DLN = SSN ?

March 3, 2010 5:30 AM

States that used social security numbers as driver's license numbers: anyone know how to find a list? Barring that, it'd be helpful if you could chime in with knowledge about a particular state (I'm pretty sure Oregon never did).

I know that as of 2005 or so, there are no states that use socials for license numbers, but I want to know which states used to; I need to know whether or not to consider old driver's license numbers to be as sensitive as social security numbers.

posted by Vibrissa to Law & Government (32 answers total)

Virginia once did. I don't know when they stopped.
posted by Naberius at 5:33 AM on March 3, 2010

I used to have an Oklahoma license with my SSN as the number.
posted by hilaritas at 5:39 AM on March 3, 2010

I am pretty sure SC did - maybe another sandlapper can sonfirm
posted by pointystick at 5:42 AM on March 3, 2010

South Dakota used to. 100%, I remember the renewal.
posted by unixrat at 5:45 AM on March 3, 2010

Missouri did as of May, 1999.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:46 AM on March 3, 2010

I couldn't find a date on this document but it's a very out of date list of which states use what for drivers license number and lists a number of states as using SSN.
posted by phoenixy at 5:55 AM on March 3, 2010

Massachusetts used to, and for all I know they still give you that option.
posted by Hanuman1960 at 6:07 AM on March 3, 2010

North Dakota used SSNs.
posted by fake at 6:09 AM on March 3, 2010

California didn't, at least not after 1995. NY I can verify that from at least 2008 onward doesn't.
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:09 AM on March 3, 2010

Illinois used to. I remember it was on my DL, then for a while it was optional (I would ask for it not to be on my license). Then one year when renewing I asked for it not to be on there and was told they took it off altogether. I got my first DL in 1987.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 6:25 AM on March 3, 2010

Arizona did. My driver's license number was my SSN from '90-'00. There's no other possible way I would have memorized my DL; I lived in CA for ten years and could not even tell you what my driver's license number starts with and I don't expect to ever learn my new DL number.
posted by padraigin at 6:32 AM on March 3, 2010

Virginia did - they stopped probably five years ago.
posted by downing street memo at 6:37 AM on March 3, 2010

Texas -- never.
posted by Gridlock Joe at 6:46 AM on March 3, 2010

My first driver's license in Kansas (around ten years ago) had the SSN as the DLN. For my second one (maybe four or six years later), they recommended that I not use my SSN as DLN.
posted by elliss at 6:59 AM on March 3, 2010

Iowa did until a few years ago. They did let you change it voluntarily before it became mandatory to not use the ssn.
posted by TrialByMedia at 7:02 AM on March 3, 2010

Massachusetts definitely used to and when I helped my dad renew his license this month it was clear that while the social is not used on the license, it's still part of the person's identity in their database [i.e. I had to know his social to work through the web-based license renewal system]. Also, and this is not what you asked, but I have state health care and they print my social right on my health care card. I find that the gal who runs the Electronic Privacy Information Center sometimes has good information about this sort of thing, if you want to drop her a note.
posted by jessamyn at 7:09 AM on March 3, 2010

Georgia used the SSN also. At one point, they stated asking if you wanted to keep using your SSN or get a random number, but now you just get a random number.
posted by ralan at 7:17 AM on March 3, 2010

Mississippi used to. No idea about currently.
posted by amanda at 7:31 AM on March 3, 2010

Georgia started using the SSN as a drivers license number sometime in the early 90s. Between 5 and 10 years later they rescinded that requirement due to privacy concerns.

Not sure if this is of any interest, but until I believe the late 90s the FAA used the SSN as the pilot certificate number; then they provided a process for current pilots to request a change to a different identifier.
posted by 2xplor at 8:13 AM on March 3, 2010

Ohio had the SSN on it, but a separate DLN, about seven years ago it became optional, and then about three years ago they eliminated the spot to even have the SSN listed.
posted by banannafish at 8:47 AM on March 3, 2010

Indiana, as of 2005, gives you the option to have you SSN on the card, but regardless issues a DLN. I do not know about before this.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 9:32 AM on March 3, 2010

DC did.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:43 AM on March 3, 2010

They no longer do in Mississippi
posted by patheral at 9:50 AM on March 3, 2010

Idaho did.
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:04 AM on March 3, 2010

My husband said Arkansas used to. He had a license there from about 1998-2000.
posted by chiababe at 10:22 AM on March 3, 2010

Florida doesn't, though it does use (used?) part of it.
posted by thekiltedwonder at 10:58 AM on March 3, 2010

Wisconsin used to. I got my license in 1990.
posted by desjardins at 11:01 AM on March 3, 2010

Hawaii did until fairly recently. I'm sure there are still plenty HI licenses out there with SSNs.
posted by lex mercatoria at 11:36 AM on March 3, 2010

Although California had a separate DL numbering system, they began requiring a SS number for issuing both DL and vehicle/vessel registrations back in the 1980s. For a time, the California DL displayed the DL # at the top of the license and the SS # was displayed under the name and address portion of the license. It's been about 15-20 years since they dropped the SS# display.
posted by buggzzee23 at 12:12 PM on March 3, 2010

Iowa did as of 1997, though you had the option to have the DMV assign you a random number instead, but does no longer. I don't know when the switch was made.
posted by epj at 6:22 PM on March 3, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. Y'all are fantastically helpful. :)
posted by Vibrissa at 10:31 AM on March 4, 2010

Might as well put this story here.

Minnesota used to have a formula (of some sort) that generated your DL#. My father an I shared first name, middle name, last name. Only I was middle first last. (Bob John Smith, John Bob Smith) and we also shared a common birth month and almost a day. Our DL # were extremely close, down to the last three digits.

Now they've changed it to a barf of letters and numbers and I no longer feel that connection to my father whenever I pull it out.
posted by unixrat at 11:43 AM on March 4, 2010