/) [Usercentrics for Wix](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-for-wix-by-usercentrics-app/) --- ## Product [Cookiebot™ Consent Solution](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-consent-solution/) · [Usercentrics for Wix](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-for-wix-by-usercentrics-app/) · [WordPress Plugin](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/new-wp-cookie-plugin/) · [Pricing](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/pricing/) ## Regulations [DMA (EU)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/digital-markets-act-dma/) · [GDPR (EU)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/gdpr/) · [CCPA (California)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/what-is-ccpa/) · [VCDPA (Virginia)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/virginia-vcdpa/) · [LGPD (Brazil)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/lgpd/) · [TCF v2.3 (IAB)](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/tcf/) · [Google Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-cmp-google-consent-mode/) · [Microsoft UET Consent Mode](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/microsoft-consent-mode-cmp/) ## Partners [Become an affiliate](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/affiliates/) · [Become a partner](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/resellers/) · [Find a partner](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-reseller/) ## Resources [Blog](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/blog/) · [Digital Markets Act Hub](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/digital-markets-act-dma-resources/) · [Google Consent Mode Hub](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-mode-resources/) · [Google Consent Mode V2 Certification](https://courses.usercentrics.com/course/google-consent-mode-v2) · [Google Consent Audit Fixes](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-consent-audit-fixes/) · [Developer documentation](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/developer/) · [Cookiebot vs CookieYes](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookiebot-best-cookieyes-alternative/) · [Cookiebot vs OneTrust](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/onetrust-alternative/) · [Cookie Banner Cost Calculator](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-banner-pricing-calculator/) ## Company [About us](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/about/) · [Careers](https://usercentrics.com/career/) · [Support](https://support.cookiebot.com/hc/en-us/) --- [Privacy Policy](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/privacy-policy/) · [Terms of Service](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/terms-of-service/) · [Cookie Declaration](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/cookie-declaration/) · [Data Processing Agreement](https://www.cookiebot.com/en/data-processing-agreement/) ©2026 Cookiebot™ by [Usercentrics](https://usercentrics.com/)