At the Putnam County Property Appraiser Information Portal, we value your trust and are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard the information you provide when visiting our website or using our online tools. Whether you’re searching for property records, estimating your taxes, or learning about exemptions, your data security and transparency are our top priorities.
We strive to ensure that any personal or technical information collected — such as form submissions, contact details, or browsing activity — is handled responsibly and in accordance with applicable privacy laws and best practices. Our goal is to maintain a safe, secure, and user-friendly experience while continuously improving our services and content.
Please note that this site is privately operated and not affiliated with the official Putnam County Property Appraiser’s Office. While we provide educational information and property data resources, users should always verify critical or confidential information directly with official county offices. This policy outlines how we protect your data, the measures we take to ensure confidentiality, and your rights when using our website.
Information We Collect
At the PCPA Information Portal, we collect certain types of information to provide users with accurate, relevant, and efficient property-related resources. The data we collect falls into two main categories: information you voluntarily provide and information automatically gathered during your visit. This helps us enhance user experience, maintain website functionality, and ensure that our tools — such as property search, tax estimators, and exemption guides — perform smoothly.
Data You Provide Voluntarily
We may collect information that you choose to share with us directly through website forms, contact pages, or newsletter sign-ups. This can include:
- Personal identification details such as your name, email address, or phone number (if you reach out for inquiries or assistance).
- Submitted questions or messages through contact or feedback forms to help us respond accurately to your requests.
- Optional information provided when using online tools or requesting downloadable resources, which may help personalize your experience or clarify your property-related concerns.
All voluntarily submitted data is used solely for communication, support, or service enhancement purposes. We never sell, trade, or misuse your information, and you can request the removal or update of your data at any time.
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, certain non-personal data is automatically collected through cookies, analytics tools, and server logs. This information helps us understand how visitors interact with our content and improve site performance. Examples include:
- IP address and browser type, to ensure compatibility and detect potential technical issues.
- Device and operating system information, for optimizing display and usability.
- Pages viewed, search queries, and time spent on the site, which allow us to identify which resources are most useful.
- Cookies and analytics data, which help personalize browsing experiences and enhance overall navigation.
This automatically collected data is aggregated and anonymized, meaning it cannot identify individual users. We use it only to analyze website trends, maintain security, and deliver a smoother, more relevant browsing experience.
How We Use Your Information
The information collected through the Putnam County Property Appraiser Information Portal is used to improve your browsing experience, ensure that our tools function effectively, and maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulations. We treat all user information responsibly, limiting its use to legitimate operational, communication, and security purposes. Below is a detailed explanation of how we use both voluntarily provided and automatically collected data.
For Service Improvements
We use collected information to continually enhance the quality and performance of our website and online tools. This includes:
- Improving functionality and usability by analyzing how visitors navigate and interact with property search, tax estimator, and exemption guide features.
- Updating and refining content to ensure the accuracy, clarity, and timeliness of property-related resources.
- Identifying and resolving technical issues to provide a smoother and more secure browsing experience.
- Developing new resources and features based on user feedback, inquiries, and behavioral trends.
All improvements are guided by the goal of creating a more informative, user-friendly experience for Putnam County residents, property owners, and businesses.
Communication & Notifications
If you choose to contact us or submit a request through our site, your information may be used to:
- Respond to your inquiries or feedback promptly and accurately.
- Provide updates or clarifications related to property information, filing procedures, or exemptions (if you have requested them).
- Send important service notifications, such as maintenance updates, form availability, or changes in filing deadlines.
We only communicate using the contact details you have voluntarily provided, and you may opt out of receiving notifications at any time.
Legal and Compliance Purposes
In limited circumstances, we may use collected data to comply with applicable legal obligations or respond to legitimate requests from authorities. This includes:
- Ensuring compliance with Florida and U.S. privacy and data protection laws.
- Maintaining the security and integrity of our website and digital systems.
- Preventing fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access that could compromise our tools or data accuracy.
We do not share user data with third parties except when required by law or necessary to protect our rights and users’ safety. Our privacy practices align with the principles of transparency, security, and minimal data retention.
Data Protection and Security Measures
Protecting your personal and browsing information is one of our top priorities. The Putnam County Property Appraiser Information Portal employs multiple layers of security designed to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and safety of your data. Our security framework aligns with best practices for web-based information systems, ensuring that any data you provide — whether through forms, search tools, or contact requests — is handled securely and responsibly.
