# Transparent information, communication and modalities for the exercise of the rights of the data subject 12(5) — GDPR — provision context

> Focused context for a single provision (12(5)), curated from overview.legal on 2026-08-22. Canonical: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-12#par-5
> Verify against the official text (EUR-Lex / wetten.overheid.nl) before relying on it.

Part of **Transparent information, communication and modalities for the exercise of the rights of the data subject** (GDPR, full article: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-12).

## Provision text

### 12(5)

Information provided under Articles 13 and 14 and any communication and any actions taken under Articles 15 to 22 and 34 shall be provided free of charge. Where requests from a data subject are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because of their repetitive character, the controller may either:

a) charge a reasonable fee taking into account the administrative costs of providing the information or communication or taking the action requested; or
b) refuse to act on the request.
- The controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded or excessive character of the request.

## Topics on this provision

- **Personal Data** — https://overview.legal/topics/persoonsgegevens
  Information relating to identified or identifiable natural persons
- **Controllers** — https://overview.legal/topics/controllers
  Entities that determine purposes and means of processing

## Cited by (exact-provision citations)

- **Rb. Noord-Holland - C/15/376188** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/144035
- **CJEU - C-526/24 - Brillen Rottler** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/96819
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 12 January 2023.#RW v Österreichische Post AG.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Oberster Gerichtshof.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Article 15(1)(c) – Data subject’s right of access to his or her data – Information about the recipients or categories of recipient to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed – Restrictions.#C** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/132299
- **Rb. Den Haag - C/09/689833** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/53095
- **AG Arnsberg - 42 C 434/23** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/90173
- **VG München - M 26a K 25.5210** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/108991
- **Rb. Noord-Holland - C/15/376188** ¶4.12 (case-law, District Court Noord-Holland) — https://overview.legal/posts/144035
- **Rb. Den Haag - C/09/689833** ¶5.14.3 (case-law, District Court Den Haag) — https://overview.legal/posts/53095
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 12 January 2023.#RW v Österreichische Post AG.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Oberster Gerichtshof.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Article 15(1)(c) – Data subject’s right of access to his or her data – Information about the recipients or categories of recipient to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed – Restrictions.#C** ¶51 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132299
- **Opinion 22/2024 on certain obligations following from the reliance on processor(s) and sub-processor(s)** (guidance) — https://overview.legal/posts/125715
- **Opinion 15/2023 on the draft decision of the Dutch Supervisory Authority regarding the Brand Compliance certification criteria** (guidance) — https://overview.legal/posts/125831
- **Opinion 15/2025 on the draft decision of the Austrian Supervisory Authority (AT SA) regarding the certification criteria of BDO Consulting GmbH** (guidance) — https://overview.legal/posts/51079

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Generated by overview.legal · https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-12#par-5 · 2026-08-22