Terms of service
Last Updated: March 27, 2026
These Terms of Service govern all services provided by Family Heritage Digitizing through our website, online store, and direct media submissions.
By placing an order, submitting media, documents, photographs, or using our services, you agree to these Terms of Service in full.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By submitting media, photographs, or documents for digitization, restoration, enhancement, duplication, scanning, or related services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms of Service.
By placing an order, you also represent that you are at least 18 years of age or otherwise have legal authority to enter into this agreement.
2. Authorization to Process Submitted Materials
By submitting media, photographs, or documents to Family Heritage Digitizing, you authorize us to handle, inspect, prepare, scan, digitize, duplicate, restore, enhance, organize, and process your materials using professional equipment, software, and procedures as necessary to perform the requested services.
3. Minimum Order Requirement
To account for the time, labor, handling, processing, and workflow required for professional digitization services, Family Heritage Digitizing requires a minimum order total of $50 before applicable taxes and shipping.
Orders submitted that do not meet the minimum service threshold may be adjusted to meet the minimum processing requirement.
Unless otherwise stated on a specific service page, minimums apply per service category rather than per entire shipment.
4. Media Condition, Document Condition, and Handling Risk
All submitted materials are processed at the customer’s risk due to the inherent instability, aging, fragility, and condition of analog media, paper materials, and photographic prints.
Magnetic tapes, film, photographs, slides, negatives, paper documents, scrapbooks, and other legacy materials naturally deteriorate over time.
While we take reasonable care in handling all materials, Family Heritage Digitizing is not responsible for:
- Media failure due to age or prior damage
- Mold, brittleness, oxide shedding, tape breakage, warping, brittleness, or contamination
- Pre-existing mechanical, structural, chemical, or physical weaknesses
- Degradation that occurs during normal playback, scanning, or handling of aging materials
- Fragile paper, tears, folds, adhesive residue, prior repairs, fading, discoloration, stains, or missing detail that affects scan quality or restoration outcomes
If a tape breaks during transfer, we may attempt repair at our discretion.
A standard VHS repair fee of $30 may apply. This fee may be waived if damage is clearly determined by us to have been caused solely by our handling.
We reserve the right to refuse materials that are excessively moldy, contaminated, hazardous, unstable, or likely to damage equipment or compromise safe processing.
5. Service Charges and Scope of Work
Digitization, scanning, restoration, duplication, and related service fees apply per item, page, image, tape, disc, card, folder, service level, or project as listed at the time of purchase.
For video transfers:
- Standard VHS / VHS-C pricing covers up to 2 hours per tape
- Tapes recorded in extended (SLP/EP) mode exceeding 2 hours may be billed per additional 2-hour segment
- Transfer fees apply regardless of content length, including short recordings or lengthy tapes
If media contains gaps, static, blank segments, or other interruptions that require multiple transfer passes, additional handling fees may apply.
Customers are encouraged to notify us in advance of known content gaps, unusual formatting, or special requests.
If media is unreadable or cannot be converted for technical reasons, no digitization fee will be charged for that specific unreadable item unless otherwise disclosed for inspection, handling, or preparation work already performed.
Family Heritage Digitizing does not evaluate the sentimental, emotional, historical, or subjective value of submitted materials.
All readable or scannable content that is successfully processed will be billed accordingly.
Certain services, including document scanning, manual PDF naming, restoration, enhancement, reconstruction, special handling, organization, and custom requests, may require additional charges depending on complexity, preparation needs, condition, or customer instructions.
6. Document Scanning Services
For document scanning services:
- Each scanned side counts as one page
- Blank sides are not charged
- Standard document scanning is delivered as searchable PDF files unless otherwise stated
- Documents are scanned in the reading order received
- If no clear groupings are provided, pages may be combined into one searchable master PDF file
- Manual PDF naming applies to clearly grouped document sets only
- Individual pages are not named separately
- Customers are responsible for providing clear groupings, labels, and instructions when separate named PDF files are requested
Documents should be submitted loose and free of staples, paper clips, sticky notes, bindings, and other fasteners when possible.
Family Heritage Digitizing is not responsible for delays, additional handling fees, or workflow limitations caused by improperly prepared document batches, unclear grouping, mixed stacks, or incomplete instructions.
7. Photo Restoration and Enhancement Services
Photo restoration and enhancement services include digitizing of the original photograph before editing work begins.
