Is Consent Mode V2 Mandatory in 2026?
Yes, in practice (for most teams). If you use Google tags and you want to keep Google Ads measurement and personalisation working for visitors in the European Economic Area (EEA), you need Consent Mode v2 in place.
Google updated Consent Mode to add two extra consent signals (ad_user_data and ad_personalization) and expects you to pass a visitor’s consent choices through to Google tags for EEA traffic. Without those signals, key advertising features are restricted for new EEA users.
Why do people call it “mandatory”
Consent Mode v2 isn’t a law by itself. It’s a platform-specific requirement driven by EU privacy laws (including the Digital Markets Act) and enforced through Google’s products.
So for 2026, the question you need to answer:
- Do you rely on Google Ads (conversion tracking, remarketing, audience building) for EEA traffic?
If yes, you should treat Consent Mode v2 as required. - Do you only run analytics without ads?
You may still want v2 for cleaner consent signalling and to avoid misconfigurations, but the biggest impact is on advertising features.
What happens if you don’t implement it
For EEA visitors, you risk losing or degrading:
- Ads personalisation and related features (remarketing/audience building)
- Ads measurement signal quality
- Consistent consent-based behaviour for Google tags
And it’s not just theoretical, some companies have reported that from 21 July 2025, Google began switching off conversion tracking and advertising features for Google Ads accounts missing Consent Mode v2 for EEA/UK traffic.
For more information, read our full guide about Consent Mode and how to set it up.
Quick check: Is your consent setup actually working?
Most marketing teams fail on the boring bits: defaults set wrong, tags firing before consent, or tags missing consent checks.
Consent Mode Monitor scans a domain or GTM container and flags whether Consent Mode v2 is correctly implemented and which tags are missing consent signals. It’s designed for fast audits and ongoing monitoring.
There is a Chrome Extension version of Consent Mode Monitor, too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Consent Mode v2 legally required?
Consent Mode isn’t a standalone law. It’s a Google requirement to keep certain ads and measurement features working for EEA traffic.
Do I need a Google-certified CMP?
For some Google ads scenarios in EEA/UK (and Switzerland on a later timeline), Google requires a certified CMP integrated with the TCF. We offer a 40% discount on Cookiebot and can assist you in setting it up by contacting our team.
Does this apply outside Europe?
The strictest enforcement is tied to EEA (and Google also lists separate timelines for Switzerland). If you have any meaningful EEA traffic, implement v2 globally to reduce complexity.