Encryption and Secure Access
We use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption across our entire website to protect all data transmitted between your browser and our servers. This ensures that any information you submit — such as contact forms or property inquiries — remains private and secure.
- All sensitive interactions occur over HTTPS, preventing unauthorized interception or tampering.
- Our servers are hosted on secure, firewall-protected environments, regularly monitored for vulnerabilities.
- Any downloaded data or generated files are scanned for malware and stored safely to prevent unauthorized modification.
This encryption-based protection helps maintain user confidence and aligns with standard data protection protocols used by reputable government and informational platforms.
Internal Access Restrictions
Access to any user-submitted information is strictly limited to authorized personnel who require it to perform specific operational or maintenance tasks.
- Staff and administrators undergo access control verification before being granted permissions to view or manage stored data.
- Each access session is logged and monitored to ensure accountability and transparency.
- No third-party contractors or vendors are allowed access to user data without prior authorization and data protection agreements in place.
By maintaining strict internal controls, we reduce the risk of misuse, unauthorized disclosure, or alteration of sensitive information.
Additional Security Practices
Beyond encryption and internal restrictions, we implement a range of preventive and monitoring measures to safeguard user data:
- Routine security audits and system updates to patch vulnerabilities promptly.
- Data minimization policies, ensuring we only collect and retain information necessary for operational purposes.
- Automated monitoring tools to detect suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts.
- Regular staff training on cybersecurity awareness and responsible data handling.
While no digital platform can guarantee absolute security, our layered protection strategy ensures that your interaction with the Putnam County Property Appraiser Information Portal remains as secure as possible. Visit the Terms & Conditions page for details on legal responsibilities and website use.
Opt-Out Preferences
We respect your right to control how your information is collected, stored, and used. The Putnam County Property Appraiser Information Portal provides clear options for users who wish to limit data collection or opt out of certain uses of their information. While some data collection is necessary for website functionality (such as cookies used for session management or analytics), you always have the ability to modify, restrict, or opt out of optional data uses — including communication preferences and analytics tracking.
Our goal is to ensure transparency and give you meaningful control over your digital footprint when using our website.
How to Limit the Use of Your Data
If you prefer to limit how your information is used or shared, there are several steps you can take to manage your preferences effectively:
- Cookie and Tracking Settings: You can disable or customize tracking preferences directly through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to reject all cookies, accept only essential ones, or delete stored cookies after each session. This may slightly affect some website features but will not restrict access to basic property search or information tools.
- Email & Communication Preferences: If you have subscribed to updates, newsletters, or notifications, you can unsubscribe at any time by using the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email or by contacting us directly through the website’s contact form.
- Analytics & Usage Data: Users who wish to opt out of analytics tracking (such as Google Analytics) can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. This tool prevents your browsing activity from being recorded for analytical purposes.
- Data Requests: You may also request that any voluntarily submitted personal information (such as contact form data) be removed from our system. Requests can be submitted via our Contact Us page, and we will process them promptly in compliance with applicable privacy standards.
By exercising these options, you retain full control over your data while continuing to benefit from the public information and tools our website provides.
Sharing & Third-Party Services
We value your privacy and are committed to handling your information responsibly. While we aim to minimize data sharing, there are instances where limited information may be shared with trusted third-party service providers. These third parties assist in maintaining the website’s performance, analytics, and security — ensuring that users have access to accurate and up-to-date property and tax-related resources. Any information shared with such providers is managed under strict data protection standards and used solely for operational or compliance purposes.
When and Why We Share Information
Information may be shared with third parties only in specific and limited circumstances, such as:
- Website Functionality and Hosting: We may work with third-party hosting services or IT partners to ensure the website operates efficiently and securely. These providers have access to limited technical information necessary to maintain uptime and performance.
- Analytics and User Behavior Insights: Aggregated, non-personal data may be shared with analytics providers to evaluate website usage trends, improve user experience, and develop better content and services. No personally identifiable information (PII) is disclosed for analytics purposes.
- Legal and Compliance Requirements: If required by law, regulation, or legal process, we may disclose information to comply with lawful requests from public authorities, including court orders or government agencies.
- Security and Fraud Prevention: To protect our users and maintain the integrity of our digital systems, we may share data with security service providers who help detect and prevent unauthorized activity or cyber threats.
At all times, shared information is handled with confidentiality and only for legitimate operational or legal reasons.