At minimum, customers will receive a digital version of the original scanned image. Depending on the condition of the photograph and the approved scope of work, restored and enhanced versions may also be provided.
Customers understand and agree that:
- Restoration results vary based on the condition and quality of the original photograph
- Severe fading, blur, missing detail, tears, stains, prior damage, or physical deterioration may limit what can be fully restored
- Enhancement may include adjustments to brightness, contrast, color, tone, sharpness, and overall visual appearance
- Enhanced versions may appear different from the original print
- Multiple output versions may be provided when appropriate, but are not guaranteed in every order
- Advanced requests such as colorization, object removal, person removal, or major reconstruction are handled only on a case-by-case basis
All restoration orders are subject to review after scanning. If the selected service level does not match the condition of the image or the amount of work requested, we reserve the right to contact the customer before proceeding and adjust pricing accordingly.
Family Heritage Digitizing does not guarantee that any submitted photograph can be restored to a like-new condition or that all visible damage can be fully removed.
Variations in color, tone, contrast, brightness, and restoration approach do not by themselves constitute a technical defect.
8. Customer Instructions and Submitted Information
Customers are responsible for providing accurate instructions, labels, groupings, notes, expectations, shipping information, and contact information at the time of order or prior to processing.
Family Heritage Digitizing is not responsible for naming, grouping, organizational, restoration, or output decisions affected by missing, unclear, incomplete, conflicting, or inaccurate customer instructions.
Customers are encouraged to include written notes with their shipment or contact us by email when special expectations or preferences apply.
9. Copyright and Content Restrictions
Customers represent and warrant that they own or have legal rights to duplicate, digitize, scan, copy, restore, or otherwise authorize processing of all submitted materials.
Family Heritage Digitizing will not process:
- Commercially produced movies
- Macrovision-protected content
- Copyrighted material without authorization
- Pornographic or unlawful material
- Any content we reasonably believe we are not legally permitted to process
If prohibited content is discovered, we reserve the right to refuse service.
We are not responsible for independently verifying copyright ownership beyond reasonable visual inspection.
10. Turnaround Time
Most standard orders are completed within approximately 10 business days after materials arrive at our facility.
However, all turnaround times are estimates only and are not guaranteed.
Completion time may vary depending on:
- Order size
- Material condition
- Equipment requirements
- Special handling needs
- Customer communication delays
- Seasonal demand
- Order volume
- Complexity of restoration, enhancement, or organization requests
Large, restoration-heavy, or complex orders may require additional processing time.
During periods of high order volume, processing times may exceed initial estimates to ensure quality work is performed.
Family Heritage Digitizing makes reasonable efforts to complete orders as quickly as possible while maintaining professional quality standards.
11. Shipping Responsibility
Customers are responsible for:
- Proper packaging of submitted materials
- Carrier selection
- Shipping insurance
- Loss or damage during shipment to our facility
We strongly recommend using reliable carriers such as UPS or FedEx and purchasing appropriate insurance.
12. Return Shipping
Completed orders are returned with tracking and carrier insurance.
Return shipments include insurance coverage up to $500 per order unless otherwise arranged.
Shipping insurance covers the declared service value and the nominal replacement cost of blank media only, up to a maximum of $500.
Shipping carriers do not insure sentimental, emotional, genealogical, or historical value.
Customers requesting additional insurance coverage must contact us prior to return shipment to arrange additional coverage at the customer’s expense.
Once orders are transferred to the shipping carrier, responsibility for loss or damage transfers to the carrier.
Customers are responsible for ensuring that the shipping address provided at checkout is accurate. Family Heritage Digitizing is not responsible for packages delivered to incorrect addresses provided by the customer.
13. Media Disposal Requests
Original materials are returned to the customer upon completion unless the customer explicitly requests disposal in writing prior to shipment.
If a customer requests disposal:
- Materials will be retained for 30 days after project completion
- This allows the customer to confirm satisfaction with delivered files
- Disposal requests may be revoked within this 30-day period
After 30 days, materials designated for disposal may be securely destroyed, discarded, or recycled at our discretion.
Once disposal has occurred, materials cannot be recovered.
Disposal requests do not extend or alter the 90-day digital file retention period.
