Guidance

Bulk acquisition of communications data: code of practice

Code of practice for intelligence services and telecommunications operators issued with a warrant under chapter 2 of part 6 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

• From: Home Office
• Published: 12 June 2018
• Last updated: 6 June 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 6 June 2025

     Code of practice updated as the draft laid before Parliament on 31 March 2025 is now in force.

  2. 12 June 2018

     First published.

Documents

Bulk acquisition of communications data code of practice (accessible)

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Bulk acquisition of communications data code of practice

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Handling arrangements

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Details

This code applies to the intelligence services and telecommunications operators who have been issued with a warrant under chapter 2 of part 6, and is intended for use by the intelligence services and by telecommunications operators involved in obtaining and disclosing bulk communications data to the intelligence services under the act.

People exercising any functions to which this code relates must have regard to the code, although failure to comply with the code does not, of itself, make a person liable to criminal or civil proceedings.