Step-by-step guide

How to keep your new address private

The short answer

An Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) gives you a free substitute address to use in place of your real one. Mail sent there is forwarded to where you live, and state and local government offices must accept it. Utah's program is called Safe at Home.1 10

You usually apply with a trained advocate, and you need some proof of the abuse or threats, like a protective order, police report or a letter from an advocate. These programs work best if you've recently moved, or are about to, to a place the abuser doesn't know.2 5

Updated October 2026. Rules differ by state, so call your office before you go. Questions? We're here: call or text 888-860-RISE.

Before you change anything, think about how the abuser may react

An abuser who suddenly loses access to your phone, location or accounts may notice, and controlling behavior can get worse. Make a plan with an advocate before you lock things down.12

Talk it through with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, from a phone the abuser hasn't had access to.14 12

Your steps, in order

1
See if you qualify for your state's program
Programs commonly cover survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking. In Utah you must live in the state, fear danger if the abuser knew where you live, and have moved in the last 90 days, be moving in the next 90 days, or live somewhere the abuser doesn't know.1 2
Proof doesn't have to be court evidence. Utah accepts a police report or protective order, or a letter from a victim advocate, therapist or clergy member who knows about the violence or threats.2
2
Apply with a certified advocate
Most programs work through trained helpers. Utah can't take an application straight from you: you meet with a certified Safe at Home program assistant, often a victim advocate at a police department, county attorney's office or crisis center, who applies with you. Utah's site lists them by county.2
Utah's program is free and lasts four years, and you can renew. Call 1-833-747-7233 (1-833-747-SAFE) or 801-538-1600 to ask where to start.1
Bring
- Proof of the abuse or threats (protective order, police report, or an advocate's letter)
- Your new address, which the program keeps confidential
- Names of children or household members who live with you
3
Use your substitute address everywhere you can
Give the substitute address to government offices: they must accept it in Utah and New York. In Texas, you can use it to get mail, enroll children in school, get a driver's license and register to vote.1 10 8
Private companies such as banks and landlords don't have to accept it, but many will if you ask. Mail goes to the program first, so expect a short delay; Texas says 3 to 4 days.10 1 8
Know the limits. An ACP is not witness protection. It doesn't change your name or Social Security number, and it can't remove your address from records that are already public.10
Tip:
Court papers can list addresses. Before you file for a protective order or anything else, ask the clerk or your advocate how to keep your new address off the papers the other side gets.11
4
Protect your voter record
Voter rolls can be public, and they include your address. In Utah, anyone who is a victim of, or threatened with, domestic or dating violence, or lives with someone who is, can ask the county clerk to withhold their voter record using the At-Risk Designation Request form. Survivors of domestic or dating violence don't have to explain why.3 4
Washington program members can register as Protected Records Voters, which keeps their real address, name, county and precinct out of public record. Don't use the online system to register; use the paper form from the program or your county.6
In California and New York, program members can register as confidential voters. Contact your program before you register or update your voter record.7 10
5
Make your phone and accounts safer
Use a safer device the abuser has never had in hand or remote access to. The safest choice may be a new phone with an account the abuser can't reach. Don't sign it in to old cloud accounts the abuser might know, especially if you shared a family plan.12
On a shared family phone plan? Federal rules now require mobile carriers to separate your line from a plan the abuser controls. Calls and texts to domestic violence hotlines are also left off the call logs others can see on the account.13
Check your phone, apps and accounts for location sharing and for devices you don't recognize. Change passwords from a safer device, and use a passcode on your phone. A tracker can also hide in a car, purse or bag.12 15
Save evidence before you delete or report anything, such as screenshots of threats. Reporting a post can remove it for good.12
Tip:
Social media is never fully private. Ask friends not to tag you, post photos of your new place, or check you in anywhere near home.15

What it costs

Item	Cost
Address Confidentiality Program (Utah Safe at Home)	Free
Mail forwarding (New York)	Free for first-class, certified and registered mail
Withholding your Utah voter record	No fee listed on the form
A P.O. box	Set by the post office; an option if your state has no program

State programs

Many states run an Address Confidentiality Program, often through the secretary of state or attorney general. These examples come from each program's own pages.

Utah

Safe at Home serves survivors of abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking and sexual assault who live in Utah. It's free, lasts four years and can be renewed. Apply through a certified program assistant. Phone: 1-833-747-7233.1 2

Washington

The Secretary of State's ACP serves adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or trafficking who fear for their safety. Members can register as Protected Records Voters. Phone: 1-800-822-1065.5 6

California

Safe at Home, run by the Secretary of State, covers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking and elder or dependent adult abuse, among others. Enroll through an enrolling agency. Phone: 1-877-322-5227.7

Texas

The Attorney General's program serves victims of family violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking and child abduction who have a protective order or other proof. You get a substitute P.O. box for three years at a time. Phone: 1-888-832-2322.8

New York

The Department of State's program serves survivors of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault or human trafficking who have moved somewhere unknown to the abuser, and their family. Apply online at dos.ny.gov/ACP or with an application assistance provider. Membership lasts 4 years. Phone: 1-855-350-4595.9 10

Stuck on a step? You don't have to do this alone.

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Questions people ask

What is an Address Confidentiality Program?

A state program that gives survivors a free substitute address. Mail sent there is forwarded to your real home, and government offices must accept the substitute in place of your street address.

Does Utah have an Address Confidentiality Program?

Yes. It's called Safe at Home. It's free, lasts four years and can be renewed, and you apply with a certified program assistant, often a victim advocate. Call 1-833-747-7233.

Can I keep my address off the voter rolls?

Often, yes. Utah lets survivors of domestic or dating violence ask the county clerk to withhold their voter record. Washington, California and New York let program members register confidentially.

Do I need a protective order to join?

Not always. Utah accepts a police report or protective order, or a letter from an advocate, therapist or clergy member. Texas asks for a protective order or other proof such as police, medical or court records.

How do I know if my phone is being tracked?

Check for location sharing and unknown devices in your phone, apps and accounts, from a safer device if you can. If you're unsure, the safest option may be a new phone on an account the abuser can't reach. Plan with an advocate first.

Keep going: more first-step guides

Sources

Official pages, read in October 2026. Rules change. If something here looks out of date, please let us know at hello@riseaid.org and we'll fix it.

1.Utah Safe at Home. About the program
2.Utah Safe at Home. How to enroll
3.Utah Code. Section 20A-2-104: voter registration form, request to withhold a voter record (effective May 6, 2026)
4.Utah Lieutenant Governor, Office of Elections. At-risk designation request form
5.Washington Secretary of State. Address Confidentiality Program: do I qualify?
6.Washington Secretary of State. Address Confidentiality Program: voter registration
7.California Secretary of State. Safe at Home
8.Office of the Texas Attorney General. Address Confidentiality Program
9.New York Department of State. Address Confidentiality Program
10.New York Department of State. Address Confidentiality Program: frequently asked questions (August 2025)
11.WomensLaw.org (National Network to End Domestic Violence). Safety planning in a confidential address
12.Safety Net Project, National Network to End Domestic Violence. Technology safety plan
13.Federal Communications Commission (November 2023). FCC adopts rules to help survivors of domestic violence (Safe Connections Act)
14.National Domestic Violence Hotline. Get help 24/7
15.National Domestic Violence Hotline. Internet safety