Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ho95e.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ho95e!wcs From: wcs@ho95e.UUCP (Bill.Stewart.4K435.x0705) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: SSN as Driver's Licence Number Message-ID: <196@ho95e.UUCP> Date: Wed, 25-Sep-85 18:40:53 EDT Article-I.D.: ho95e.196 Posted: Wed Sep 25 18:40:53 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 28-Sep-85 07:47:26 EDT References: <501@decwrl.UUCP> <411@scgvaxd.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 65 > Hawaii uses your SSN as your Driver's License Number. I don't remember > an escape clause to use another number. > -- Chris Yoder > UUCP --- {allegra|ihnp4}!scgvaxd!engvax!chris > > { The opinions here are representative of Huge Aircrash, not me and > *especially* not of my poor little keyboard. 8-)= > } Many years ago, my father-in-law moved to Hawaii and applied for his driver's license. The law at the time (don't know if it's still the same) said the state wanted your SSN or thumbprint as ID for the license (Federal law at the time did not permit them to demand your SSN.) Of course the SSN is more convenient for them to use, so they always use it, even though the law will theoretically accept either one, and the clerks at the DMV insisted on the SSN. (Clerks at DMV's are not interested in the law, they are interested in following the procedures they always follow.) So he inisted that state law permitted either one (which it did), and that Federal law said what they were doing was illegal, and talked his way up through N levels of management until they eventually complied. The Federal law is now less restrictive, so New Jersey now demands your SSN to give you a drivers license or register a car. The (state) law, which is available in printed form at the DMV, says they can use it for three explicitly stated purposes, and forbids them to use it for anyhthing not specified in the law, or tho give it to anyone else except under the conditions listed therein. Well, the law does not say they can print it on your license or use it as your license number, but their software prints it on the license anyway (a holdover from the days when giving them the number was "optional", which allowed them to do anything they wanted to with it.) I pointed this out to the clerks, and said I didn't want my number printed on my license and that it was illegal for them to do so, and they weren't impressed. They pointed to the pay phone and gave me the phone number of Mr. Iannoti at the Bureau of Agencies in Trenton, and told me they might do something if HE told them to. Well, he was helpful and friendly and totally uncooperative, but he did add one of their lawyers (Mark DeLella) on to the call. DeLella said he was aware of them problem, and that the software was being updated in a few weeks (anyone know if it's really been done yet?). (My license was expiring so I couldn't wait.) We compromised - the computer would print the SSN, but the clerks blacked it oout before making the license, so I now have a nice black stripe labelled "Social Security Number" on my license. My wife went in a week later to get hers renewed, and had to go through the same hassle. Mrs. Malloy, the clerk, did not care that she had done this for someone else a week ago; she would only do it under direct orders since it was against all the procedures they work under to change or deface anything the computer has printed. Mr. Iannotti, the bureaucrat, did not care that the lawyer had told him the previous week that their bureaucracy HAD to do something about the number being printed on the license. However, after much hassle, he would make an exception in this case, to get her off his back, but it was a one-shot thing and didn't apply to anyone else. (So, everyone, please tell him I gave you his name!) So, if you're getting a New Jersey Driver's license, you can get it without the SSN printed on it if either you have lots of patience (and a telephone credit card) or if they've updated their software. Arrggh!. Bureaucrats only comply with the law if you badger their bosses enough. ---- The story you have heard is true. The names have been misspelled to incriminate the guilty. ---- -- ## Bill Stewart, AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ 1-201-949-0705 ihnp4!ho95c!wcs Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com