Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) — What You Need to Know
The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) is a federal law that governs who can access personal information contained in state motor vehicle records — including the registered owner’s name, address, and vehicle details associated with a license plate number. For a full legislative background on the law, visit the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act Wikipedia page.
Understanding DPPA is important before placing a license plate owner lookup request. This page explains what the law allows, how license-plate-owner.com operates within those boundaries, and which permissible purposes we accept.
Why DPPA Exists
Prior to 1994, state motor vehicle records were largely public. Personal information tied to a vehicle registration — including a driver’s home address — could be accessed by almost anyone with a plate number. This created serious privacy and safety concerns, including cases where stalkers used DMV records to locate victims.
Congress enacted the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 to restrict access to this information. The law prohibits state DMVs from disclosing personal information from motor vehicle records except for specific permissible purposes defined in the statute. Violators face federal civil liability, criminal penalties, and fines.
DPPA applies nationally. Every state DMV is required to comply. Any person or entity that obtains, discloses, or uses motor vehicle record information in violation of DPPA faces significant legal exposure.
The 10 DPPA Permissible Purposes
The following are the 10 permissible purposes defined under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (18 U.S.C. § 2721). This list is provided as a complete legal reference.
Purpose 1 — Litigation / Pre-Litigation
Legal Text: For use in connection with any civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any federal, state, or local court or agency or before any self-regulatory body, including the service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, and the execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of a federal, state, or local court.
Plain English: If you are involved in or preparing for a lawsuit, legal proceeding, or need to serve process on an individual, you may use a license plate lookup to locate the registered owner. This includes attorneys, process servers, investigators working on behalf of legal counsel, and parties to litigation.
Common Use Cases: Hit and run accidents, civil lawsuits, serving legal documents, judgment enforcement, pre-litigation investigation.
Purpose 2 — Debt Recovery / Fraud Investigation
Legal Text: For use in the normal course of business by a legitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors, but only — (a) to verify the accuracy of personal information submitted by the individual to the business or its agents, employees, or contractors; and (b) if such information as so submitted is not correct or is no longer correct, to obtain the correct information, but only for the purposes of preventing fraud by, pursuing legal remedies against, or recovering on a debt or security interest against, the individual.
Plain English: Legitimate businesses may use a license plate lookup to verify or correct personal information submitted by an individual when pursuing fraud prevention, debt recovery, or enforcement of a security interest. The business must have an existing relationship with the individual and a legitimate reason to verify or update their information.
Common Use Cases: Skip tracing for debt recovery, repossession companies locating a vehicle owner, fraud investigation by a legitimate business, verifying contact information of a debtor.
Purpose 3 — Government Agency
Legal Text: Use by a government agency, but only in carrying out its functions.
Plain English: Federal, state, and local government agencies may access motor vehicle records when performing their official government functions.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
Purpose 4 — On Government Behalf
Legal Text: Use by any person acting on behalf of a government or law enforcement agency, but only in carrying out the agency’s functions.
Plain English: Contractors, vendors, or individuals acting on behalf of a government or law enforcement agency may access records when carrying out that agency’s official functions.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
Purpose 5 — Insurer / Claims Investigation
Legal Text: Use by an insurer or insurance support organization, or by a self-insured entity, or its agents, employees, or contractors in connection with claim investigation activities, anti-fraud activities, rating or underwriting.
Plain English: Insurance companies and their agents may access motor vehicle records for claim investigations, fraud detection, policy rating, and underwriting purposes.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
Purpose 6 — Motor Vehicle Safety
Legal Text: In connection with motor vehicle safety or theft, or driver safety (except by or for a motor vehicle manufacturer).
Plain English: Organizations working on motor vehicle safety research, theft prevention, or driver safety programs may access records for those specific purposes. This does not apply to vehicle manufacturers.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
Purpose 7 — Employment
Legal Text: Use by an employer or its agents or insurer to obtain or verify information relating to a holder of a commercial driver’s license that is required under Chapter 313 of Title 49 of the United States Code.
Plain English: Employers may access records specifically to verify information about commercial driver’s license holders as required under federal transportation law.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
Purpose 8 — Towing / Impounded Vehicle
Legal Text: For use in providing notice to the owners of towed or impounded vehicles.
Plain English: Towing companies and impound lot operators may use a license plate lookup to identify and notify the registered owner of a towed or impounded vehicle.
Common Use Cases: Towing companies needing to notify a vehicle owner, impound facilities locating an owner to arrange vehicle release.
Purpose 9 — Private Investigator
Legal Text: Use by a licensed private investigative agency or licensed security service for a purpose permitted in one of the items listed above.
