34 USC § 12321 - Confidentiality of abused person’s address

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t34/s12321"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "34 USC § 12321 - Confidentiality of abused person’s address"
title_number: 34
title_name: "CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT"
section_number: "12321"
section_name: "Confidentiality of abused person’s address"
chapter_number: 121
chapter_name: "VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "Safe Homes for Women"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 103–322, title IV, § 40281, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1938.)"
---


# § 12321. Confidentiality of abused person’s address

**(a)** **Regulations** September 13, 1994

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

**(b)** **Requirements** 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

**1** 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 [^1] of title 42 verifying that the organization is a domestic violence shelter.

See References in Text note below.

**(c)** **Disclosure for certain purposes** 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)** **Existing compilations** 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).

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 103–322, title IV, § 40281, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1938.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), was generally amended by , , , and, as so amended, no longer contains provisions relating to grants for State domestic violence coalitions. See , The Public Health and Welfare.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to , The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.