14. File Retention and Deletion
Family Heritage Digitizing retains a secure backup copy of digitized and produced files for 90 days after project completion.
Files are permanently deleted after 90 days.
Customers are responsible for downloading, saving, and backing up their files upon delivery.
We strongly recommend maintaining at least two separate backups.
After the 90-day retention period expires, Family Heritage Digitizing cannot recover deleted files.
This retention period applies to delivered digitized files, scanned originals, restored files, enhanced versions, preview files, and related working output retained during production.
15. Data Storage
Digitized files are stored on secure offline storage systems during processing when practical.
For digital delivery orders, files may also be temporarily stored on secure third-party transfer platforms.
While we take reasonable precautions to protect digital data, no system is completely immune from risk, and absolute security cannot be guaranteed.
16. Refund Policy and Correction Process
Orders may be cancelled for a refund prior to the start of digitization, scanning, restoration, enhancement, duplication, or other production work.
If cancellation occurs after materials have been received at our facility, the refund will be issued less the cost of return shipping and any non-recoverable processing, intake, inspection, preparation, or administrative fees already incurred.
Customers requesting cancellation must notify Family Heritage Digitizing before production work begins.
Return shipping charges are the responsibility of the customer for cancelled orders.
Once production work has begun, all service fees are non-refundable.
Initial media inspection, order verification, project review, intake, and preparation do not by themselves constitute the start of production work.
If a customer believes a technical error occurred, they must notify us within 7 days of receiving their order.
We reserve the right to:
- Inspect the issue
- Correct the problem
- Reprocess, rescan, or revise affected materials when appropriate
If rescanning or reprocessing is required, customers may be asked to return the affected materials. In such cases, Family Heritage Digitizing will provide a prepaid shipping label when we determine it is appropriate.
Refunds will not be issued until reasonable corrective efforts have been attempted.
If corrective action is offered and declined by the customer, any partial refund issued shall be at the sole discretion of Family Heritage Digitizing and shall not exceed 15% of the total service amount for the affected materials, not the entire order.
Acceptance of a partial refund constitutes full and final resolution of the matter.
Digitization and scanning capture materials as they exist at the time of transfer or scan.
Dust, scratches, fading, discoloration, noise, age-related wear, stains, blur, and other imperfections present in original materials do not constitute service defects.
For photo restoration and enhancement services, artistic judgment and customer preference may affect the final result. If a customer believes the delivered restoration does not reasonably match the approved scope of work, Family Heritage Digitizing may, at its discretion, offer revision, partial correction, or other reasonable corrective action.
17. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
Customers agree to contact Family Heritage Digitizing directly to resolve any concerns regarding their order before initiating a payment dispute or chargeback with their payment provider.
We are committed to working with customers to resolve technical issues or service concerns whenever possible.
Initiating a chargeback without first allowing Family Heritage Digitizing the opportunity to investigate and address the issue may result in suspension or refusal of future services.
18. Limitation of Liability
In the unlikely event that submitted materials are lost or irreparably damaged while in our possession due solely to our negligence, liability is strictly limited to:
- The prepaid service fee for the affected materials
- The replacement cost of blank media or ordinary replacement materials
Family Heritage Digitizing does not compensate for sentimental, emotional, historical, genealogical, artistic, or subjective value under any circumstances.
Under no condition shall total liability exceed the total amount paid for services associated with the affected order.
19. Abandoned or Unclaimed Materials
If a customer fails to respond to communication regarding a completed order for 90 days, Family Heritage Digitizing reserves the right to charge reasonable storage fees.
If no response is received within 180 days of completion, the order will be considered abandoned.
At that time, Family Heritage Digitizing may dispose of, recycle, or destroy the materials at our discretion.
Once materials are disposed of, they cannot be recovered, and Family Heritage Digitizing bears no further responsibility.
20. Force Majeure
Family Heritage Digitizing shall not be liable for delays or failure to perform services due to events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to:
- Natural disasters
- Power outages
- Equipment failure
- Shipping carrier disruptions
- Labor shortages
- Government actions
- Software or platform outages
- Public health emergencies
21. Governing Law and Venue
These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia.
Any disputes arising from services provided shall be resolved in the appropriate courts located in Georgia.
22. Modifications
Family Heritage Digitizing reserves the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time.
Updated versions will be posted on our website with a revised Last Updated date.
Continued use of our services after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.