Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2024

Effective for all users of the Marin County Building Permits portal

Quick Summary

  • We display publicly available Marin County building permit records
  • We don't collect personal information beyond what's necessary to operate the service
  • All permit data is public record maintained by Marin County
  • We use encryption and standard security practices to protect data
  • We don't sell or share your information with third parties

1. Overview

This privacy policy describes how we handle information when you use the Marin County Building Permits portal. We are a private service that provides public access to building permit records maintained by Marin County.

Important: We do not collect or own the building permit data displayed on this service. All permit information is public record maintained and classified by Marin County. We simply provide a searchable interface to access publicly available information.

This policy explains what information we collect, how we protect it, and your rights regarding that information.

2. Data Sources & Public Records

All building permit information displayed on this portal is sourced from Marin County's public records and is classified as public record under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.).

This means:

  • The information is legally accessible to the public
  • We display data as provided by Marin County without modification
  • We do not control or manage the underlying data
  • Data accuracy and completeness is Marin County's responsibility

Questions about specific records? Contact Marin County Department of Public Works:(415) 473-3331

3. What Information We Display

The following information from building permits is publicly displayed on our portal:

Information TypePublic Display
Permit NumberYes
Property AddressYes
Project Type & DescriptionYes
Application DateYes
Permit StatusYes
Decision DateYes
Applicant NameYes
Applicant Contact (Phone/Email)Yes - sourced from Marin County

All displayed information is sourced directly from Marin County public records. We do not modify, redact, or reinterpret this information.

4. How We Use Information

We use the permit data we display for the following purposes:

  • Providing the serviceDisplaying searchable, organized access to public permit records
  • Technical operationMaintaining service availability, diagnosing technical issues
  • SecurityPreventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access

What we do NOT do: We do not use contact information from permits for marketing, solicitation, or any purpose other than operating this service. We do not sell, license, or share permit data with third parties.

5. Data Retention

We retain permit records in accordance with Marin County's public records retention schedules. Building permit records are typically maintained indefinitely as permanent public records.

Data is not deleted from our service except when:

  • Marin County directs us to remove records
  • Required by law to delete (e.g., valid CCPA deletion request)
  • We cease operations and wind down the service

Note: Because this is public record data, deletion requests may be limited by retention requirements and CCPA exemptions for legally required records.

6. Security Practices

We implement industry-standard security practices to protect the integrity and availability of permit data:

  • Encryption in transit: All data is transmitted using HTTPS with TLS 1.2+
  • Encryption at rest: Database encryption using AES-256 or equivalent
  • Access controls: Role-based access limiting staff access to necessary information only
  • Audit logging: We maintain logs of access to monitor for unauthorized activity
  • Regular backups: Encrypted, tested backups for disaster recovery
  • Security assessments: Annual third-party security evaluations

We maintain an incident response plan and will notify affected parties of any data breaches within applicable legal timeframes.

No system is perfectly secure. If you believe our service has a security vulnerability, please contact us at support@buildleads.org rather than disclosing publicly.

7. Cookies & Tracking

What we use cookies for:

  • Session management: Keeping you logged in during your visit
  • Preferences: Remembering search filters and display preferences
  • Analytics: Understanding how people use the site (anonymized)

What we don't do: We do not use cookies for targeted advertising, cross-site tracking, or selling data to marketers.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some features of the site. We do not require cookies to view public permit records.

8. California Consumer Privacy Act

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives California residents specific rights regarding personal information. Here's how we comply:

Right to Know

You can request to know what personal information we maintain about you. We will respond within 45 days with a summary of data we've collected or displayed.

Right to Delete

You can request deletion of your personal information, except where we are required to retain records by law (such as public record requirements). Building permit records are permanent public records and may not be deletable.

Right to Opt-Out

We do not sell personal information, so there is no "sale" to opt out of. We do not use your information for targeted advertising.

Right to Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

To submit a CCPA request: Email support@buildleads.org with your request. We will verify your identity and respond within the required timeframe.

9. Contact & Requests

For different types of requests, contact the appropriate party:

Privacy & Data Requests

For CCPA requests, privacy questions, or concerns:

Email: support@buildleads.org
Response time: 45 days

Public Records Requests

For formal Public Records Act requests, contact Marin County directly:

Email: records@marincounty.org
Phone: (415) 473-3331

Security Issues

To report a security vulnerability:

Email: support@buildleads.org
Note: Please do not publicly disclose vulnerabilities

Policy Version: 1.0
Last Updated: April 2024
Effective Date: April 2024

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted to this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.