Privacy Policy

1. Overview

PermitSpark (“we”, “us”) provides building-permit intelligence to contractors and other businesses. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the rights you have. It applies to our website, applications, and APIs.

2. Public-records data

The core of our service is aggregated public building-permit recordsobtained from government building departments and open-data portals. These records are public information published by government agencies. We collect, normalize, classify, and present them. They may include property addresses, permit values, project descriptions, and the names of permit applicants or contractors as filed in the public record.

We are not the originating source of this data. If you believe a public record contains an error, the authoritative correction must be made with the issuing agency. We will, however, honor suppression requests as described below.

3. Redaction and tiered access

To balance transparency with responsible use, free and unauthenticated views show permit data at block level only (e.g. the 100 block of a street) and exclude owner-occupant details. Full street addresses and owner information are available only to authenticated, paying subscribers, consistent with each data source’s terms of use.

If you are a property owner and wish to suppress your address-level record from subscriber views, contact privacy@permitspark.app and we will process your request.

4. Information you provide

We collect information you give us directly, including:

• Account details: name, email, phone, password (hashed), company name.
• Billing information processed by our payment provider (Stripe); we do not store full card numbers.
• Preferences: saved searches, watchlists, notification settings.
• Communications you send to support.

5. Information collected automatically

We collect usage data (pages viewed, features used), device and log data (IP address, browser type), and cookies/similar technologies for authentication, security, analytics, and conversion optimization. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

6. How we use information

• To provide, maintain, and improve the service and match permits to your searches.
• To send service notifications, digests, and alerts you have configured.
• To process payments and manage your subscription.
• To detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security incidents.
• To comply with legal obligations.

7. Email and SMS communications (CAN-SPAM / TCPA)

Marketing emails include a working unsubscribe link and our physical mailing address, and we honor opt-out requests promptly, in accordance with the CAN-SPAM Act. We do not sell your email address. SMS alerts are sent only to subscribers who explicitly enable them; reply STOP to any message to opt out.

8. Sharing and disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only with service providers (hosting, payments, email/SMS delivery, analytics) under contract, with integrations you connect (e.g. your CRM), and when required by law or to protect rights and safety.

9. Your California privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion, to correct inaccurate information, to opt out of any “sale” or “sharing” (we do not sell personal information), and to non-discrimination for exercising these rights. To exercise these rights, email privacy@permitspark.app. We will verify your request and respond within the timeframes required by law.

10. Your European privacy rights (GDPR)

If you are in the EEA or UK, you have rights to access, rectify, erase, restrict, and port your personal data, and to object to certain processing. Our legal bases for processing are performance of a contract, our legitimate interests in operating the service, your consent (where applicable), and compliance with legal obligations. You may lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority. Contact privacy@permitspark.app to exercise your rights.

11. Data retention and security

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the service and meet legal obligations. We apply administrative, technical, and physical safeguards including encryption in transit, hashed credentials, and access controls. No method of transmission is perfectly secure.

12. Children

The service is not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their data.

13. Changes

We may update this policy; we will post the new date above and, for material changes, provide additional notice.

14. Contact

Questions? Email privacy@permitspark.app. See also our Terms of Service.