---
title: "GDPR Compliance"
description: "The GDPR app brings data privacy compliance features to J2Commerce."
url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/apps-and-extensions/apps/app-gdpr"
markdown_url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/apps-and-extensions/apps/app-gdpr.md"
last_updated: "2026-10-31T23:07:48+00:00"
version: "J2Commerce 6"
breadcrumbs:
  - title: "Home"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/"
  - title: "J2Commerce 6"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6"
  - title: "Apps and Extensions"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/apps-and-extensions"
  - title: "Apps"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/apps-and-extensions/apps"
  - title: "GDPR Compliance"
    url: "https://docs.j2commerce.com/v6/apps-and-extensions/apps/app-gdpr"
---

# GDPR Compliance

The GDPR app brings data privacy compliance features to J2Commerce. It gives customers meaningful control over their personal data stored in your shop, and helps you meet obligations under GDPR and similar privacy regulations.

Key features include:

- Terms and conditions checkbox or link at checkout (billing or payment step)
- Customer self-service buttons to delete saved addresses and order address records
- Activity log that records every address edit and deletion
- Email notifications to store admins and customers when data changes
- Optional GDPR data request form on the My Profile page
- IP address removal from carts and orders

## Requirements

- PHP 8.3+
- Joomla! 6.x
- J2Commerce 6.x

## Purchase and Download

The **GDPR** app is a separate add-on available from the [GDPR](https://www.j2commerce.com/extensions/apps/gdpr). It is not included with the core J2Commerce 6 component.

**Step 1:** Go to the [J2Commerce website](https://www.j2commerce.com/extensions) -> **Apps**.

**Step 2:** Locate the **GDPR** app **->** click **View Details** **-> Add to cart** **->** **Checkout**.

**Step 3:** Go to **My Downloads** under your profile menu at the top right corner and search for the app. Click **Available Versions -> View Files -> Download**.

## Install the App

You can install this **GDPR** App using the Joomla installer. The following steps help you with a successful installation.

In the Joomla admin, go to **System -> Install -> Extensions**

Upload the plugin ZIP file or use the Install from URL option.

![Install extensions](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/v4/assets/app%20install1%20%281%29%20%281%29.webp)

## Enable the App

Once installed, you must enable the app. There are two ways to access it:

**Option A:** Click the **J2Commerce** icon at the top right corner -> **Apps**.

**Option B:** Go to the left sidebar -> **Components** -> **J2Commerce** -> **Apps**.

![shipping method](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/accordions-app.webp)

Look for **GDPR**, click the **X,** and it will turn into a green checkmark. It is now enabled and ready for setup.

![J2Commerce Apps list searched for "GDPR", with the search box and the GDPR app enabled status icon highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-enable.webp)

## Configuration

Open the GDPR app settings by clicking its name in the Apps list.

> **Tip:** Click the **Toggle Inline Help** button in the toolbar and the app will show a description below each field as you configure it.

![GDPR plugin with Toggle Inline Help highlighted and the help text under Notify store administrators about data changes highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-toggle.webp)

### Email Notifications

![J2Commerce GDPR plugin, Plugin tab highlighted: Add Menu Item Yes, Notify Store Administrators Yes, Notify the Customer Never, activity log and IP removal Yes](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-config-basic.webp)

**Add Menu Item:** Show or hide the GDPR Activity Log link in the J2Commerce dashboard menu.

**Notify store administrators about data changes:** Send an email to the admin addresses below whenever a customer edits or deletes address data

**Store administrator emails:** Comma-separated list of admin email addresses to notify

**Notify the customer about data changes:** Send a confirmation email to the customer when they change their own data

**Log customer edit and delete activities:** Record every address edit and deletion in the GDPR activity log

When enabled, all changes are stored in the activity log, viewable from the J2Commerce Apps page.

**Remove customer IP address from cart and order:** Strip the IP address field from new cart and order records at the time they are created

> **Note:** IP removal only applies to **new** carts and orders created after the setting is enabled. Existing records are not retroactively modified.

**Show delete all addresses button:** Display a button on the My Profile page allowing customers to delete all their saved addresses

**Debug Mode:** Write detailed log entries to `administrator/logs/app_gdpr.php`

Enable Debug Mode temporarily when troubleshooting. Disable it in production to avoid filling your log directory.

### General Requirements tab

![GDPR plugin, General Requirements tab highlighted: Enable GDPR Tab in My Profile and terms and conditions options for registered and guest customers all set to Show](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-config-general0.webp)

**Enable GDPR tab in My Profile:** Show a GDPR data request form as a tab on the customer My Profile page

**GDPR terms and conditions:** Show or hide terms and conditions at checkout

**Show terms for registered customers:** Include terms display for logged-in customers

**Show terms for guest customers:** Include terms display for guest checkout

![GDPR General Requirements settings highlighted: Terms Display Position Billing Step, Terms Display Type Checkbox, and Framework Template Auto selected](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-config-general1-1.webp)

**Terms display position:** Choose whether terms appear at the **Billing** step or the **Payment** step

**Terms display type:** Show terms as a **Link** (informational) or a **Checkbox** (required to proceed)

### Terms Label Customization

![GDPR General Requirements settings highlighted: Terms and Conditions Article set to Terms & Conditions, plus terms prefix, link label, suffix and validation error fields](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-config-general2-1.webp)

These three fields control the text displayed around the terms link at checkout. They support Joomla language key strings or plain text.

**Terms and conditions article:** Select the Joomla article that contains your privacy policy or GDPR terms

**Terms prefix text:** Text before the clickable link

**Terms link label:** The clickable link text

**Terms suffix text:** Text after the clickable link

**Validation error message:** Message shown when the customer does not tick the checkbox

## How It Works

### Terms and Conditions at Checkout

When **GDPR terms and conditions** is enabled, a notice (or required checkbox) appears at the checkout step you configured — Billing or Payment.

