New Federal Requirement Regarding Licenses and IDs
(December 2005)

Due to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2005, beginning December 19, 2005, the RMV is no longer allowed to use a Social Security Number (SSN) as a Driver's License, Learner's Permit, Massachusetts Identification Card, or Liquor Identification Card number. All licenses, permits, or ID cards issued on or after December 19 will be assigned a computer-generated number.

Current licenses, permits or ID cards displaying a SSN will be valid until the expiration, but customers will be assigned a new number the next time they renew, amend, upgrade, downgrade, or order a duplicate. Despite this change, customers are still required to provide the RMV with a verifiable SSN (for proof of identity) to obtain a license, permit, or ID card.

Section 7214 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 is reproduced below:

Prohibition of Display of Social Security Account
Numbers on Driver's Licenses or
Motor Vehicle Registrations

Note: Sec. 7214 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-458) amended the federal Social Security Act and was signed into law on December 17, 2004. Section (II) of Sec. 7214 becomes effective one year thereafter.

(II) Any State or political subdivision thereof (and any person acting as an agent of such an agency or instrumentality), in the administration of any driver's license or motor vehicle registration law within its
jurisdiction, may not display a social security account number issued by the Commissioner of Social Security (or any derivative of such number) on any driver's license, motor vehicle registration, or personal identification card (as defined in section 7212(a)(2) of the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004), or include, on any such license, registration, or personal identification card, a magnetic strip, bar code, or other means of communication which conveys such number (or derivative thereof).

Notification to Public

The Driver's Manual and the RMV website have already been updated to include the new Federal requirements. Also, the RMV branches will receive posters to display in the license area and a customer handout that explains the state assigned number requirement to customers. The following dialogue has been suggested for use by RMV employees:

"Federal Law prohibits the RMV from issuing your Social Security Number as your License/ID number.

"You will automatically be assigned a random state assigned number. You should contact your insurance agent and notify them of your new License/ID number."

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