Legal & Compliance

PRIVACY,
TERMS & LEGAL

Tesla is committed to protecting your privacy, being transparent about how we use your data, and operating with integrity across all regions we serve.

Last Updated: May 30, 2025  ·  Effective: June 1, 2025  ·  Jurisdiction: Global
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Document Version
v8.2 — May 2025
Governing Law
State of California, USA
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Privacy Policy

Summary: Tesla collects information you provide directly, data generated by your vehicle, and information from your use of Tesla's websites and apps. We use this data to provide, improve, and personalise Tesla products and services, and to keep you safe. We never sell your personal information to third parties.

This Privacy Policy describes how Tesla, Inc. and its affiliates ("Tesla," "we," "us," or "our") collect, use, disclose, and protect information about you when you use our vehicles, mobile applications, websites, products, and services (collectively, "Tesla Services"). By using Tesla Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide

When you create a Tesla Account, place an order, schedule a test drive, contact support, or use Tesla Services, you may provide us with:

  • Full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
  • Payment and billing information, including credit card details (stored securely via PCI-DSS compliant processors)
  • Vehicle preferences, configuration choices, and order history
  • Communications with Tesla customer support teams
  • Profile information and account credentials
  • Information you submit through surveys, contests, or promotions
Vehicle & Driving Data

Tesla vehicles collect and transmit data to Tesla's servers, including:

  • Telemetry data: speed, acceleration, braking, battery state, energy usage, and charging behaviour
  • Location data: GPS coordinates, navigation routes, and destination history (where enabled)
  • Safety data: airbag deployment events, collision sensor data, Autopilot engagement and disengagement events
  • Camera footage: Sentry Mode and dashcam recordings stored locally on your vehicle; not transmitted unless you explicitly share
  • Software diagnostics: firmware version, error logs, and over-the-air update status
Usage & Device Data

When you access Tesla websites or apps, we automatically collect:

  • IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
  • Pages visited, clicks, session duration, and referral URLs
  • App usage patterns, feature interactions, and crash reports
  • Cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies (see Cookie Policy)
2. How We Use Your Information

Tesla uses the information we collect for the following purposes:

PurposeLegal Basis (GDPR)Data Types Used
Providing and operating Tesla ServicesContractAccount, Order, Vehicle
Processing payments and preventing fraudContractBilling, Device
Improving Autopilot & Full Self-DrivingLegitimate InterestDriving, Camera, Telemetry
Over-the-air software updatesContractVehicle, Diagnostic
Customer support and service schedulingContractAccount, Vehicle
Marketing and personalised communicationsConsentAccount, Usage
Safety investigations and crash analysisLegitimate InterestSafety, Telemetry
Legal compliance and regulatory reportingLegal ObligationAll applicable data
3. How We Share Your Information

ℹ️ Tesla does not sell your personal information to third parties — not advertisers, data brokers, or any other commercial entity. This applies to all regions where Tesla operates.

We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service Providers: Trusted vendors who assist in operating Tesla Services (cloud storage, payment processing, customer support platforms) under strict data processing agreements
  • Business Partners: Financing partners (e.g., Tesla Financial Services affiliates) when you apply for vehicle financing
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or government request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Tesla, our customers, or the public
  • Corporate Transactions: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets — you will be notified before your data is transferred
  • With Your Consent: For any purpose not covered above, only with your explicit consent
4. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access & Portability: Request a copy of your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions
  • Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time via your account settings or the unsubscribe link in any email
  • Data Processing Restriction: Request that we restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances (EU/UK only)
  • Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests (EU/UK only)
  • Automated Decision-Making: Not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affects you

To exercise any of these rights, contact Tesla's Privacy Team at privacy@tesla.com or through your Tesla Account under Settings → Privacy. We will respond within 30 days (or 45 days where permitted by law).

5. Data Security & Retention

Tesla implements industry-standard technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal data, including:

  • AES-256 encryption for data at rest and TLS 1.3 for data in transit
  • Multi-factor authentication for Tesla account access
  • Role-based access controls limiting employee access to personal data
  • Regular penetration testing and third-party security audits
  • SOC 2 Type II certification for Tesla's cloud infrastructure

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide Tesla Services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Vehicle data is retained for up to 7 years following the end of your vehicle ownership. Account data is retained until you request deletion.

