Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The New York Appraisal Association ("NYAA," "we," "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (the "Site") and use our certification and verification services (collectively, the "Services"). By using the Site and Services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please discontinue use of the Site and Services.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly. When you submit an item for examination, use our contact form, or communicate with us, we may collect: your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, item descriptions (including brand, reference, serial number, and photographs), and any other information you choose to provide.

Information collected automatically. When you visit the Site, our servers automatically record certain information sent by your browser, including your IP address, browser type and version, referring and exit pages, date and time stamps, and pages visited. This information is used for site operation, security, and aggregate analytics. We do not use third-party analytics tools or advertising cookies on this Site.

Verification lookup queries. When you use the public certificate verification tool, we record the report number queried and the date of the query for security and system monitoring purposes. We do not associate verification queries with personal identifiers unless you are logged into a client account.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide certification, examination, and valuation services you have requested
• To issue numbered certificates and maintain the public verification register
• To communicate with you about your submission, including its status and results
• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To maintain internal records, including examination data, instrument logs, and calibration images, for the duration of our published retention period (10 years)
• To operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Site
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Public register. Certificate verification results, which include the item description and findings, are accessible to anyone who enters the correct report number. No personal submitter information is displayed in the public register.
• Service providers. We may share information with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating the Site and providing Services (e.g., secure shipping partners, IT infrastructure providers). These vendors are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.
• Legal compliance. We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal process, including subpoenas, court orders, or government requests.
• Protection of rights. We may disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others, to investigate fraud, or to respond to a government request.
• Business transfers. In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be among the assets transferred. You will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on the Site of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information.

5. Data Retention

We retain examination records, including calibrated images and instrument data, for ten (10) years from the date of examination, consistent with our published report archive retention period. Contact and submission information is retained for the same period to support report verification and re-certification services. Server logs and automated usage data are retained for a period not exceeding eighteen (18) months. After the applicable retention period, personal data is securely deleted or anonymized.

6. Cookies and Tracking

The Site uses minimal cookies necessary for its operation. We do not use advertising cookies, third-party tracking cookies, or analytics cookies. The Site loads fonts from Google Fonts and may use the GSAP animation library from a CDN. These third-party services may collect standard usage data as described in their respective privacy policies. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings; however, disabling cookies may affect certain Site functionality.

7. Data Security

We implement administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any report numbers and submission credentials we issue to you.

8. Children's Privacy

The Site and Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information. If you believe a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to: (a) request access to the personal information we hold about you; (b) request correction of inaccurate personal information; (c) request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal and business record-keeping obligations; (d) withdraw your consent to processing where consent is the legal basis; (e) request a copy of your personal information in a portable format. To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information in Section 11. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law.

10. International Transfers

The Site is hosted in the United States, and our operations are based in New York. If you access the Site or submit an item from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using the Site, you consent to this transfer. We take appropriate measures to ensure that personal data transferred internationally receives an adequate level of protection.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Effective" date, and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

12. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

New York Appraisal Association
20 West 47th Street, Suite 1102
New York, NY 10036
EML privacy@nyappraisalsassociation.com