Terms of Service

Effective Date: 2026-01-01

Organization: Civic OS, L3C
Contact Email: info@civic-os.org
Mailing Address: PO Box 4114, Flint, MI 48504

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Civic OS (“the platform”), you agree to these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

These Terms constitute a legal agreement between you and Civic OS, L3C (“we,” “us,” or “our”). Please read them carefully.

About the Platform

Civic OS is a web-based platform for facility reservations, service requests, and operational workflows designed for small municipal governments and nonprofit organizations. The platform is open-source software developed and operated by Civic OS, L3C, and hosted on cloud infrastructure provided by DigitalOcean.

Accounts and Registration

Creating an Account

To use certain features, you must create an account. When registering, you agree to:

Provide accurate and complete information
Keep your login credentials secure
Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account
Accept responsibility for all activity under your account

Account Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. If you are under 18, you represent that you have permission from a parent or guardian.

Account Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms or engage in conduct that harms the platform, other users, or Civic OS, L3C. You may close your account at any time by contacting us at info@civic-os.org.

Acceptable Use

You agree to use the platform lawfully and respectfully. You may not:

Violate any applicable law or regulation
Impersonate another person or entity
Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information
Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the platform or other users’ accounts
Interfere with or disrupt the platform’s operation
Upload malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
Use the platform to send spam or unsolicited communications
Scrape, crawl, or collect data from the platform without permission
Use the platform for any purpose that violates these Terms

We reserve the right to remove content and suspend accounts that violate these standards.

Your Content and Data

Content You Submit

When you submit content through the platform (reservations, requests, forms, comments, etc.), you retain ownership of that content. By submitting content, you grant us a limited license to store, display, and process it as necessary to provide the platform services.

You are responsible for ensuring your content does not violate any laws or third-party rights.

Data Ownership

Your data belongs to you. We act as a data processor on your behalf. Upon termination of your account or our services, you may request export of your data in a standard format. See our Privacy Policy for details on data handling, retention, and deletion.

Public Records

If you are using Civic OS through a government entity, information submitted through this platform may be subject to public records laws, including the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Submitting information through this platform does not exempt it from applicable disclosure requirements. Contact the relevant government entity for information about their public records policies.

Text Message (SMS) Terms

If you opt in to receive text messages from the platform:

You consent to receive transactional messages related to your account activity
Message frequency varies based on your activity
Message and data rates may apply
You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message
Reply HELP for assistance or contact info@civic-os.org
We will not send marketing or promotional messages

See our Privacy Policy for complete SMS terms and privacy practices.

Service Availability

We strive to keep the platform available and reliable, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted access. The platform may be temporarily unavailable due to:

Scheduled maintenance (we will provide advance notice when possible)
Unplanned outages or technical issues
Circumstances beyond our control

We are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from service interruptions.

For subscribers under a Subscription Agreement, specific uptime commitments and remedies are defined in that agreement, which takes precedence over this section.

Fees and Payment

Civic OS may be provided free of charge or under a paid subscription, depending on your arrangement with us.

If you have a paid subscription:

Fees are as stated in your Subscription Agreement or at the time of purchase
You authorize us to charge your designated payment method
Fees are generally non-refundable unless otherwise stated in your agreement
We may change fees with 60 days advance notice

If you are using Civic OS under a free pilot or evaluation, we reserve the right to introduce fees with advance notice.

Intellectual Property

Platform and Software

Civic OS is open-source software licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0). The AGPL-3.0 license governs your rights to the software’s source code, including the right to view, modify, and distribute it under the same license terms.

The AGPL-3.0 license applies to the software itself. These Terms of Service govern your use of the hosted platform operated by Civic OS, L3C, which is a separate matter from software licensing.

To obtain the source code or learn more about the AGPL-3.0 license, visit: https://github.com/civic-os/civic-os

Trademarks and Branding

“Civic OS” and associated logos are trademarks of Civic OS, L3C. You may not use these marks without prior written permission, except as permitted under fair use or to accurately describe the software’s origin.

Your Content

You retain ownership of content you create and submit. We do not claim ownership of your content.

Third-Party Services

The platform integrates with third-party services for hosting, communications, and other functions. Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies:

DigitalOcean (hosting): https://www.digitalocean.com/legal
Telnyx (SMS): https://telnyx.com/legal

We are not responsible for third-party services’ availability, actions, or policies.

Disclaimer of Warranties

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the platform will be error-free, secure, or available at all times, or that defects will be corrected.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CIVIC OS, L3C, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM.

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100).

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OF THESE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Civic OS, L3C, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising from:

Your use of the platform
Your violation of these Terms
Your violation of any third-party rights
Content you submit through the platform

Accessibility Commitment

We are committed to making this platform accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. We strive to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards.

If you experience accessibility barriers or need assistance, please contact us at info@civic-os.org. We welcome feedback to help us improve accessibility.

Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the platform shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Genesee County, Michigan, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

Before filing any claim, you agree to attempt to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us at info@civic-os.org. We will attempt to resolve disputes within 30 days.

Changes to These Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. When we make changes, we will:

Update the “Effective Date” at the top
For material changes, provide notice through the platform or by email

Your continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to changes, you should stop using the platform.

General Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any Subscription Agreement you have entered, constitute the entire agreement between you and Civic OS, L3C regarding the platform.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not waive our right to enforce it later.

Assignment

You may not assign your rights under these Terms without our written consent. We may assign our rights to a successor or affiliate.

No Agency

These Terms do not create any agency, partnership, or joint venture between you and Civic OS, L3C.

Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, contact us:

Civic OS, L3C
PO Box 4114
Flint, MI 48504
Email: info@civic-os.org
Phone: (989) 225-8754

Open Source Acknowledgment

Civic OS is open-source software licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0).

Website: https://civic-os.org
Source Code: https://github.com/civic-os/civic-os
License: AGPL-3.0

The software license and these Terms of Service are separate agreements. Your rights to the software source code are governed by the AGPL-3.0. Your use of the hosted service operated by Civic OS, L3C is governed by these Terms.