Privacy Policy

1. Overview

LicensedCheck.com ("LicensedCheck," "we," "us," or "our") operates a website that aggregates and republishes publicly available professional license information sourced from official government licensing board databases across the United States. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information in connection with our website and services.

2. Nature of Information Displayed

The professional license information displayed on LicensedCheck.com is public record information that is made available by state and local government licensing authorities pursuant to applicable public records laws and freedom of information statutes. This information includes, but is not limited to: licensee names, business names, license numbers, license types, license statuses, issuance and expiration dates, business addresses, and disciplinary actions.

This information is published by government agencies specifically for the purpose of public access and consumer protection. State licensing statutes across all 50 states mandate public disclosure of this information to enable consumers to verify the credentials of professionals they may hire. We aggregate and republish this already-public information in a more accessible and searchable format, consistent with established First Amendment protections for the republication of public records.

Courts have consistently recognized the right to collect and republish publicly available government records. In hiQ Labs, Inc. v. LinkedIn Corp., 938 F.3d 985 (9th Cir. 2019), affirmed on remand, 31 F.4th 1180 (9th Cir. 2022), the Ninth Circuit held that scraping publicly available data does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The Supreme Court's decision in Van Buren v. United States, 593 U.S. 374 (2021), further narrowed the CFAA to apply only to those who access information by circumventing authentication requirements, not to those who access publicly available data. Additionally, under the First Amendment and established common law principles, the republication of truthful public record information is a protected activity.

3. Information We Collect from Website Visitors

When you visit LicensedCheck.com, we may collect the following types of information:

Automatically Collected Information: When you access our website, our servers and third-party analytics providers (such as Google Analytics) may automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other standard web analytics data. This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies and is used to analyze website traffic, improve our services, and understand usage patterns.

Search Queries: We may log search queries entered on our website for the purpose of improving search functionality and understanding user needs. Search queries are not linked to personally identifiable information of the searcher.

Voluntarily Provided Information: If you contact us, claim a professional profile, create an account, or submit a form on our website, we collect the information you voluntarily provide, such as your name, email address, phone number, and any other information you choose to share.

4. Cookies and Advertising

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate our website, analyze traffic, and serve advertisements. Third-party advertising partners, including Google AdSense, may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings or the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.

5. How We Use Information

We use information collected through our website to:

Operate, maintain, and improve our website and services; display publicly available professional license information to consumers; respond to inquiries and communications; analyze website usage and trends; serve relevant advertisements; comply with legal obligations; and protect the rights and safety of LicensedCheck, our users, and the public.

6. Information Sharing

We do not sell personally identifiable information of our website visitors to third parties. We may share information with service providers who assist in operating our website (such as hosting providers, analytics services, and advertising networks), with law enforcement or government agencies when required by law, and as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy.

The professional license information displayed on our website is public record information that we have sourced from government databases. This information is, by its nature, publicly available and is not subject to the same privacy expectations as privately held personal information.

7. Requests Regarding Professional License Information

Because the professional license information on our website is sourced from publicly available government records, we are under no legal obligation to remove, modify, or suppress this information. The original source of this data is the applicable state or local government licensing authority, and any changes to the underlying public record must be made through the appropriate government agency.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, LicensedCheck reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to remove, modify, or suppress any information displayed on its website for any reason or no reason, at any time, without notice. Any such action by LicensedCheck shall not be construed as an admission of any obligation to take similar action in the future, nor shall it create any precedent, expectation, or right for any individual to demand similar treatment. The exercise or non-exercise of this discretion in any particular case shall have no bearing on any other case.

If you believe information displayed about you on our website contains a factual error, you may contact us at the email address below. We may, but are not obligated to, investigate and correct verified factual inaccuracies in our sole discretion.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information under our control. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

To the extent the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) apply to information we collect from California residents who visit our website, California residents may have certain rights regarding their personal information, including the right to know what personal information we collect and the right to request deletion of personal information.

However, the professional license information displayed on our website is publicly available government record information and is exempt from the CCPA/CPRA under California Civil Code Section 1798.145(d), which exempts publicly available information that is lawfully made available from federal, state, or local government records. Additionally, the CCPA/CPRA does not apply to information that is lawfully obtained from government records and made available to the general public.

10. Other State Privacy Laws

Various states have enacted consumer privacy laws, including Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), and others. To the extent these laws apply to our processing of personal information of residents of those states, we comply with applicable requirements. However, as with the CCPA/CPRA, publicly available government record information is generally exempt from these state privacy laws.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at individuals under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to submit a request regarding information displayed on our website, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@licensedcheck.com