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 (ACP) and Confidential Voter Listings are programs administered by the state enabling victims of domestic violence (and sometime victims of sexual assault and/or stalking) 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

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.