Third-Party Tools and Services
Our website may integrate certain third-party tools to enhance usability and efficiency. These may include:
- Analytics Services (e.g., Google Analytics): Used to monitor website performance, user engagement, and traffic patterns. Data collected is anonymized and aggregated before analysis.
- Cloud Hosting and Backup Providers: These ensure that data remains secure and accessible in case of technical issues or outages.
- Email Communication Systems: Used to manage contact form submissions, respond to inquiries, and send updates or notifications (if the user has opted in).
- Embedded Maps or External Widgets: Some features, such as parcel maps or GIS tools, may rely on third-party mapping platforms or government data portals.
Each third-party partner is carefully reviewed to ensure compliance with recognized data protection standards. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any linked external sites or services to understand how their data may be handled independently of our website.
Your Rights & Data Control Options
We believe users should have full control over their personal information. Transparency and user empowerment are central to our privacy approach. As a visitor or user of this website, you have specific rights regarding how your data is collected, stored, and used. These rights allow you to review, correct, or delete your personal information and ensure that your preferences are always respected. Our goal is to make it easy for you to manage your data and stay informed about how it’s used in connection with our services.
Requesting Data Access or Deletion
You have the right to request access to any personal information that may have been collected about you through our website’s forms or digital tools. Upon verification of your identity, we can provide details about:
- What data has been collected (e.g., contact information, inquiries submitted).
- How and why that data was collected.
- Which third-party systems (if any) may have processed it.
If you wish to delete your personal information, you can submit a formal deletion request through our contact page or by email. Once your request is received, we will permanently remove or anonymize your data from our systems within a reasonable timeframe, unless retention is required by law (for example, for legal compliance or security purposes). You will be notified once the process is completed.
It’s important to note that data collected anonymously for analytics or system optimization cannot be linked back to individual users and therefore cannot be retrieved or deleted, as it contains no personally identifiable information.
Updating Your Personal Information
If any of your personal details—such as your name, email address, or contact information—have changed or were entered incorrectly, you have the right to request corrections or updates to ensure accuracy. You can contact our support team with the correct details, and updates will be made promptly after verification.
Regular updates help maintain clear communication and ensure that you continue to receive relevant notifications or responses related to your property or tax inquiries.
We encourage users to review their information periodically and notify us of any inaccuracies. Maintaining accurate records helps improve service quality and ensures compliance with applicable privacy and data protection standards.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
Our Privacy Policy is designed to evolve as our services, technologies, and legal obligations change. To maintain transparency and compliance, this document may be updated periodically to reflect modifications in data practices, new security measures, or regulatory requirements. We encourage all users to review the Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed about how their information is collected, used, and protected. Any significant revisions that alter how personal data is handled will be clearly communicated in advance or promptly after the update is implemented.
Notification of Updates
Whenever changes are made to this Privacy Policy, we will update the policy page and may include a visible notification—such as a banner or message—on our website. For substantial updates that impact how user data is managed or shared, direct notifications may also be sent to registered users via email (if applicable).
The updated version of the Privacy Policy will always include the “Date of Last Revision” at the top or bottom of the page, so users can easily identify the most recent version. Continued use of our website or services after these updates take effect constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of the revised policy.
Date of Last Revision
To ensure transparency, the Date of Last Revision clearly indicates when the Privacy Policy was most recently reviewed or modified. This helps users determine whether any new provisions or changes may affect how their information is handled.
If you have questions or concerns about updates to this Privacy Policy, you can contact our support team for clarification or to request a copy of previous versions for reference.
Contact Us for Privacy Concerns
We take privacy seriously and are committed to addressing any questions or concerns you may have regarding how your personal data is collected, stored, or used. If you believe that your information has been handled improperly, or if you would like more details about our data protection practices, you are encouraged to contact us directly. Our team is available to assist with requests related to data access, correction, or deletion in accordance with applicable laws and internal policies.
How to Reach the Putnam County Property Appraiser
For all privacy-related inquiries, including questions about our Privacy Policy or requests concerning your data, you may reach out to us using the following contact details:
- Office Address: 312 Oak Street, Palatka, FL 32177
- Phone: (386) 329-0286
- Fax: (386) 329-1216
- Email: info@putnam-flpropertyappraiser.gov (example placeholder – verify actual email)
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (excluding county holidays)
Please include sufficient information in your correspondence—such as your name, contact details, and a clear description of your privacy concern or request—so our team can respond promptly and efficiently.
If your inquiry involves specific records or data access requests, we may ask for additional verification to protect your privacy and ensure that information is disclosed only to authorized individuals.