Terms and conditions – Property Records pages set the rules for using public parcel data websites. They tell users what they can do, what they cannot do, and who holds responsibility for the data shown.
This page covers the standard terms that apply when you search parcel records, view ownership data, or pull data through a property records API. The rules below act as a baseline for county property appraiser sites, assessor databases, GIS map portals, and third-party property search platforms.
1. Acceptance of These Terms
By using any property records website, you agree to follow these terms. You do not need to sign a paper form. Your use of the site acts as your consent. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, stop using the site right away.
Property records sites include county property appraiser pages, assessor databases, GIS mapping portals, and third-party property search platforms. Each site has its own terms. These terms act as a baseline for what most sites require.
2. Eligibility to Use the Site
You must be at least 18 years old to use most property records sites. Some sites require users to create an account. When you create an account, you must give correct contact details. You cannot use a fake name or someone else’s identity.
You are responsible for every action taken under your account. Keep your password safe. Do not share your login with others. If you think someone used your account without your okay, contact the site operator at once.
3. Permitted Uses of Property Records Data
Property records data is public under state law. You can use the data for many legal purposes. Common permitted uses include:
- Checking ownership of a property you plan to buy or sell
- Verifying assessed value for a tax appeal
- Confirming legal descriptions for title work
- Researching neighborhood sales trends
- Running title searches for real estate closings
- Checking parcel boundaries for land use planning
- Verifying exemption status on your own home
4. Prohibited Uses of Property Records Data
You cannot use property records data for unlawful goals. The following actions break these terms:
- Stalking or harassing a property owner
- Sending unsolicited mail or ads to owners based on parcel data (spam)
- Selling the data for credit, insurance, or employment screening without consent
- Reposting bulk records on another site without written approval
- Using automated bots to scrape the site at a rate that slows service for other users
- Impersonating a government official or the property appraiser’s office
- Sharing data with parties under fraud investigation
- Modifying data to mislead buyers, sellers, or lenders
5. Data Accuracy and Liability Disclaimer
Property records sites do their best to keep data current. The data may contain errors. The county property appraiser or site operator does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any record.
You use the data at your own risk. The site operator is not liable for losses that come from relying on incorrect data. Always verify key facts with the official recorded documents held by the county clerk of court.
| Data Field | Source | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Owner of record | Recorded deed | After recording |
| Assessed value | Property appraiser | Annual (Jan 1) |
| Square footage | Property appraiser | Every 5 years |
| Sale price | Recorded deed | After recording |
| Tax amount | Tax collector | Annual (Nov 1) |
6. Intellectual Property and Copyright
The site design, software, and database structure belong to the site operator. You cannot copy the site layout or branding without written consent. The underlying data points (owner name, parcel ID, sale date) are public facts. Those facts are not copyrighted.
If the site uses GIS map data from a third party (such as a county GIS department), that map layer has its own terms. Check the map attribution for source and license details.
7. Privacy and Cookies
Property records sites often use cookies. Cookies help the site remember your search history and load faster on repeat visits. Some sites use cookies for analytics to count how many people use the site each month.
The site does not sell your personal data. The site may log your IP address for security reasons. See the site’s privacy policy for the full list of data the site collects.
8. Subscription Plans and Fee Terms
Some property records sites charge a fee for advanced features. Common paid features include:
- Bulk parcel exports (CSV, Excel)
- Full sales history for the past 20+ years
- Comparable sales reports
- API access with high call limits
- Custom report builder
- Priority customer support
When you buy a subscription, you agree to pay on time. Most sites bill monthly or yearly. Fees are non-refundable except where required by law. If your payment fails, the site may pause your account until the balance is paid.
9. API and Bulk Data Terms
Some property records sites offer an API. An API lets software pull data directly. API users must:
- Use a personal API key tied to their account
- Stay within the rate limit (calls per minute or per day)
- Not share their API key with outside parties
- Cache data only as long as needed for the task
- Not resell raw data without a written agreement
The site can revoke API access if the user breaks the rules. Bulk data exports may carry extra fees based on file size or record count.
10. Limitation of Liability
The site operator is not liable for any indirect, special, or punitive damages. This covers lost profits, lost data, or business interruption. The total liability of the site operator is limited to the amount you paid for the service in the last 12 months.
