How MN License Hub collects, uses, and protects your information.
Last updated: May 15, 2026
1. Information We Collect
MN License Hub collects the following types of information to provide and improve our license search and monitoring services.
Information You Provide Directly
Email address: When you subscribe to our newsletter, sign up for monitoring alerts, or contact us, you may provide your email address. This is used solely for the purpose you provided it (e.g., sending license alerts, a weekly digest, or responding to your inquiry).
Search queries: When you use our license search, the terms you enter may be logged in aggregate form to help us understand what license types and holder names users are searching for most frequently.
Payment information: If you purchase a Pro subscription or compliance report, your payment is processed by Stripe. We do not store your credit card or bank account details — Stripe handles all payment data on our behalf.
Information Collected Automatically
Page views: Each time you load a page on MN License Hub, we record the page path, referrer URL, and a hashed version of your IP address (hashed daily with a rotating salt to prevent cross-day tracking). This data is used in aggregate to understand site traffic and content performance.
Browser and device data: We collect basic browser and device information (user agent, screen size, language) in aggregate form to optimize the site for our visitors.
License Data
Our core service aggregates and displays Minnesota professional license records sourced from official state agencies (eLicense Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry). This license data — which includes license holder names, license numbers, business names, license types, issue dates, and expiration dates — is public record information. We do not consider licensees "users" of our service for privacy purposes; this data is publicly available from state sources and we simply make it searchable.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
Delivering email newsletters: If you subscribe, we send you a weekly digest of license changes, new additions, and compliance tips. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email.
Sending monitoring alerts: Pro subscribers who set up license expiration alerts receive notifications by email when a monitored license is approaching its expiration date.
Site analytics and improvement: Aggregated page view and search query data helps us understand which content and features are most valuable. We use this to guide site improvements.
Advertising: Google AdSense places cookies and serves advertisements on our site based on your prior visits and browsing behavior on other websites. This is described in detail in Section 4 below.
Payment processing: Stripe processes your payment when you purchase a subscription or report. We receive confirmation of payment success but do not store your financial details.
Email forwarding: When you submit your email through our search-page capture form, it is forwarded to sam@lakecitylabs.com. That email address is used for follow-up communications about our service.
Fraud prevention and security: We may use aggregated traffic data to detect and block abusive or automated access to our search service.
3. Third-Party Services and Advertising
Google AdSense
We display advertisements through Google AdSense. Google uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other websites. This is known as interest-based advertising or behavioral advertising.
You can opt out of Google's use of cookies for interest-based advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
We use third-party advertising companies (including Google) to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information about your visits to this and other websites to provide relevant advertisements. This data is collected and used in accordance with each company's own privacy policy.
Stripe
Payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc. Stripe's privacy policy governs the collection and use of your financial information. We do not store your card details on our servers.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
A cookie is a small text file stored on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. MN License Hub uses the following types of cookies:
Advertising Cookies
Google AdSense places cookies on your browser to enable interest-based advertising. These cookies track your browsing activity across multiple websites to build a profile of your interests. You can opt out of these cookies by visiting Google Ads Settings or Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.
Analytics Cookies
We use first-party analytics cookies to count page views and understand site traffic patterns in aggregate. This data is not linked to individual user accounts and is used only in aggregate form.
Session and Functional Cookies
When you log in to your account, we may set a session cookie to maintain your logged-in state. If you close your browser, these session cookies are automatically removed.
Managing Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to block, delete, or manage cookies through your browser settings. Note that blocking advertising or analytics cookies may reduce the relevance of ads you see but will not eliminate all advertising.
5. Data Sharing
MN License Hub does not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:
Service providers: We share your email address with email service providers strictly for the purpose of sending newsletters and alerts you have requested. These providers are contractually prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or other valid legal process.
Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
Public record license data (names, license numbers, business names, license types, status, and dates) is made publicly searchable on our platform — this is the intended purpose of the service and is not considered a privacy breach.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes described in this policy:
Email addresses: Retained as long as your subscription is active. You can request deletion at any time — see Section 7.
Analytics data: Aggregated page view and traffic data is retained for up to 24 months, after which it is deleted or anonymized.
Payment records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years to comply with financial record-keeping requirements.
7. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Access: You may contact us to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: If you believe any information we hold is inaccurate, you may request correction.
Deletion: You may request that we delete your email address and any associated data. To do so, email sam@lakecitylabs.com with the subject "Data Deletion Request." We will respond within 30 days.
Opt out of advertising cookies: Visit Google Ads Settings to opt out of interest-based advertising from Google.
Unsubscribe: Every marketing email we send includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Click it to stop receiving emails.
California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). To exercise any CCPA rights, contact us at sam@lakecitylabs.com.
8. Children's Privacy
MN License Hub is not directed to, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from, children under the age of 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will promptly delete that information. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at sam@lakecitylabs.com.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Significant changes will be communicated via email to subscribers if applicable.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: