What is the _gat cookie?
_gat is an HTTP cookie set by the Google Analytics tracking script (Universal Analytics, the older version of gtag.js/analytics.js) directly on the visited website's domain (a first-party cookie). It appears as soon as the Google Analytics tracking script loads and runs on the page, typically on the first pageview.
It is a variant within the _ga cookie family, used specifically to control how often the browser can send data to Google's servers. On Google Analytics 4 (GA4) properties, this cookie is effectively replaced by equivalent internal mechanisms, but it can still appear on sites running legacy Universal Analytics code.
What data it stores
The value stored in _gat is typically a simple flag (boolean or short numeric value) with no directly identifying information, used internally by the tracking script to decide whether another request can be sent or must wait.
The data collected by the Google Analytics script overall (visitor ID, pages viewed, session duration, traffic source) is sent to Google's servers, which may be located outside the European Economic Area depending on the account configuration and Google's data transfer settings.
What it is used for
The technical role of _gat is to rate-limit the number of requests the browser sends to Google Analytics servers within a short time window, protecting the reporting infrastructure from being overloaded.
For the site owner, this cookie has no direct marketing or personalization value — it's an internal technical detail of the analytics tool, needed for the broader Google Analytics package to function correctly and produce consistent traffic statistics.
Does it require consent?
_gat is classified as a statistics (analytics) cookie and is not strictly necessary for the site to function. Under the ePrivacy Directive (as implemented in EU member states) and the GDPR, placing it requires the visitor's prior, explicit consent, obtained through a consent banner.
- The site owner must list it in the cookie policy, under the statistics/analytics category.
- The Google Analytics script should only load after the visitor accepts that category.
- Refusing consent must not block access to the site's content.
How to block or delete _gat
A visitor can delete or block _gat directly from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari — cookie/site data management section) or use dedicated tracking-blocking extensions, including Google's official Analytics Opt-out add-on.
For site owners, the legal requirement is that the Google Analytics script must not execute before consent is obtained. A consent management platform (CMP) such as CookieFix can automatically block the script from loading until the visitor accepts the statistics category, preventing the cookie from being set prematurely.
Frequently asked questions
It's a technical cookie used by older versions of Google Analytics to limit how often requests are sent to Google's servers, not to directly identify the visitor.
Typically about one minute, making it one of the shortest-lived cookies in the Google Analytics suite.
It doesn't store directly identifying data, but it's part of the Google Analytics tracking ecosystem, which is why it's classified under statistics and requires consent.
Yes, as a non-essential analytics cookie it requires the visitor's prior consent under the ePrivacy rules and GDPR.