Privacy Policy

Tri-State Tag & Title Services ("we," "us," or "our"), located at 25 Troy Drive, Charles Town, West Virginia 25414, is committed to protecting the privacy of every customer we serve. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use and protect it, how long we retain it, and what rights you have regarding your information.

By using our website at tristatetandt.com or by engaging our services in person, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following categories when you visit our office, use our website, or engage our services:

a. Identity and Contact Information

Full legal name, date of birth, mailing address, phone number, and email address. This information is collected when you request a quote, book an appointment, or complete a tag or title transaction.

b. Government-Issued Identification

We may make and retain copies of government-issued photo identification (such as a driver's license or state ID) as required to verify identity and comply with state DMV and MVA requirements for vehicle registration and title transactions.

c. Vehicle and Transaction Documents

Vehicle titles, registration cards, inspection certificates, property tax receipts, bills of sale, lien release documents, and powers of attorney that you present or authorize us to process on your behalf.

d. Payment Information

When you pay by credit or debit card, your payment is processed securely through Stripe, Inc. We do not store full card numbers, CVV codes, or card expiration dates on our systems. We retain only a transaction reference identifier and payment confirmation for our records.

e. Website Usage Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect standard technical data including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring URL. This information is used solely for website analytics and security purposes.

f. Appointment and Communication Data

If you book an appointment through our website (powered by SimplyBook.me), we collect the name, phone number, and email address you provide during the booking process.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• Processing transactions — completing vehicle registration renewals, title transfers, notary services, and other tag and title work on your behalf.
• Regulatory compliance — fulfilling our obligations to the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), including submitting required documentation and maintaining transaction records.
• Sending receipts and invoices — emailing you a copy of your receipt or invoice when a transaction is completed.
• Renewal reminders — sending you a courtesy reminder email approximately 30 days before your vehicle registration or inspection is due to expire, based on dates you provide or that appear on documents you present.
• Payment processing — charging and confirming payment for services rendered.
• Customer service — responding to your inquiries, quotes, and appointment requests.
• Internal record-keeping — maintaining accurate business records as required by law.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3. How We Share Your Information

We share your personal information only in the following limited circumstances:

a. State Motor Vehicle Agencies

We submit required information to the West Virginia DMV and/or the Maryland MVA as part of processing your registration or title transaction. This is a legal requirement and not optional.

b. Service Providers (Sub-Processors)

We use the following trusted third-party service providers who may process your data on our behalf:

c. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

4. Data Retention

We retain personal information and transaction records for as long as required by applicable federal and state law, and in no case longer than ten (10) years from the date of the transaction or last customer interaction, whichever is later. This retention period reflects our obligations under West Virginia and Maryland business record-keeping requirements, as well as IRS guidance on business records.

Scanned copies of documents (such as government IDs, titles, and inspection certificates) stored in our secure cloud system are subject to the same 10-year retention limit. After the applicable retention period expires, records are securely deleted or destroyed.

Appointment booking data held by SimplyBook.me is subject to their own retention policy. Please refer to their privacy policy for details.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted transmission of data over the internet (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure cloud storage with access controls for uploaded documents
• Payment card data handled exclusively by PCI-DSS compliant processors (Stripe)
• Staff access to customer records restricted to authorized employees only
• Password-protected administrative systems

No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

6. Renewal Reminder Emails

If you provide an email address during a transaction, we may send you a courtesy reminder email approximately 30 days before your vehicle registration or state inspection is due to expire. These reminders are a customer service feature, not a marketing communication.

You may opt out of renewal reminder emails at any time by contacting us at the information below. Opting out of reminders will not affect your ability to receive transaction receipts or other service-related communications.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your state of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to correction — You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to deletion — You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations described in Section 4. We cannot delete records that we are required by law to retain.
• Right to opt out of reminders — You may opt out of renewal reminder emails at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 9. We will respond to verifiable requests within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the services we offer. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.