Cookie Policy

Effective Date: May 2, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how HousePermits.com uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on https://housepermits.com. Read this Policy together with our Privacy Policy to understand how we handle your information.

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They allow the website to remember your actions and preferences over time. Similar technologies include local storage, session storage, web beacons, and pixel tags.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

a. Strictly Necessary Cookies

Required for the site to function. These include WordPress session cookies, security cookies, and cookie-consent cookies. You cannot opt out of these without disabling parts of the site.

b. Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics (via Google Site Kit) to understand how visitors use the site. This sets cookies such as _ga, _gid, and _gat which collect anonymized data about page views, sessions, and traffic sources.

c. Affiliate and Performance Cookies

When you click an affiliate link (such as an Amazon Associates link or a contractor referral link), the destination site or affiliate network sets cookies to track the referral and credit the commission to us. We do not directly set these cookies, but they may persist on your device for up to 90 days.

d. Functionality Cookies

These remember choices you make (such as your state preference for permit lookups) to provide a more personalized experience.

3. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies are set by third-party services we use:

• Google (Analytics, Site Kit) — see Google’s privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Amazon (Associates affiliate program) — see https://www.amazon.com/privacy
• Contractor referral networks — each network maintains its own privacy and cookie policies.

4. How to Control Cookies

You can control cookies in several ways:

• Browser settings: most browsers let you block or delete cookies. See your browser’s help documentation.
• Google Analytics opt-out: install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
• Do Not Track: we honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal where technically feasible.
• Mobile devices: you can reset your device’s advertising identifier in your device settings.

5. Consequences of Blocking Cookies

If you disable cookies entirely, some site features may not work properly, including the Ask AI assistant, contact forms, and the permit checker tool.

6. Cookie List Summary

Below is a summary of the main cookies you may encounter on the Service:

• _ga — Google Analytics, 2 years — distinguishes users.
• _gid — Google Analytics, 24 hours — distinguishes users.
• _gat — Google Analytics, 1 minute — throttles request rate.
• wordpress_* — WordPress, session — site authentication if logged in.
• cookie_consent — our site, 12 months — stores your cookie preferences.
• Amazon affiliate cookies — Amazon, up to 24 hours after click.

7. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy as we add or remove tracking technologies. The Effective Date at the top of this Policy will reflect the most recent update.

8. Contact

Questions about cookies? Email [email protected].

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