Some states do not allow limits on liability. In those states, the limit applies as far as the law allows.
11. User Responsibilities
You agree to use the site in line with all local, state, and federal laws. You will not use the site to break privacy laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA limits how consumer data can be used for credit, employment, or insurance decisions.
You will not try to break into the site’s systems, reverse engineer the code, or bypass security features. If you find a security hole, report it to the site operator instead of exploiting it.
12. Modifications to These Terms
The site operator may update these terms from time to time. When the terms change, the site will post a notice. Your continued use of the site after the change acts as your agreement to the new terms.
Material changes (such as new fees or new liability rules) will be sent to your account email. Check your email and the site terms page often.
13. Termination
The site operator can end or suspend your account at any time if you break these terms. You can also close your account at any time. When your account ends, you lose access to paid features. Data you already pulled may be deleted per the site’s data retention policy.
14. Governing Law and Disputes
These terms follow the laws of the state where the site operator is based. Most county property appraiser sites fall under state public records laws (such as Florida’s Chapter 119). Disputes will be settled in the courts of that state.
Before filing a lawsuit, try to resolve the issue with the site operator directly. Many sites list a contact email or phone for dispute resolution.
15. Accessibility and Support
Property records sites aim to meet web accessibility standards. Sites use readable fonts, clear labels, and screen-reader friendly markup. If you need help using the site, contact the site support team.
For users with disabilities, most sites offer alternate formats (large print, audio) on request. The site follows Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) where applicable.
16. Third-Party Links
Property records pages may link to outside sites. These include tax collector portals, clerk of court pages, and mapping services. The site operator does not control these outside sites. Use them at your own risk and check their terms.
17. Severability
If any part of these terms is ruled unenforceable by a court, the rest of the terms stay in force. Each section acts as a separate clause.
18. Entire Agreement
These terms, along with the privacy policy and any posted notices, form the whole agreement between you and the site operator. They replace any past oral or written deals about the same subject.
19. Security and Account Protection
The site operator uses industry-standard security to protect your data. This includes encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure password storage, and regular security audits. No system is perfect. You share responsibility for keeping your account safe.
Use a strong password with letters, numbers, and symbols. Turn on two-factor authentication if the site offers it. Log out of shared computers after each session. Report any odd account activity to the support team at once.
20. Service Availability
The site aims to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Planned maintenance windows may cause short outages. The site operator does not guarantee 100% uptime. Service may be paused for updates, security patches, or system failures outside the operator’s control.
21. User-Generated Content
Some property records sites let users post comments, save notes, or share saved searches. You keep ownership of the text you post. You give the site a worldwide, royalty-free license to show, store, and serve that content as part of the service.
Do not post content that breaks the law, infringes copyright, or harasses other users. The site operator can remove user content that breaks these terms.
22. Geographic Restrictions
Some property records services are only for users in certain states or countries. If you use the site from outside the covered area, you do so at your own risk. Export controls and data privacy laws in your country may apply.
23. Force Majeure
The site operator is not liable for failure to perform due to events outside its control. This covers natural disasters, war, pandemic, internet outages, or government action. Service will resume as soon as the event ends.
24. Assignment
You cannot transfer your account or rights under these terms to another person. The site operator can transfer its rights and duties to another company as part of a merger, sale, or reorganization.
25. No Waiver
If the site operator does not enforce a right under these terms, that does not mean the right is lost. The site operator can still enforce the right later. All waivers must be in writing to count.
26. Headings
The section titles in these terms are for ease of reading only. They do not change the meaning of any clause.
27. Survival
Any part of these terms that should survive termination stays in force. This covers the liability disclaimer, the intellectual property clause, and the dispute resolution rules.
28. Notices
The site operator sends legal notices to the email on your account. You are responsible for keeping that email current. Notices are treated as delivered 24 hours after the email is sent, unless the sender gets a failure notice.
29. Compliance with Public Records Laws
Property records sites comply with state public records acts. These laws give the public the right to view most government-held records. The site acts as a digital window to those records. The site does not own the underlying records. The county, state, or federal agency that created the record holds the official copy.
Requests for records not shown on the site can be sent to the agency’s public records officer. Most agencies must respond within a set time (often 10 business days). The site operator can help point you to the right agency contact.