- **Link display type:** The terms text and link are shown as information only. The customer can click the link to read the full article in a modal window. Checkout is not blocked.
- **Checkbox display type:** The customer must tick the checkbox to continue. If they try to proceed without ticking it, an inline error message is shown.

### Customer Address Deletion

When the **Show delete all addresses button** setting is enabled, a red **Delete all my addresses** button appears on the My Profile page above the address list. When a customer clicks it:

1. All their saved addresses are deleted from the database.
2. An activity log entry is written (if logging is enabled).
3. Admin and customer notification emails are sent (if enabled).
4. The customer is redirected back to My Profile with a confirmation message.

![My Account Address Book tab listing Billing and Shipping addresses with edit and delete icons, Add New Address and a red Delete All My Addresses button](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-frontend-delete.webp)

### GDPR Data Request Tab

When the **Enable GDPR tab in My Profile** setting is enabled, a **GDPR Request** tab appears on the My Profile page. Customers can type a free-text message and submit it to the store admin.

The request is saved to the activity log and — if admin email notifications are enabled — sends an email to the store administrator with the customer's message.

![My Account page with the GDPR Request tab highlighted, showing the Custom GDPR Request form with a Message box, a privacy policy agreement and a Send Request button](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-request.webp)

### Activity Log

![GDPR plugin toolbar with the GDPR Activity Log button highlighted next to Save, Save & Close and Close, above the J2Commerce - GDPR title](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-log.webp)

When **Log customer edit and delete activities** is enabled, the plugin records entries in a private database table. Each entry stores:

- Date and time
- Customer email
- Whether it was an address change or order address removal
- A short description of what changed

You can view the activity log from the J2Commerce Apps page by clicking the GDPR app name and navigating to the log view.

## Setting Up Terms and Conditions

### Create a Privacy Policy Article

1. In the Joomla Administrator, go to **Content** -> **Articles** -> **New**.
2. Write your GDPR privacy policy or terms and conditions.
3. Save the article and note its ID (shown in the article list).

![Joomla Articles list with the Terms & Conditions article published in the Pages category, shown with Articles and Content in the sidebar](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-terms.webp)

### Link the Article to the Plugin

1. Go to **J2Commerce** -> **Apps** -> **GDPR** settings.
2. In the **Terms and conditions article** field, click the **Select** button and choose your article.
3. Set **Terms display type** to **Checkbox** if you require acceptance.
4. Set **Terms display position** to where you want the terms to appear (**Billing** or **Payment**).
5. Click **Save**.

![GDPR settings: Terms display position Billing step, Terms display type Checkbox, Terms and conditions article Terms & Conditions, and the prefix, link, suffix and error language keys](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-terms1.webp)

## Frontend Checkout View

Visit your store's checkout as a test customer and confirm the terms text and link appear at the expected step.

### Link View

![Checkout Billing Address step with the terms and conditions link text, shown without a checkbox, highlighted above the Continue button](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-frontend-link.webp)

### Checkbox View

![Checkout Billing Address step with the "I agree to the terms and conditions" checkbox highlighted and ticked above the Continue button](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-frontend-checkbox.webp)

### Checkbox Error

![Checkout Billing Address step with the unticked terms and conditions checkbox and the red message "Please accept our GDPR terms and conditions." highlighted](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-frontend-checkbox1.webp)

## Troubleshooting

### Terms are not appearing at checkout

**Cause:** The **GDPR terms and conditions** setting may be disabled, or the position setting does not match the step you are checking.

**Solution:**

1. Open the GDPR app settings.
2. Confirm **GDPR terms and conditions** is set to **Show**.
3. Confirm **Terms display position** matches the step where you expect terms to appear.
4. If using **Checkbox** display, confirm the correct step's validation is completing without errors from other plugins.

![GDPR General Requirements settings: GDPR tab and terms options all Show, Terms display position Billing step, Terms display type Link, article Terms & Conditions](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-terms3.webp)

### The delete address button is not visible on My Profile

**Cause:** The **Show delete all addresses button** setting may be disabled, or the customer has no saved addresses.

**Solution:**

- Confirm **Show delete all addresses button** is set to **Show** in the plugin settings.

![GDPR plugin Customer Buttons section highlighted: Show delete all addresses button set to Show, and Debug Mode set to Never](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-config-customer.webp)

- Log in as a test customer who has at least one saved address. The button only appears when addresses exist.

### Admin notification emails are not arriving

**Cause:** The admin email addresses may be missing or incorrectly formatted, or Joomla's mail settings may be misconfigured.

**Solution:**

- Open the GDPR app settings and verify the **Store administrator emails** field contains valid comma-separated addresses with no spaces.

![GDPR plugin settings: Notify store administrators Yes, Store administrator emails (blurred), Notify the customer Never, activity log and IP removal Yes](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-terms4.webp)

- Go to **System** -> **Global Configuration** -> **Server** tab and confirm the mail settings are working by using the **Send Test Mail** option.

### GDPR request form submissions are not saving

**Cause:** The form requires a CSRF token. If the session has expired or the page was cached, the token may be invalid.

**Solution:** Ask the customer to refresh the My Profile page and submit the form again. If the problem persists, check that Joomla page caching is not enabled for the My Profile view.

![My Account page with the GDPR Request tab highlighted, showing the Custom GDPR Request form with a Message box, a privacy policy agreement and a Send Request button](https://docs.j2commerce.com/images/docs/shared/gdpr-request.webp)