Pursuant to Government Code Chapter 3.1, §6207, state and local governmental agencies are required to allow an active program participant to present his or her authorization card and use his or her designated Safe at Home mailing address in lieu of his or her confidential address on forms and to receive mail.

Bureau of Automotive Repair Procedures- Safe at Home SMOG Procedure:

  • Participants are eligible to SMOG their cars without providing their home addresses.
  • Note: this procedure applies only if the vehicle is registered in the participant's name.
  • The participant should call Safe at Home and provide the following information:
    • Car License Plate or Vin #
    • Participant’s residential Zip code
  • Safe at Home will contact the Bureau of Automotive Repair, who will change the status of the participant's registration in their system to “basic” so that the participant's car can be smogged anywhere in the state.
  • Safe at Home will call to let the participant know that BAR has completed the change and that he or she can take the car in to the shop.
  • The service technician will ask for the participant's name and address information at which time the participant can provide his or her desginated Safe at Home mailing address. Note: Participants do not pay the Sacramento rate.

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Department of Public Health - Vital Records Birth Record Seal and Replace (For Participants Born in California, Only)

  • Prior to petitioning for a confidential name change, call the Office of Vital Records Registration Office at (916) 552-8161, identify yourself as a Safe at Home participant, and request information about the birth record seal and replace process.
  • Participants of the Safe at Home program can petition their county Superior Court for an order to seal and replace their birth record.
  • Once the order has been granted by the court, the Office of Vital Records will seal and replace the participant's old birth record with a new one reflecting the participant's new name.

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Department of Motor Vehicles Records Suppression (per California Vehicle Code §1808.21(d))

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) suppresses the drivers license and vehicle registration records of participants in the Secretary of State’s Safe at Home Program. Suppression restricts access of the record to only the Confidential Records Unit (CRU) in Sacramento.

Participation:

  • Participation in the DMV Suppression Program is voluntary and is contingent on being an active participant in the Secretary of State’s Safe at Home program.
  • Any returned or unclaimed mail or other notification that the participant is no longer in the Safe at Home program may result in dismissal from the DMV Suppression Program.
  • Your participation in Safe at Home will be verified by the Secretary of State’s Office, Safe at Home program.
  • Any prior history (citations, actions, etc.) will follow the driving record.The suppression may cause delays when processing DMV transactions.

How to Apply:

  • Complete, sign and date the suppression INV-65 form.
  • Mail the form to the DMV CRU at the address they provide. Contact the CRU at 916-657-7142 for more information.
  • After approval by the CRU, a fee will be payable at the DMV field office.
  • A photo ID and a copy of your Safe at Home Authorization ID card will be required before the field office can process any transaction.

Inquiries:

  • Any inquiries regarding these records will be verified as a legitimate.
  • The subject of record will have 24 hours from the initial contact by CRU to dispute the release of the information.
  • If no response is received, the information will be released to the requester.
  • All requests received from law enforcement will be processed without prior notice to the subject.
  • The subject must inform DMV at the time of enrollment if there is a potential risk in releasing information due to an alleged perpetrator’s association with law enforcement.

Record suppression may be denied for the following reasons:

  • Not actively enrolled in the Safe at Home program; the Authorization ID card is expired.
  • Any outstanding citations or actions on the drivers license record (failure to appear, failure to pay, suspension revocation, etc.).
  • Vehicle(s) are registered out of state or are not registered to the Safe at Home participant.

Changes of Name:

The following required documents are to be submitted to the Confidential Records Unit for a change of name on the driver’s license or identification card issued by DMV:

  • Copy of the legal name change (Stamped Court Decree).
  • Copy of the new Authorization ID card issued by Safe at Home.
  • Copy of the old and new Social Security Card.

Obtaining Car Insurance when DMV Records have been suppressed:

Safe at Home participants receive a letter of confirmation/approval from DMV informing them that they have been accepted into their program. This letter tells them how to deal with their car insurance agency for records release purposes. For more information, contact the DMV Suppression Unit at (916) 657-7142.

