Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

HSN Code Finder ("we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting any personal information you share while using our website (hsncodefinder.app). This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have.

This policy is designed to comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA, India), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, European Union), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA, USA).

By using this site, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you disagree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the site.

2. Information We Collect

HSN Code Finder is designed to collect as little personal data as possible.

Information We DO NOT Collect

• We do not require registration or login
• We do not collect your name, email, or phone number unless you voluntarily contact us
• We do not track individual users across sessions
• We do not sell or share your data with advertisers
• We do not build behavioral profiles or use fingerprinting
• We do not collect GST numbers, PAN, Aadhaar, or any government-issued identifiers

Information Automatically Collected

Our hosting provider and server software may automatically log:

• Server logs: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, timestamps, HTTP status codes
• Search queries: The HSN/SAC codes or product names you search are processed to return results, but are not stored against your identity
• Device information: Screen size, device type (mobile/desktop/tablet) used only for responsive layout

Information You Provide Voluntarily

If you contact us via the contact form or email, we collect:

• Your name and email address
• The content of your message
• Any attachments you choose to send

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information solely for:

• Operating the service: Delivering search results, rendering the website, processing your queries
• Improving the tool: Understanding which codes are searched most often (in aggregate, never linked to individuals)
• Responding to inquiries: Answering your contact form messages and email
• Security: Detecting abuse, preventing fraud, blocking malicious traffic and bots
• Legal compliance: Complying with applicable Indian and international laws, court orders, or government requests

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data only when we have a lawful basis to do so:

• Consent: When you submit a contact form, you consent to us using your details to respond
• Legitimate interest: Server logs and abuse prevention are processed under our legitimate interest in keeping the service secure and reliable
• Legal obligation: We may process data to comply with applicable laws or respond to lawful requests from authorities

5. Data Retention

We keep different types of data for different periods:

• Server logs: Retained for up to 30 days, then automatically deleted or anonymised
• Contact form messages: Retained for up to 12 months after the last interaction, unless a longer period is required by law
• Aggregate search statistics: Retained indefinitely in fully anonymised form (no IP, no identifiers)
• Browser-side data (last searches): Stored only in your browser; cleared when you close the tab or clear your browser storage

You can request earlier deletion of any data we hold about you at any time — see Your Privacy Rights.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

HSN Code Finder uses minimal cookies and browser storage:

• Essential storage: Required for the site to function (e.g., remembering your search filter preference within a session)
• Session storage: We may store your last few searches in your browser's session storage to provide a better experience. This data never leaves your device.

We do not use: Advertising cookies, retargeting pixels, Facebook Pixel, Google Ads tags, or any third-party advertising trackers.

You can disable or clear cookies and storage at any time through your browser settings without affecting core search functionality.

7. Third-Party Services

HSN Code Finder relies on a small number of third-party providers:

• Google Fonts: Loads custom fonts for typography. Google may receive your IP address when fonts are fetched. Google Privacy Policy
• Web hosting provider: Hosts the site and processes server logs on our behalf. The provider acts as a data processor and follows industry-standard security practices.

We do not currently use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, advertising networks, or third-party tracking platforms. If this changes, we will update this policy and notify users on the homepage.

8. International Data Transfers

Our hosting infrastructure and some service providers (such as Google Fonts) may be located outside India. When data is transferred internationally, we rely on appropriate safeguards including standard contractual clauses, the provider's own data protection commitments, and applicable adequacy mechanisms under the DPDPA and GDPR.

If the Indian government issues a list of restricted countries to which personal data may not be transferred under Section 16 of the DPDPA, we will comply with those restrictions.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Your rights depend on your location, but we honour the most generous applicable rights regardless of where you are.

Under the DPDPA 2023 (India)

If you are an Indian resident ("Data Principal"), you have the right to:

• Obtain a summary of the personal data we process about you
• Request correction, completion, or updating of inaccurate data
• Request erasure of your personal data
• Nominate another individual to exercise your rights in case of death or incapacity
• Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing)
• Lodge a grievance with our Grievance Officer (see Section 12)
• If unresolved, file a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India

Under the GDPR (European Union / UK)

If you are in the EU, EEA, or UK, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Rectify inaccurate data
• Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restrict processing
• Data portability (receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format)
• Object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority

Under the CCPA / CPRA (California, USA)

California residents have the right to:

• Know what categories of personal information are collected
• Request deletion of personal information
• Correct inaccurate personal information
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell or share data)
• Be free from discrimination for exercising these rights

To exercise any of these rights, email support@hsncodefinder.app with the subject line "Privacy Rights Request". We will respond within 30 days (or sooner where required by law). We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling the request.

10. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information:

• HTTPS / TLS encryption for all traffic
• Security headers (X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, Strict-Transport-Security, Content-Security-Policy)
• Regular security updates to our hosting infrastructure and dependencies
• Restricted access to any data we hold (principle of least privilege)
• Data minimisation — we cannot lose what we never collect

No internet transmission or storage system is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a personal data breach affecting your rights, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected users in accordance with the DPDPA and GDPR.

11. Children's Privacy

HSN Code Finder is a tax-compliance tool intended for businesses, professionals, and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 (the threshold under DPDPA), under 13 (COPPA, USA), or under 16 (GDPR, where applicable).

If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at support@hsncodefinder.app and we will delete it promptly.

12. Grievance Officer

In compliance with the DPDPA 2023 and the Information Technology Rules, 2011, we have designated a Grievance Officer to address your concerns regarding personal data.

13. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of India, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000, together with rules made thereunder. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this policy is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in India.

Where applicable, additional rights granted to users under the GDPR or CCPA continue to apply.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

For material changes, we will provide a notice on our homepage at least 7 days before the changes take effect. Continued use of the site after changes take effect means acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data:

• Email: support@hsncodefinder.app
• Contact form: hsncodefinder.app/contact
• Suggested subject lines: "Privacy Inquiry", "Privacy Rights Request", or "Grievance — Privacy"

We respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days, and to formal grievances within 15 days.