> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shovels.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Where Does Shovels Get Its Data?

> Shovels collects permit data directly from city and county jurisdictions through government relationships, online portals, and public records requests—never from third parties.

**Shovels collects permit data directly from city and county jurisdictions—we don't purchase data from third-party vendors.** We gather data through relationships with local governments, integration with online permitting portals, and public records requests. This direct sourcing ensures data quality and freshness.

## Primary Collection Methods

### Direct from Jurisdictions

We collect data through:

* **Relationships with local governments**
* **Integration with online permitting portals**
* **Public records requests** where needed

### Digital Methods

* Jurisdiction website scraping
* Municipal open data portal integration
* Building department API connections

### Offline Methods

* Calling jurisdiction offices
* Submitting formal records requests

<Info>
  We get data straight from the source—we don't purchase permit data from other vendors.
</Info>

## Supplementary Sources

### Address Standardization

We cross-reference addresses against:

* National Address Dataset (US Census)
* Open Address dataset
* Simple Maps
* ESRI

### Contractor Verification

We match contractor information against:

* Publicly available state license files
* Business registration records

### Property Information

We enhance property data using:

* Tax assessor records

## Why Direct Sourcing Matters

By collecting directly from jurisdictions, we:

* Get the most current data available
* Control data quality from the start
* Standardize across different formats
* Maintain consistent update schedules

## Related Articles

* [Data verification methods](/docs/knowledge-base/data/quality/verification-methods)
* [Data refresh frequency](/docs/knowledge-base/data/quality/refresh-frequency)
* [Geographic coverage](/docs/knowledge-base/data/geographic/coverage-areas)