The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), 18 U.S.C. §§ 2721–2725, limits how state motor vehicle departments and others may obtain, disclose, and use personal information connected with certain DMV records. It is not a blanket ban on disclosure: the statute permits specified uses, each subject to its own conditions.
What does the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act cover?
Records issued by a state motor vehicle department
The DPPA applies to personal information obtained by a state motor vehicle department in connection with a defined “motor vehicle record.” That includes a record pertaining to an operator’s permit, vehicle title, vehicle registration, or identification card issued by a DMV. The Act is therefore not a general rule for every record about a driver or vehicle held by any organization.
Information that identifies an individual
The statute’s definition of “personal information” includes a person’s photograph, Social Security number, driver identification number, name, address (but not a five-digit ZIP code), telephone number, and medical or disability information. It excludes information on vehicular accidents, driving violations, and a driver’s status from that defined term. This narrow exclusion does not establish that such information is public or unrestricted under other laws.
When can a DMV release personal information?
Section 2721(b) lists purposes for which covered information may be disclosed. The exception has to fit the actual request and use; having a business interest or receiving data lawfully for one purpose does not create permission for every later use.
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- Government work: Government agencies, including courts and law enforcement, may use records while carrying out their functions; private entities acting on an agency’s behalf may also qualify.
- Vehicle and driver safety: Permitted purposes include motor-vehicle or driver safety and theft, emissions, product alterations, recalls or advisories, manufacturer performance monitoring, and related market research.
- Specified business verification: A legitimate business may verify information an individual submitted and, if it is inaccurate or outdated, obtain correct information for specified fraud-prevention, legal-remedy, or debt/security-interest purposes. This is not a general business-record lookup exception.
- Proceedings and enforcement: Use may qualify for civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceedings, including service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, and enforcement of judgments or orders.
- Research and statistics: Research use is subject to statutory limits on publication, redisclosure, and contacting individuals.
- Insurance: Insurance claims investigation, anti-fraud work, rating, and underwriting are listed purposes.
- Towed or impounded vehicles: Information may be used to notify owners.
- Licensed investigative or security services: Qualifying licensed private investigative agencies or licensed security services may use records for permitted purposes.
- Commercial-driver verification: An employer or its agent may verify required information relating to a commercial driver’s license holder.
- Private toll facilities: Operation of a private toll transportation facility is a listed purpose.
- Some bulk distribution: Distribution for surveys, marketing, or solicitation may qualify when the statutory clear-and-conspicuous opt-out condition is met. The DPPA does not authorize all marketing or all bulk sharing.
The exact language and conditions in the relevant statutory subparagraph control. Whether a particular request qualifies depends on its purpose, the recipient’s role, and any conditions attached to that exception.
Can someone look up my address from my license plate?
The DPPA does not make every plate lookup unlawful, nor does it give anyone a general right to identify a vehicle owner. The key questions are whether the address came from a covered DMV motor vehicle record, whether it is personal information, and whether the person obtaining or using it has a purpose permitted by the Act. A lookup by a private service does not by itself answer those questions; the source of the information and the service’s actual purpose matter.
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Does the DPPA cover a driver’s license photo?
Yes. A photograph or image is “highly restricted personal information” under the DPPA, along with a Social Security number and medical or disability information. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2721(a)(2), a DMV generally may not disclose this category without the individual’s express consent, subject to specified statutory exceptions and a separate provision concerning organ-donation information and initiatives. Express consent includes written consent, including qualifying consent conveyed electronically. The ordinary permitted-purpose framework should not be treated as overriding this added restriction.
Can a business get my DMV record?
Sometimes, but not simply because it is a business. A business must identify a permitted statutory purpose and meet the conditions for that purpose. For example, the verification exception is tied to information the individual submitted and specified follow-up uses if that information is inaccurate or outdated. Other listed purposes cover matters such as insurance activity, proceedings, or qualifying safety work. The exception that fits one disclosure does not automatically permit an unrelated later use.
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What restrictions apply after information is released?
The DPPA reaches conduct beyond a DMV’s initial disclosure. A person may not knowingly obtain or disclose personal information from a motor vehicle record for a purpose the Act does not permit, knowingly use it for an impermissible purpose, or knowingly make a false representation to obtain covered information.
A person who resells or rediscloses the information generally must keep records for five years identifying each recipient and the permitted purpose, and must provide those records to the DMV on request, subject to the statutory exception. The five-year period is a legal recordkeeping requirement, not a measure of how long the underlying information may be used.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can I do if someone misused my DMV information?
Write down what information was involved, who obtained or disclosed it, how you learned about it, and what purpose appears to have been involved. Keep relevant notices, correspondence, screenshots, and other records. Those details can help determine whether the information came from a covered DMV record and whether the conduct fits the DPPA’s requirements.
The Act provides that a person who knowingly obtains, discloses, or uses covered personal information for a purpose not permitted by the chapter is liable to the affected individual, who may bring a civil action in U.S. district court. It also specifies penalties. A statutory claim depends on the facts and legal elements; the Act does not guarantee a particular outcome or damages. A state DMV may be able to explain its own record-disclosure process, while a lawyer can assess a specific potential claim.
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What the DPPA does not decide
The DPPA is not a universal privacy law for all information about drivers, and it does not settle every question about whether a particular record, person, consent, exception, or downstream disclosure satisfies the statute. It concerns information obtained in connection with defined state motor vehicle records. Other laws or rules may also matter.
In Reno v. Condon, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the DPPA against a Tenth Amendment challenge. That constitutional ruling does not determine whether a particular disclosure or use falls within a statutory exception. The code cited here is current through September 2026; this is a general U.S. federal-law explanation, not advice about a particular state’s procedures or a specific dispute.
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