How to obtain confidential license plate in California?

April 6, 2018 10:22 AM

I would like to find out how to get a confidential license plate but google is failing me.

I live in San Jose, CA and work in a field where I am exposed to a lot of disgruntled, sometimes mentally unsound, members of the public. We have an open parking lot and a recent uptick in craziness, which got me thinking about getting a confidential plate in case someone decides to look up my plate info for shits and giggles (if they haven't already). I haven't been able to find much info about how to do this. My first thought was to contact the local DMV, but because they're not famous for being helpful and friendly, I'd like to know what I'm talking about just a little before I go and do that. I am willing to get a vanity plate if it would help facilitate the process. Any advice would be much appreciated.

posted by anonymous to Grab Bag (7 answers total)

I never heard of confidential license plates before, but this article from December 2013 lists all the protected job classifications that can obtain one in CA. Basically any government employee and their spouses and children.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 10:45 AM on April 6, 2018

What are you most worried about? Them getting your name or just your address? Because if it is your address you are worried about, you can change the address on your car registration to a mailing service like travelingmailbox that would allow you to basically register it to a PO box. Even a normal PO box without all the bells and whistles of that service (which I use and has one of my RV's registered at it).

A brief check shows that CA is fine with people registering cars to PO boxes, but travelling mailbox (and others) gives you a 'proper' street address if you'd prefer/need that.
posted by Brockles at 10:45 AM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

Here's the law that describes who is eligible for confidentiality.

A number of sources say that you have to file DMV form INV 32 "Request for Confidentiality of Home Address" if you meet one of the categories. It appears that that form is no longer available on the internet, but must be requested from your employing agency if you qualify.
posted by Jahaza at 10:51 AM on April 6, 2018

My understanding is that you have to be in a class of people who are covered by the confidential plate program. I don't know if that has changed since this article was written.
posted by jessamyn at 10:51 AM on April 6, 2018

How To Be Invisible
posted by yoyo_nyc at 11:37 AM on April 6, 2018

The throwing money at the problem solution might be to create a shell corporation, "sell" the car to the corporation, register the car in the corporation's name and then rent the car from the corporation. Might need a lawyer to sort out all the details.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 12:54 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

If you’re worried about avenues other than the DMV, you may have grounds for enrolling in the CA Safe At Home program as well, which provides you a legal home address that isn’t your physical residence.
posted by crysflame at 8:39 PM on April 6, 2018 [1 favorite]