Privacy policy.
Privacy Policy
Effective date: March 18, 2026
Replaces version dated July 24, 2022
Protecting your private information is our priority. This Privacy Policy applies to Certified Tattoo Studios, Certified OS, the Certified OS mobile application (formerly Cercus), the Certified Tattoo Academy application, The Tattoo Agency LLC and Cercus, LLC (collectively referred to as "we," "us," or "our"). It governs data collection and usage across certifiedtattoo.com, certifiedtattooacademy.com, the Certified OS platform, and our mobile applications available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
By using any of our products, services, or applications, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
In order to provide you with our products and services, we may collect the following personally identifiable information:
- First and last name
- Mailing address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Age and date of birth
- Profile photos and tattoo reference images you choose to upload
If you purchase products or services through our platform, we collect billing information. All payment card data is processed securely through Stripe. We do not store your full credit or debit card number.
We may also collect anonymous demographic information that is not unique to you, such as age, gender, and general location data, for the purposes of improving our services.
We may also collect device identifiers such as a Firebase installation ID or advertising identifier for the purposes of app analytics, push notification delivery, and crash reporting. These identifiers are not sold or used for targeted advertising.
We do not collect personal information unless you voluntarily provide it. You may be required to provide certain information when you register for an account, book an appointment, enroll in a course, purchase a subscription, submit a design reference or inspiration photo, or contact us directly.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use your personal information to operate our platform and deliver the services you have requested, including processing bookings and payments, sending appointment confirmations and reminders, providing course access and certification tracking, and communicating with you about your account.
We may also use your information to inform you of other products or services available from Certified Tattoo Studios, Certified OS, and affiliated entities.
SMS/TEXT MESSAGING & TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
SMS/Text Messaging Program : Certified Tattoo Studios provides an SMS service to keep you informed about your appointments, consultations, and promotional offers.
Opt-In: Users can opt-in to our SMS program by providing their mobile number on our contact forms, booking widgets, or during the consultation process. By providing your number, you consent to receive text messages from us.
Message Frequency: The number of messages you receive will vary based on your interaction with the studio (e.g., appointment reminders, artist updates, or requested promotions).
Cookies & Tracking Technologies : We use cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to analyze website traffic, customize your experience, and improve our services. These tools help us understand how you interact with our site and allow us to provide more relevant content to you.
Information Sharing Disclosure (SMS Compliance) No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with third parties. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted.
SHARING INFORMATION WITH THIRD PARTIES
Certified Tattoo Studios and Cercus, LLC do not sell, rent, or lease customer information to third parties.
We may share data with trusted service partners to help us operate the platform, perform statistical analysis, send communications, provide customer support, or process transactions. These partners include Stripe for payment processing, GoHighLevel for client communications and marketing automation, Google for calendar sync and authentication, and cloud hosting providers. All such third parties are prohibited from using your personal information except to provide services to us, and are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information.
From time to time we may contact you on behalf of external business partners about offerings that may be of interest to you. In those cases, your information is transferred only with your consent or as described in this policy.
We may disclose your personal information without notice if required by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with legal process served on us or our platforms; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Certified Tattoo Studios or Cercus, LLC; or (c) act under urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of our users or the public.
OPT-OUT OF DISCLOSURE TO THIRD PARTIES
In connection with any personal information we disclose to a third party for a business purpose, you have the right to know the categories of personal information disclosed.
You have the right under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) and other applicable privacy laws to opt out of the disclosure of your personal information. To exercise this right, contact us at [email protected]. Upon receiving your request, we will stop disclosing your personal information unless you subsequently provide express authorization.
YOUR RIGHT TO DELETION
Upon receipt of a verifiable request from you, we will delete your personal information from our records and direct our service providers to delete your personal information from their records.
We may not be able to comply with a deletion request if retaining your information is necessary to: complete a transaction you requested or that is reasonably anticipated within our ongoing relationship; detect security incidents or protect against fraudulent or illegal activity; debug and repair errors in our platform; comply with a legal obligation; or otherwise use your information internally in a lawful manner consistent with the context in which you provided it.
To submit a deletion request, email [email protected]. We will process all verified requests within 30 days.
PHOTOS AND UPLOADED CONTENT
Photos and design references you upload through our booking flow or applications are stored securely and shared only with the tattooer or studio you are booking with. You may request deletion of any uploaded content at any time by contacting us.
CONNECTING TO THIRD-PARTY ACCOUNTS
You may connect your Certified OS account to third-party accounts such as Google. BY CONNECTING YOUR ACCOUNT TO A THIRD-PARTY ACCOUNT, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE CONSENTING TO THE CONTINUOUS RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT YOU IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS ON THOSE THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS. IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR INFORMATION SHARED IN THIS MANNER, DO NOT USE THIS FEATURE. You may disconnect your account from any third-party account at any time through the third-party platform's settings.
EMAIL AND SMS COMMUNICATIONS
We may contact you by email or SMS for appointment confirmations, reminders, promotional offers, alerts, and general platform communications. We may receive a notification when you open an email or click a link.
To stop receiving marketing emails, click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email.
To stop receiving SMS messages, reply STOP to any message we send.
To opt out of all marketing communications, contact us at [email protected].
PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
We may send push notifications to your device for appointment reminders, booking confirmations, promotional offers, and account updates. You can enable or disable push notifications at any time through your device's Settings app.
DATA STORAGE
We store data on servers provided by third-party hosting providers with whom we have contracted, including Google Firebase and Vercel. All storage providers are required to maintain appropriate security standards.
APP ANALYTICS AND DIAGNOSTICS
We use Firebase Analytics to collect anonymized data about how users interact with our applications, including features used, screens viewed, session duration, and crash reports. This data is used solely to improve app performance and user experience and is not linked to personally identifiable information.
DATA RETENTION
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. If you request deletion of your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for fraud prevention purposes.
CHILDREN
Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Our mobile applications are rated 17+ due to mature content (tattoos and piercings). If you are under 17, you must have a parent or guardian's permission to use our services.
YOUR RIGHTS
You have the right to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the CCPA including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to know whether your personal information is sold or disclosed and to whom, the right to opt out of the sale of personal information, the right to access your personal information, and the right to equal service and price whether or not you exercise your privacy rights.
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. We will notify you of significant changes by sending a notice to the primary email address on your account, by posting a notice on our platform, or by updating the effective date at the top of this page. Your continued use of our services after any change constitutes your acknowledgment of the updated policy.
CONTACT
Certified Tattoo Studios
8025 W. Colfax Ave
Lakewood, Colorado 80214
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 720-288-3866
Cercus, LLC operates the Certified OS platform, the Certified OS mobile application, and the Certified Tattoo Academy application.