§12321 — Title 34 Navy | U.S. Code

§12321 Confidentiality of Abused Person’s Address

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle I— Comprehensive Acts › Chapter 121— VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT › Subchapter III— VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN › Part B— Safe Homes for Women › Subpart 1— confidentiality for abused persons › § 12321

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States Postal Service must create rules within 90 days after September 13, 1994 to keep the addresses of abused people and domestic violence shelters private. People must show a valid, current protection order to a postal official. Shelters must show proof from a State domestic violence coalition that meets section 10410 of title 42 to confirm they are a shelter. The rules can still let State or Federal agencies see addresses for real law enforcement or other government purposes. Address lists that already existed when the order was shown are not covered by these rules.

Title 34, §12321

Navy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 90 days after September 13, 1994, the United States Postal Service shall promulgate regulations to secure the confidentiality of domestic violence shelters and abused persons’ addresses.

(b)The regulations under subsection (a) shall require—

(1)in the case of an individual, the presentation to an appropriate postal official of a valid, outstanding protection order; and

(2)in the case of a domestic violence shelter, the presentation to an appropriate postal authority of proof from a State domestic violence coalition that meets the requirements of section 10410 11 See References in Text note below. of title 42 verifying that the organization is a domestic violence shelter.

(c)The regulations under subsection (a) shall not prohibit the disclosure of addresses to State or Federal agencies for legitimate law enforcement or other governmental purposes.

(d)Compilations of addresses existing at the time at which order is presented to an appropriate postal official shall be excluded from the scope of the regulations under subsection (a).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 10410 of title 42, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), was generally amended by Pub. L. 111–320, title II, § 201, Dec. 20, 2010, 124 Stat. 3497, and, as so amended, no longer contains provisions relating to grants for State domestic violence coalitions. See section 10411 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 13951 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.