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Department of Social Services Procedures (per Government Code §6207, 6215.5)

DSS employees may verify the active participation and county residency of a participant prior to executing his or her request to use his or her designated Safe at Home mailing address in lieu of his or her confidential address. Please get written authorization from the participant to verify county residency prior to contacting Safe at Home. To request verification, for more information about the program or to request brochures or posters, please contact Safe at Home toll free at (877) 322-5227.

Food Stamps Procedures:

The designated mailing address shown on the Safe at Home Authorization ID Card must be accepted in lieu of the participant's confidential address for applicants and recipients of food stamps. Proof of residence is not a condition of eligibility and food stamps cannot be denied if an applicant does not have a fixed mailing address. County residency may be verified by getting written authorization from the participant and contacting the Safe at Home program.

Cal WORKS Procedures:

The address shown on the Safe at Home Authorization ID Card must be accepted as the designated mailing address in lieu of the confidential address for applicants and recipients of Cal WORKS benefits. The exception to this rule occurs when factors affecting eligibility cannot be determined without a home visit. In these instances, the applicant/recipient is required to provide the actual residence address. When it becomes necessary to obtain the actual residence address, this information is to be maintained in the case file only or in some other secure manner, and is not to be entered on any computer or automated system. Continue to use the participant's designated Safe at Home mailing address as his or her mailing address.

Agencies Conducting Home Inspections:

If forms require both a street address for home inspection purposes as well as the participant's designated Safe at Home mailing address, please keep the participant’s street address in a confidential file that is not available to the public and place a password, if possible, on the participant’s record to limit access to the information. Under California law (per Government Code §6207, 6215.5) the participant’s confidential address cannot be released to the public or placed in any public record without a court order.

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Registrars of Voters and Elections Offices Procedures (per Government Code §6207.5, Election Code §2166 - 2166.5)

  • Exclusive Confidential Voter Registration cards are provided to applicants by Safe at Home's designated enrolling agencies during the application process and to participants of the program by Safe at Home.
  • Safe at Home receives the completed cards from the voter, reviews them for accuracy and completeness, and forwards them to the appropriate county elections office.
  • When the county elections office receives a Confidential Voter Registration card, the representative processing the confidential voter registrations should:
    • Remember that Safe at Home participants are automatically considered vote-by-mail voters.
    • Cancel and remove from any accessible files or databases the confidential voter's old voter registration card and registration information.
    • Keep participants' active confidential voter registration information off of the statewide database and store the cards in a confidential and secure location.
    • Provide and insert an additional return envelope with each mailed absentee ballot or otherwise protect the participant's confidential address information from being displayed on the vote-by-mail ballot return envelope.
    • Mail all election-related materials (sample ballots, vote-by-mail ballots) to the confidential voter’s designated Safe at Home mailing address provided on the confidential voter registration card, not to their confidential address or to the Safe at Home program business address.
  • When a participant requests to complete a Confidential Voter Registration card at the elections office:
    • Ask to see the participant’s Safe at Home Authorization ID card.
    • Make sure the participant completes the Confidential Voter Registration Affidavit provided by the Safe at Home program.
    • Immediately notify Safe at Home via mail or fax of the participant's registration and provide a copy of the Confidential Voter Registration card for the participant's file.
  • When a participant's enrollment is cancelled or the participant moves to another county, you will receive a cancellation letter from the Safe at Home program. Please immediately return the cancelled Confidential Voter Registration cards to the Safe at Home office.

Secretary of State Notary Division Agreement

  • Notary information is public; participants should use their best judgment before becoming a notary.
  • For the required mailing address, participants should use their designated Safe at Home mailing address.
  • Because the participant’s business address is in Sacramento County, he or she will be required to take the oath and file a bond in Sacramento.