30. Contact for Term Issues
For questions about these terms, contact the site operator using the details below. Most county property appraiser offices respond within 2 business days.
Office: Pinellas County Property Appraiser
Main Office: 315 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756
North County Office: Northside Square, 29269 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761
Phone: (727) 464-3207
Fax: (727) 464-2788
Website: pcpao.gov
Email: hx@pcpao.gov (for exemption support)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM (closed on holidays)
Public Records Liaison: Alex Luca
Frequently Asked Questions
This section covers the questions users ask most often about property records terms, data use, and site rules. Each answer gives a direct response based on current public records law and standard website terms. Read through them to learn how the rules apply to your situation and what steps to take if a question comes up during your search.
Are property records public, and can anyone search them?
Yes, in most U.S. states, property records are public under state law. You can search them without giving a reason. You do not need to own a property to look it up. Some states limit certain data points (such as Social Security numbers tied to owners) but most ownership and value data stays open. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act still applies, so you cannot use the data for credit, insurance, or employment screening without following FCRA rules. The site posts these limits in its terms of use to protect users from breaking the law. The state public records act (such as Florida’s Chapter 119) gives the public the right to view these records during normal business hours. Most counties now post the data online, which makes access easier and cuts wait times.
What does the data accuracy disclaimer actually mean?
The disclaimer tells you the site cannot guarantee every record is correct. Data comes from many sources: recorded deeds, building permits, sales forms, and aerial photos. Errors can creep in during data entry, recording delays, or office transfers. The site warns you to verify key facts with the county clerk of court before making legal or financial choices. The disclaimer is not a way to avoid bad data on purpose. It is a clear statement that the data is provided as-is and that final legal decisions should rely on the original recorded document, not the digital copy. For tax appeals, title insurance, or court filings, always order a certified copy of the original record from the recording office.
Can I scrape or bulk download property records?
No, not without written permission. Most sites block automated bots and require an API key for bulk pulls. The API has rate limits to keep the system fast for all users. Scraping the site at high speed can break state law on computer access and the site’s acceptable use policy. If you need a large dataset (for a real estate firm, for example), contact the site operator for a data license. Paid bulk exports often come with a contract that sets out who can use the data, for how long, and at what price. The contract also covers how the data must be stored, who can see it, and what happens at the end of the license term.
Who owns the copyright on property records data?
The facts in the records (owner name, parcel ID, sale date, square footage) are not copyrighted. Facts cannot be owned under U.S. copyright law. The database structure, the site design, the search tool, and the GIS map layer may be copyrighted or licensed. So you can quote a fact from a record, but you cannot copy the whole site layout or repackage the database without a license. State public records laws back the open access to facts. Federal copyright law backs the protection of the software and layout that delivers those facts. Some states have specific laws on the reuse of bulk public records, which may add extra limits even on facts.
What happens if I break these terms?
The site operator can suspend or close your account right away. For paid plans, you may lose access without a refund. For serious breaks (such as using data for stalking or fraud), the site may report the case to law enforcement. Civil claims for damages can also follow. The site logs activity to detect abuse. If a user feels the action was wrong, they can appeal through the site’s dispute contact listed in these terms. The appeal process usually includes a written request, a review by the site operator, and a written reply within a set time (often 10 to 30 days). The site operator’s decision is final for internal disputes, but users can still take the matter to court.
Do these terms change, and how will I know?
Yes, the terms can change at any time. The site posts the latest version on the terms page with a clear “last updated” date. For material changes (new fees, new liability rules, new data uses), the site emails registered users. By keeping using the site after the change, you accept the new terms. If you do not accept, stop using the site and close your account. The site never makes silent changes that limit your rights without notice. Past versions of the terms are kept on file so users can see what changed and when. The site may also post a summary of major changes in plain language to help users grasp the new rules.
How is my personal data handled when I search property records?
Property records sites treat your personal data per their privacy policy. Most sites log your IP address, browser type, and search terms for security and analytics. The site does not sell your data. Cookies may track session data to make repeat searches faster. You can clear cookies in your browser at any time. For account holders, the site stores your name, email, and payment data on secure servers. Payment data goes through a PCI-compliant processor, not stored on the property records site itself. The site follows data minimization rules, meaning it only collects the data needed to run the service. You can ask for a copy of your data or ask for it to be deleted, subject to legal retention rules.
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