Terms of use

A few definitions

A “listing” is a business's page on the directory, whether we added it from a public source or a business owner created or claimed it. A “submission” is any information, photo, or text a business owner adds or edits — including claim requests, FAQ answers, menu and service details, and photos. “Premium” and “Spotlight” refer to the paid plans described on our pricing page. “You” means anyone who visits the site, submits information to it, or holds an account.

Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, add a business, or claim a listing. You're responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential and for activity that happens under your account. Provide accurate information when creating an account or claiming a listing, and let us know right away if you suspect unauthorized use. We may suspend or close an account, at our discretion, if we believe it's being used to violate these terms.

Using the directory

Central Coast Directory provides general information about local businesses. You may use the site for lawful, personal, and business discovery purposes. You may not:

• scrape, crawl, or bulk-extract listing data beyond what our robots.txt permits;
• reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to reconstruct the underlying database;
• interfere with the site's operation, place an unreasonable load on it, or attempt to circumvent security or rate-limiting measures;
• attempt unauthorized access to accounts, listings, or systems;
• impersonate a business or another person, or submit information you're not authorized to submit;
• pay, or offer to pay, for placement outside of the labeled Premium and Spotlight plans, or otherwise attempt to manipulate search rankings; or
• use the directory to distribute spam, malware, or unlawful content.

Listings and submissions

If you add or claim a listing, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate and that you are authorized to act for the business where applicable. You keep ownership of the photos, descriptions, FAQ answers, and other original material you submit (“your submissions”). By submitting them, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, display, format, reproduce, and distribute your submissions in connection with operating and promoting the directory — including on category and city pages, in search results, in social posts, and in files that help AI assistants understand the directory (like llms.txt). You represent that you own your submissions or have permission to share them, and that they don't infringe anyone else's rights.

We may correct, reject, suspend, or remove listings or submissions that are inaccurate, duplicative, misleading, unlawful, or inconsistent with these terms, with or without notice, at our discretion. Approving a claim means we believe you're associated with the business — it is not a verification of licensing, insurance, certifications, or legal compliance, and a “claimed” badge shouldn't be read as one.

Paid placement

Businesses may upgrade to the Premium plan for placement above standard directory results; these listings carry a labeled “Featured” badge. A listing may also upgrade to the Spotlight plan: a limited number of positions in the labeled Spotlight band, sold per category and town. A Spotlight upgrade guarantees placement in that band on the listing's own city pages; on broader region-wide category pages, Spotlight listings rotate through the band. Placement outside of these labeled programs can't be purchased, and paid placement never changes how the standard, non-featured results are ranked — those stay ordered by relevance. Paid placement is not an endorsement.

No endorsement or guarantee

A listing is not an endorsement. Business details can change, and we do not guarantee that every listing is complete, current, or suitable for a particular purpose. Confirm important details directly with the business before making a purchase, appointment, or other decision.

Communications

Creating an account, adding a business, or claiming a listing may result in service-related emails, like claim status updates or billing receipts.

Listings are free and we verify them by phone. Adding or claiming a listing as its owner or representative includes authorizing us to call the number you provide — including calls placed with an automated system or an artificial or AI-generated voice — to verify the listing and to tell you about our premium listing services. That authorization is not a condition of purchasing anything, and you can withdraw it at any time by telling the caller or contacting us.

Marketing emails and text messages are separate opt-ins. They are never required to add or claim a listing and can be withdrawn at any time. See our Privacy Policy for details on how we handle communication preferences.

Feedback

If you send us ideas, suggestions, or other feedback about the directory, you agree that we can use it freely, without any obligation to compensate you, credit you, or keep it confidential.

Third-party services

The directory links to third-party websites, phone services, and maps, and some booking or ordering links lead to the business's own third-party providers. Those services are controlled by their own operators and governed by their own terms and privacy practices. We are not a party to any transaction between you and a business, and we are not responsible for third-party content or services.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Central Coast Directory harmless from any claims, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your submissions, your violation of these terms, or your misuse of the directory.

Service availability and liability

The directory is provided "as is" and may change or be unavailable without notice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Central Coast Directory disclaims implied warranties and is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential losses arising from use of the site or reliance on a listing. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from the directory is limited to the greater of $100 or the amount you've paid us in the twelve months before the claim arose.

Governing law and disputes

We'd rather resolve a disagreement directly — reach out through our contact page first, and we'll do our best to sort it out. These terms are governed by California law, and any dispute that can't be resolved informally will be handled in the state or federal courts located in San Luis Obispo County, California, whose jurisdiction you consent to.

Termination

You may stop using the directory, or ask us to close your account, at any time through our contact page. We may suspend or close an account, or remove a listing, for any reason, including a violation of these terms. The sections covering content licenses, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnification, and dispute resolution survive account closure or termination of these terms.

Changes and contact

We may update these terms as the directory changes. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised terms. Questions, corrections, and removal requests can be sent through our contact page.