This policy explains how LicenseWatch ("LicenseWatch", "we", "us") handles your personal information when you use licensewatch.co.za and the LicenseWatch app. We follow the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). In short: we only collect what we need to run LicenseWatch for you, we never sell your information, and you can see, download or delete it at any time.
1. Who is responsible
LicenseWatch is the "responsible party" for your personal information. Our Information Officer is The owner of LicenseWatch, reachable at noreply@licensewatch.co.za.
2. What we collect
- Account details: your name, email address and a scrambled (hashed) version of your password. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address and a Google account ID. We never see your Google password.
- Information you add: your firearms (make, model, calibre, serial number, license number and dates, where they're stored), your SAPS applications (reference number, type, police station, date handed in), range log entries and notes.
- Documents you upload (Pro): photos or PDFs such as license cards, competency certificates, SAPS receipts and, if you choose, your ID document.
- SAPS status information: what the SAPS firearm status enquiry shows for your reference numbers, and the history of those statuses.
- Motivation services: the motivation letter you send for review, any notes, and a phone number if you choose to give one.
- Business accounts: your business name and contact details, and the details of your clients that you add (name, phone, email, reference numbers and notes).
- Payments: the amount, date, what you bought and PayFast's payment reference. Your card or bank details go straight to PayFast. We never see or store them.
- Notifications: a push address for each device where you switch on notifications.
- Newsletter: if you subscribe, your email address and when you subscribed.
- Feedback and support: your messages, the screen you were on and your browser type.
- Technical information: your IP address (to protect against misuse, for example limiting sign-in attempts) and server logs.
3. Why we use it (and our lawful basis)
- To provide LicenseWatch to you: your account, reminders, SAPS checks, estimates, alerts and Pro features. This is necessary to perform our agreement with you.
- To check SAPS for you: we send your reference number to the official SAPS firearm status enquiry, which is what you ask us to do.
- To work out typical waiting times and batch insights: we combine status dates from all tracked applications into totals and averages. These figures never show anyone's reference number, name or details.
- To deliver services you buy, such as a motivation review.
- To send you service emails (status alerts, password resets, receipts). You can switch off status alerts under My account. We don't send marketing emails without your consent.
- To keep LicenseWatch secure, prevent fraud and meet our legal obligations (for example tax records).
- To send you our newsletter, only if you subscribe. Every newsletter has an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing takes effect straight away.
4. Who we share it with
We never sell, rent or trade your personal information, and we don't use it for advertising. We only share it as needed to run LicenseWatch:
- SAPS: your reference number, when we check your status on the public SAPS enquiry.
- Our hosting provider, which stores the website and database on our behalf.
- PayFast, to process payments.
- Google, if you choose "Sign in with Google". Our pages also load fonts from Google.
- Meta (WhatsApp), only when a business account switches on automatic WhatsApp updates for a client: the client's phone number, first name, the business name and the application status.
- Push notification services run by Google, Apple, Microsoft or Mozilla, depending on your browser. We send them only an empty "wake up" message. The text of your alert is fetched by your own device.
- Our motivation reviewer, who reads the letter you send for review, under a duty of confidentiality.
- Authorities, only if the law requires us to.
We don't share your information with any firearm association, Firearms Guardian, dealer or training provider. If you choose to contact them through a link on LicenseWatch, you deal with them directly.
5. Information sent outside South Africa
Some of the services above (such as Google, Apple and other push services) may process information outside South Africa. We only use well-known providers that are bound by data protection laws or agreements that give protection similar to POPIA.
6. How we protect it
- All traffic is encrypted (https). Passwords are hashed and can't be read, even by us.
- Uploaded documents are encrypted on our server and can only be opened by you while signed in.
- Screenshot mode hides personal details when you share your screen.
- Admin access is password protected and limited to the people who run LicenseWatch.
If a security breach affects your personal information, we'll tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.
7. How long we keep it
We keep your information while you have an account. When you delete your account (My account → Delete my account), we delete your account, saved information and uploaded documents straight away. We may keep payment records for as long as tax law requires (usually 5 years). SAPS status history for a reference number nobody tracks any more is kept only as anonymous totals for waiting-time estimates.
8. Your rights
Under POPIA you may:
- Ask what information we hold about you, and get a copy. You can download it yourself under My account → Download my data.
- Ask us to correct or delete it. You can edit or delete everything in the app, or delete your whole account.
- Object to how we use it, or withdraw your consent, for example by switching off alerts.
- Complain to the Information Regulator. Their complaint forms and contact details are on inforegulator.org.za.
To use any of these rights, email noreply@licensewatch.co.za. We'll reply within 30 days.
9. Cookies and storage on your device
We use one essential cookie to keep you signed in, and your browser's storage to remember things like your last tab and to work offline. We don't use advertising or tracking cookies.
10. Children
LicenseWatch is meant for people aged 18 and older.
11. Business accounts and your clients
If a dealer or training provider tracks your application in their LicenseWatch business account, they are responsible for having your permission to do so. LicenseWatch processes that information on their behalf. Contact the business first with any questions, or email us.
12. Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date above and, for important changes, tell you by email or in the app.