DMCA Policy

1. Our Policy

propertytaxusa.org/ is an editorial reference site that publishes original guides to US property tax. We write our own content, link to public-sector sources, and use third-party material only where we have permission or where the use is permitted by law. We don't knowingly host infringing content, and when we are notified of a credible claim of infringement, we act promptly under the procedure set out below.

2. What the DMCA Is

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) is a federal law that, among other things, sets out a notice-and-takedown framework for online service providers and rights holders. Under §512, a rights holder who believes their copyrighted work has been used without authorization on a website can submit a takedown notice. If the notice meets the statutory requirements, the service provider removes or disables access to the material, notifies the user who posted it, and gives that user the opportunity to file a counter-notice. The full text of §512 is at copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#512.

3. How to Submit a DMCA Takedown Notice

If you believe content on propertytaxusa.org/ infringes your copyright, send a written takedown notice to:

Email is the fastest method and the one we encourage. If you need to send a postal address for legal-service reasons, contact us first and we will provide one.

4. Required Elements (17 U.S.C. §512(c)(3))

For a notice to be effective under the DMCA, it must include all six elements. We cannot act on incomplete notices:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work. Identify the work you claim is being infringed. If multiple works are involved on the same site, a representative list is acceptable.
2. Identification of the infringing material. The specific URL on propertytaxusa.org/ where the allegedly infringing material is located. Generic references aren't enough.
3. Your contact information. Full legal name, address, telephone number, and email address. If you submit on behalf of an entity, identify the entity and your authority to act on its behalf.
4. Good-faith statement. A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
5. Accuracy and authority statement, under penalty of perjury. A statement that the information in the notice is accurate and that, under penalty of perjury, you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
6. Signature. A physical or electronic signature. A typed name in an email is acceptable as an electronic signature.

5. What Happens After You Submit a Notice

1. We acknowledge receipt within five business days, confirming the URL(s) you have flagged.
2. We review the notice for completeness against the §512(c)(3) elements above.
3. If the notice is complete and credible, we expeditiously remove or disable access to the identified material. Removal does not constitute an admission that the material is infringing — it is the procedural step the DMCA requires.
4. We notify the user who was responsible for the material, if any, and provide them with a copy of the notice (with personal contact details redacted where appropriate).
5. The user may file a counter-notice. If they do, the procedure in Section 6 applies.

6. Counter-Notice Procedure

If material you posted to propertytaxusa.org/ has been removed or disabled in response to a DMCA takedown notice and you believe the removal was the result of mistake or misidentification, you may file a counter-notice. After we receive a valid counter-notice, we forward it to the original complainant. The DMCA requires us to wait between 10 and 14 business days; if the original complainant does not bring a court action seeking to restrain the alleged infringement during that window, we may restore the material.

7. Required Elements of a Counter-Notice

1. Identification of the material. Specify the material that has been removed or disabled and the location at which it appeared before removal.
2. Statement under penalty of perjury. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification.
3. Your contact information. Full legal name, address, telephone number, and email address.
4. Consent to jurisdiction. A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court for the judicial district in which your address is located, or, if your address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which we may be found, and that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original takedown notice or that person’s agent.
5. Signature. A physical or electronic signature.

Send counter-notices to the same address with subject line “DMCA counter-notice.”

8. Repeat Infringer Policy

Consistent with §512(i), we maintain and enforce a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the access of users who are determined to be repeat infringers. The determination is made by the editorial team based on the totality of credible takedown notices, the validity of any counter-notices, the nature of the material, and the user’s overall conduct.

9. Trademark Complaints

The DMCA covers copyright, not trademarks. If you believe a trademark you own is being infringed by content on propertytaxusa.org/, send a separate complaint with subject line “Trademark complaint”. Required information: the mark; the registration number (if any) and the registry (e.g., USPTO); the URL on our site; the basis on which you believe our use is improper; your contact information. Reference: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at uspto.gov.

For context — state, county, and government agency names belong to the respective bodies. We use those names to identify the area each page covers; we don’t reproduce official seals or claim sponsorship. Our broader position is in the Disclaimer.

10. Defamation and Other Complaints

If you believe content on the site is factually inaccurate or defamatory, please use the Contact page with the subject line “Correction” or “Defamation concern.” We treat all credible accuracy complaints as a priority queue and respond within seven business days. The DMCA process applies only to copyright; it is not the right channel for defamation, harassment, or general accuracy complaints.

11. Misuse of the Takedown Process

12. Contact

• Copyright (DMCA): info@propertytaxusa.org — subject line “DMCA takedown notice”
• Counter-notice: info@propertytaxusa.org — subject line “DMCA counter-notice”
• Trademark: info@propertytaxusa.org — subject line “Trademark complaint”
• Accuracy / corrections: see the Contact page

We acknowledge receipt of formal copyright correspondence within five business days. The substantive response time depends on the complexity of the matter, but we aim to act on complete and credible takedown notices expeditiously, consistent with the DMCA.