6. International Data Transfers

Tesla is headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, and operates globally. Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where Tesla or its service providers operate. For transfers from the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, Tesla relies on:

  • European Commission Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
  • Adequacy decisions where applicable
  • Your explicit consent where required
7. Contact & DPO Information

For privacy-related inquiries, contact Tesla's Data Protection Officer:

  • Email: privacy@tesla.com
  • Post: Tesla, Inc. — Privacy & Legal, 13101 Harold Green Rd, Austin, TX 78725
  • EU Representative: Tesla Motors Limited, 19-22 Rathbone Place, London W1T 1HY, UK

EU and UK residents have the right to lodge a complaint with their local data protection authority if they believe Tesla has not handled their data appropriately.

Terms of Use

Please read these Terms carefully. By accessing or using any Tesla website, application, vehicle feature, or service, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and Tesla's Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use Tesla Services.

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the websites, mobile applications, connected vehicle features, energy products, and all other services (collectively, "Tesla Services") provided by Tesla, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Tesla," "we," "us," or "our").

1. Tesla Account

To access certain Tesla Services, you must create a Tesla Account. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information
  • Maintain the security of your account password and not share it with others
  • Notify Tesla immediately at security@tesla.com of any unauthorised account access
  • Be responsible for all activity that occurs under your account
  • Be at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction)

Tesla reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or remain inactive for more than 36 months.

2. Vehicle Purchase & Ordering

All vehicle orders placed through Tesla's website or app are subject to Tesla's Purchase Agreement, which governs delivery, acceptance, and return policies. Key terms include:

  1. Order deposits are fully refundable before a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is assigned to your order
  2. Once a VIN is assigned, the order becomes binding and the deposit is non-refundable unless Tesla cancels the order
  3. Vehicle delivery must be accepted within 7 days of Tesla's delivery appointment notification
  4. Final vehicle price may vary from the estimated price at time of order due to configuration changes, incentives, or pricing updates
  5. Tesla reserves the right to cancel any order for any reason and will issue a full refund of any deposit paid
3. Software & Connected Services

Tesla vehicles include proprietary software and connectivity features. By using your Tesla vehicle, you agree that:

  • Tesla may deliver over-the-air (OTA) software updates to your vehicle that improve performance, add features, or address safety issues — some updates may be mandatory
  • Software features (including Full Self-Driving, Autopilot enhancements, and premium connectivity) are licensed, not sold, and may be modified or discontinued at Tesla's discretion
  • You will not reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of any Tesla software
  • Unauthorised modifications to vehicle software void your warranty and may render your vehicle unsafe or unable to receive future updates

⚠️ Autopilot & Full Self-Driving require active driver supervision at all times. Tesla's driver assistance features are not a replacement for attentive driving. You are solely responsible for safe vehicle operation and must comply with all applicable traffic laws.

4. Prohibited Uses

You agree not to use Tesla Services to:

  • Violate any applicable laws, regulations, or third-party rights
  • Impersonate Tesla, its employees, or any other person or entity
  • Transmit spam, malware, viruses, or any harmful code
  • Scrape, crawl, or harvest data from Tesla websites without written permission
  • Attempt to gain unauthorised access to Tesla's systems, servers, or vehicles
  • Use Tesla Services for any commercial purpose without Tesla's prior written consent
  • Engage in any activity that interferes with or disrupts Tesla's infrastructure
5. Intellectual Property

All content, trademarks, logos, designs, and software included in Tesla Services are the exclusive property of Tesla, Inc. or its licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark, patent, and other intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use Tesla Services for personal, non-commercial purposes.

The Tesla name, logo, "T" logo, "Model S," "Model 3," "Model X," "Model Y," "Cybertruck," "Powerwall," "Megapack," and "Supercharger" are registered trademarks of Tesla, Inc. Unauthorised use is strictly prohibited.

6. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability

Tesla Services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Tesla shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, data loss, or personal injury, arising from your use of Tesla Services — even if Tesla has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Tesla's total liability for any claim arising from these Terms shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid to Tesla in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) USD $100.

7. Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, USA, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any disputes arising from these Terms or Tesla Services shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules, except that either party may seek injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver: You agree to resolve disputes with Tesla on an individual basis only and waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

8. Changes to These Terms

Tesla may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or a prominent notice in the Tesla app. Your continued use of Tesla Services after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the new Terms, you must stop using Tesla Services.

Cookie Preferences

Tesla uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate our websites, improve your experience, and understand how our Services are used. You can control which categories of cookies are active on your device using the toggles below. Your preferences are saved locally and apply to this device and browser.

ℹ️ Strictly necessary cookies cannot be disabled — they are required for Tesla's websites and services to function properly. All other categories are optional and require your consent.

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