Address confidentiality program


In the United States an address confidentiality program allows survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or other types of crime to be assigned a legal substitute address that is different from their actual residential address, in order to keep their location confidential. Program participants can receive mail at the substitute address and it will be forwarded for free, and are able to use the substitute address in government records. In some states or jurisdictions, reproductive healthcare workers and employees of agencies that assist survivors of domestic violence or stalking are also eligible.
Survivors usually apply through a state's Secretary of State office, although some programs are run through other state agencies such as the Office of the Attorney General. Once a survivor is admitted to the program, they will receive an assigned PO box or other address that will legally substitute their residential address on public records, such as voting registration.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence,
Address Confidentiality Programs and Confidential Voter Listings are programs administered by the state enabling victims of domestic violence to participate in the voting process without fear of being found by their abusers. ACPs generally provide a substitute address for all public records. Confidential Voter Listings only provide confidentiality on election-related public records.

States with Confidential Address Programs

State
Voter
Registration
Drivers
License
School
Registration
Other
Services
Phone/Contact
yesyesyesyes602-542-1653
Arkansasnoyesnono501-682-7052
'yes - by mailyesyesyes877-322-5227
yesyesyesyes303-866-2208
yesyesyesyesmultiple numbers
depending on location
Delawareyesyesno infono info 870-1790
Floridayes - absenteeyesno infono info 226-6667
yesyesyesyes 332-2836
yes - absenteeyesyesno info 916-0295
yes - absenteeyesyesyes 321-1907
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes 725-7233
'yesyesyesyes 296-3806
'yes - absenteenonono 564-3490
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes800.825.3805
'yes - absenteeno infoyesyes 626-8400
'yesyesyesno info410-260-3875
'yesyesyesno info1-866-SAFE-ADD
'yesyesyesyes313-456-0190
'yes - by mailseparate applicationyesyes 723-3035
'yesyesyesno info 829-6766
'yesyesyesyes 509-1409
'yesno infono infono info1-800-498-6455
'yes - early votingyesyesno info 227-6327
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes888-432-6189
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes 271-1240
'yesno infono infono info1 218-9133
'yes - absenteeno infono infono info1-800-477-3632
'yesyesyesyes 350-4595
'yesyesyesyes 716-6785
'yesyesyesyes 995-2255
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes 227-7784
'yesyesyesyes503-373-1323
'yesyesyesyes1.800.563.6399
'yesnonono1-877-218-9133
'yes - by mailyesyesyes1-888-832-2322
Utahyesyesyesyes 538-1600
'yes - absenteeyesyesyes802-828-0586
'yes - limited confidentialityyesyesyes804-786-2071
'yesyesyesyes 753-2972
'yesyesyesyes 443-5732
'yesyesyesyes1-866-767-8683
'yes - separate applicationyesyesyes 266-6613

Bank accounts and address confidentiality

The rules implementing the Bank Secrecy Act require a financial institution to implement a Customer Identification Program that includes procedures that enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its customers. The rules also require that a financial institution obtain a residential or business street address from each customer. Unfortunately, the substitute address under an Address Confidentiality Program does not meet the standards.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued a letter ruling to help the situation. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network regulations also allow: "If the individual customer does not have a residential or business street address, then the rules permit the individual customer to provide a "residential or business street address of next of kin or of another contact individual."
In FIN-2009-R003, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network found: "A customer who participates in a state-created ACP shall be treated as not having a residential or business street address and a secretary of state, or other state entity serving as a designated agent of the customer consistent with the terms of the ACP, will act as another contact individual for the purpose of complying with FinCEN's rules. Therefore, a financial institution should collect the street address of the ACP sponsoring agency for purposes of meeting its CIP address requirement."

Coronavirus disease 2020

On September 23, 2020, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom signed executive order allowing local health officers and public health officials access to the state's Safe at Home program, due to their being "subject to threats and other harassment, including threats and harassment targeted at their places of residence, which threatens to chill the performance of their critical duties."