Privacy Policy

Introduction

At PermitIndex, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our website.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Contact Form: Name, email address, and message content when you contact us
• Contributor Applications: If you apply to become a contributor, we collect your name, location, expertise areas, and contact information
• User Feedback: Comments, tips, and feedback you submit about permits

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit PermitIndex, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage:

• Analytics Data: We use Plausible Analytics, a privacy-friendly analytics service that does not use cookies and does not collect personally identifiable information. Plausible collects anonymous usage statistics including pages visited, referral sources, device type, and country-level location data.
• Technical Data: IP address (anonymized), browser type, operating system, and timestamps

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To Provide Services: Displaying permit information, processing contact form submissions, and managing contributor applications
• To Improve Our Site: Understanding how visitors use PermitIndex to improve navigation, content, and user experience
• To Communicate: Responding to your inquiries, feedback, and support requests
• To Maintain Quality: Moderating user-submitted content and feedback

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With Your Consent: When you explicitly agree to share information (e.g., becoming a public contributor)
• Service Providers: With third-party service providers who assist in operating our website (e.g., Cloudflare for hosting, Plausible for analytics). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government regulation
• To Protect Rights: To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public

Cookies and Tracking

PermitIndex uses minimal tracking technology:

• No Cookies for Analytics: Our analytics provider (Plausible) does not use cookies
• No Third-Party Advertising: We do not display ads or use advertising trackers
• Essential Cookies Only: We may use strictly necessary cookies for basic site functionality (e.g., remembering your preferences)

Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

• Contact Form Data: Retained for up to 2 years to track support history
• Contributor Information: Retained while you are an active contributor
• User Feedback: Retained indefinitely as part of our public permit database
• Analytics Data: Plausible retains anonymized analytics for 24 months

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Opt-Out: Opt out of receiving communications from us
• Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email provided below.

Children's Privacy

PermitIndex is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Links

PermitIndex contains links to government websites and other third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

International Users

PermitIndex is operated in the United States. If you access our site from outside the US, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your country.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last updated" date. Your continued use of PermitIndex after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Email: Via our Contact Form
• Website: permitindex.com

Privacy-Friendly Analytics

PermitIndex uses Plausible Analytics, an open-source, privacy-focused analytics service. Plausible:

• Does not use cookies
• Does not collect personal data or personally identifiable information
• Does not track you across websites
• Is fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations
• All data is aggregated and anonymous

You can learn more about Plausible's privacy practices at plausible.io/privacy.