Plain English: Licensed private investigators and licensed security services may access motor vehicle records when operating under one of the other permissible purposes listed above. The PI or security service must hold a valid license and must be conducting the lookup for a purpose that qualifies under DPPA.
Common Use Cases: Licensed PI conducting a skip trace, locating a witness, investigating on behalf of an attorney or insurance company, conducting a background investigation.
Purpose 10 — Consumer Written Consent
Legal Text: For use by any requester, if the motor vehicle record information is requested in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories; performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts and dealers; motor vehicle market research activities, including survey research; and removal of non-owner records from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers, with the written consent of the individual to whom the information pertains.
Plain English: An individual may provide written consent authorizing the release of their own motor vehicle record information for specific purposes related to vehicle safety, recalls, or research.
Note: license-plate-owner.com does not process requests under this purpose.
How license-plate-owner.com Complies With DPPA
license-plate-owner.com is operated by Lance Casey & Associates, a licensed private investigation firm with over 25 years of experience and a law enforcement background spanning more than 10 years. Our CA PI License number is #27617.
All license plate owner lookup requests submitted through this site are fulfilled in strict compliance with the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act. We process requests under the following permissible purposes only:
- Purpose 1 — Litigation / Pre-Litigation
- Purpose 2 — Debt Recovery / Fraud Investigation
- Purpose 8 — Towing / Impounded Vehicle
- Purpose 9 — Private Investigator
Requests submitted under purposes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 are not accepted.
When placing an order you will be required to select your permissible purpose from the options above. By selecting a permissible purpose and submitting your order you are certifying to Lance Casey & Associates that:
- You have a valid permissible purpose under DPPA for the information requested
- You will use the information only for the stated permissible purpose
- You assume full responsibility for compliance with DPPA
- You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold Lance Casey & Associates harmless from any breach of DPPA by you, your agents, or contractors, and any damages, fees, and costs associated with such breach
Important Notice: Information obtained through this service may not be used to determine a consumer’s eligibility for credit, insurance, or employment pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681).
Lance Casey & Associates reserves the right to refuse any request that does not meet DPPA requirements or that raises concerns about the stated permissible purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About DPPA
What is the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act? The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) is a federal law enacted in 1994 that restricts access to personal information contained in state motor vehicle records. The law was created to protect driver privacy after cases where personal information from DMV records was used to harm individuals. You can read the full background on the DPPA Wikipedia page.
Who can legally run a license plate owner lookup? Anyone with a permissible purpose as defined under DPPA can legally request motor vehicle record information. The 10 permissible purposes are defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2721 and include litigation, debt recovery, government use, insurance investigations, motor vehicle safety, employment verification, towing, licensed private investigators, and consumer written consent.
What permissible purposes does license-plate-owner.com accept? license-plate-owner.com accepts requests under permissible purposes 1 (Litigation/Pre-Litigation), 2 (Debt Recovery/Fraud Investigation), 8 (Towing/Impounded Vehicle), and 9 (Private Investigator) only.
Is it legal to look up a license plate owner? Yes — it is legal to look up a license plate owner provided you have a valid permissible purpose under DPPA. The lookup itself is not illegal. What is illegal is accessing motor vehicle records without a permissible purpose or using the information for a purpose not authorized under DPPA.
What information is protected under DPPA? DPPA protects personally identifiable information contained in motor vehicle records including the registered owner’s name, address, phone number, Social Security number, medical or disability information, and photograph or image.
What are the penalties for violating DPPA? DPPA violations can result in federal civil liability including actual damages of not less than $2,500 per violation, punitive damages, reasonable attorney fees, and other relief the court deems appropriate. Criminal penalties may also apply.
Can a private investigator run a license plate lookup? Yes — under DPPA Purpose 9 a licensed private investigative agency or licensed security service may access motor vehicle records for a purpose permitted under the other DPPA permissible purposes. Lance Casey & Associates holds CA PI License #27617 and fulfills all lookups in compliance with DPPA.
What is the difference between DPPA and FCRA? DPPA governs access to motor vehicle records held by state DMVs. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs access to consumer credit information. Information obtained through a DPPA-compliant license plate lookup may not be used to determine a consumer’s eligibility for credit, insurance, or employment under the FCRA.
How does license-plate-owner.com verify permissible purpose? When placing an order you are required to select your permissible purpose and certify that your stated purpose is accurate. By submitting your order you agree to indemnify and hold Lance Casey & Associates harmless from any DPPA violation arising from a false or inaccurate statement of permissible purpose.
Ready to Run a License Plate Owner Lookup?
license-plate-owner.com provides DPPA-compliant license plate owner lookups fulfilled by a licensed private investigator with over 25 years of experience. Select your state below to get started or go directly to our order page.