Consent mode order: set the default before any tag, then update when the visitor chooses

What this guide is and is not

This guide describes technical behaviour documented by Google. It is not legal advice. It does not tell you what your default states should be, whether your banner is adequate, or what any law requires. Those are decisions for you and your adviser; the technical job is to make Google tags follow whatever you decide.

Google lists four consent types, each either granted or denied: ad storage, analytics storage, ad user data and ad personalisation. Google says that by default no consent mode values are set, and it puts responsibility for the values on you, so every type you use needs a default stated by you.

• Write the default, accept and reject states for all four types down before touching code.
• Treat any region-specific default as a separate decision.

The order that makes it work

Google's documented sequence is: run the default consent command first, then load the Google tag or Tag Manager, then load the consent tool, then send an update when the visitor chooses. Google warns that if consent code runs out of order, defaults will not work.

Three details cause most failures. Consent mode stores nothing, so your banner must remember the choice and send the update on each later page. If the banner loads asynchronously, wait_for_update with a short millisecond value gives it time to answer before tags fire. And the update should be sent promptly on the page where the choice is made, because Google notes a late update can lose events such as session_start.

• Region rules use ISO 3166-2 codes; with overlaps, the most specific wins.
• Changing from granted to denied uses the same update command.

In Tag Manager

Tag Manager has a Consent Initialization trigger that fires before all other triggers, meant for tags that set or update consent. Google advises using consent templates built on the Tag Manager consent APIs and not setting consent from Custom HTML, where gtag commands may not be ready in time.

Each tag can also carry consent settings. Built-in checks cover Google tags such as Analytics and Ads; additional checks can require specific types to be granted before a tag fires. Enabling the consent overview in container settings lists which tags have no consent configuration.

• Fire the consent template on Consent Initialization - All Pages.
• Review tags listed under Consent Not Configured.

Check it in Tag Assistant, and how the paid outcome is accepted

Open Tag Assistant on your site and accept all. In the summary, the earliest Consent event should show the four defaults and the latest the updated states; the Output Consent tab shows On-page Default and On-page Update columns. Repeat with reject, and with simulated locations if you use regional rules. Then load a second page in the same browser without touching the banner: the default should be followed by an update that restores the stored choice, because consent mode does not save choices itself. Test on the accept path when watching DebugView, since Google notes events do not appear there for visitors who have not consented to analytics cookies.

The fixed outcome Banner choices reach Google tags is quoted at £395 as an untested proposal, with payment only after sign-off. Acceptance: defaults set before any other tag fires, the states in your written accept column after accept, the states in your written reject column after reject, the stored choice re-sent on a return visit, and each named tag behaving as its consent settings say. We do not choose your defaults or certify compliance. Send the consent tool name and your default, accept and reject states for the four types; no visitor data or logins.