How to Enroll in an Address Confidentiality Program (Safe at Home)

For survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking, a home address is not just personal information. It is a matter of physical safety. Address Confidentiality Programs, commonly known as Safe at Home programs, provide eligible individuals with a legal substitute address so their real location stays hidden from public records, government databases, and the people who pose a threat to them.

What Is an Address Confidentiality Program?

An Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) is a state-run service that assigns participants a substitute mailing address, typically the address of the Secretary of State's office or another government agency. This substitute address can be used in place of the participant's actual home address on virtually all public records, including:

• Voter registration
• Driver's license and state ID
• Vehicle registration
• Court filings
• School enrollment records
• Public benefit applications
• Business filings

All mail sent to the substitute address is forwarded to the participant's real address by the administering agency, typically the Secretary of State's office. The participant's actual location is kept confidential and is not disclosed to the public, to requesters of public records, or even to many government agencies.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligibility requirements vary by state, but ACPs are generally available to survivors of:

• Domestic violence
• Sexual assault
• Stalking
• Human trafficking

Some states have expanded eligibility beyond these categories. For example, Vermont has broadened its program to cover providers and patients of legally protected healthcare services, including reproductive care and gender-affirming care. This expansion reflects a growing recognition that address privacy is critical for anyone who may face threats based on the healthcare they provide or receive.

Most states require that applicants work with a victim advocate, such as a counselor at a domestic violence shelter or a victim services coordinator, who assists with the application process and certifies the applicant's eligibility. This requirement ensures that participants receive safety planning support alongside the address protection itself.

Which States Offer ACPs?

California pioneered the concept when it launched its Safe at Home program in 1999, making it the first state to offer address confidentiality to domestic violence survivors. Since then, more than 40 states have established their own programs. States with active ACPs include:

• Western states: California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Hawaii
• Southern states: Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee
• Northeastern states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Vermont
• Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota
• And many others across the country

Program names vary by state. California and several other states call theirs "Safe at Home." Other states use names like the Address Confidentiality Program, the Address Protection Program, or the Substitute Address Program. Regardless of the name, the core function is the same: replacing the participant's real address with a government-issued substitute on public records.

The Federal Safe at Home Act

Recognizing that address confidentiality should not depend on which state someone lives in, Congress has taken steps toward a federal standard. The Safe at Home Act (S.2724), introduced during the 119th Congress in the 2025-2026 session, aims to establish minimum standards for state ACPs, encourage participation across all 50 states, and provide federal funding to support and expand these programs. While the legislation is still working its way through Congress, it signals growing federal recognition that address privacy is a safety issue.

How to Enroll

The enrollment process is straightforward but requires working through official channels to verify eligibility. Here are the general steps:

1. Contact a victim advocate. Reach out to a local domestic violence shelter, sexual assault crisis center, victim services program, or law enforcement victim advocate. They will assess your situation, help you develop a safety plan, and assist with the ACP application.
2. Complete the application. The advocate will help you fill out the enrollment form, which typically requires your current address (kept confidential), a description of the threat you face, and your signature acknowledging program rules.
3. Submit the application. Applications are usually submitted to the Secretary of State's office by the advocate on your behalf. Processing times vary by state, but many programs activate within a few days to two weeks.
4. Receive your substitute address. Once approved, you will receive an authorization card with your substitute address and program identification number. This card serves as proof that you are authorized to use the substitute address on official documents.
5. Update your records. Begin using the substitute address on all public-facing records. Your advocate can help you identify which records to update and how to handle each agency's requirements.

What ACPs Do Not Cover

While ACPs are powerful tools, they do not address every source of address exposure. Your real address may still be available through:

• Data broker sites: Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, TruePeopleSearch, and over 100 similar sites aggregate addresses from commercial data sources, old public records, and consumer databases that are not covered by ACP protections.
• Social media: Geotagged posts, check-ins, and public profiles can reveal your location.
• Old records: Records that were public before you enrolled in the ACP may already have been scraped and copied into broker databases.
• Package deliveries and online shopping: Your shipping address is stored by retailers and delivery services, and data breaches at these companies can expose it.

Pairing an ACP With Data Broker Removal

An ACP protects your address going forward in government records. But to truly secure your location, you need to remove the address information that is already circulating online through data brokers and people-search sites.

PrivacyOn fills this gap. While your ACP keeps your address out of new public records, PrivacyOn continuously monitors over 100 data broker sites for your personal information, including your home address, and automatically submits removal requests whenever your data is found. Because data brokers constantly refresh their databases, this monitoring needs to be ongoing. PrivacyOn handles that automatically, running in the background 24/7 so your location stays hidden.

For survivors who have enrolled in an ACP, pairing the program with PrivacyOn's data broker removal creates comprehensive address protection. The ACP handles the public records side, and PrivacyOn handles the commercial data side. Together, they close the gaps that either approach would leave open on its own.

Getting Started

If you believe you may be eligible for an Address Confidentiality Program, start by contacting one of these resources:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-4673
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
• Your state's Secretary of State website: Search for "Address Confidentiality Program" or "Safe at Home" along with your state name

These organizations can connect you with a local advocate who will walk you through the application process and help you build a comprehensive safety plan that includes both legal protections and digital privacy measures.