Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Supporting Victims of Crime

Illinois Address Confidentiality Program (ACP)

The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) provides a substitute address for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking to use instead of their home, school, or work addresses when interacting with State and local government agencies. These government agencies use the ACP substitute address when creating public records to help prevent perpetrators from using publicly available documents to locate victims. The ACP and government agencies cannot remove or delete information already in public records, including addresses.

The ACP is most effective when the participant relocates to a new address unknown to the perpetrator and not already associated with the participant’s name online.

This program can be a valuable addition to a safety plan. Still, it is not a substitute for a comprehensive safety plan. The ACP is not a witness protection program and cannot assist with relocation or housing. Participants are strongly encouraged to work with an advocate to develop a safety plan. To locate an advocate, contact the Illinois Domestic Violence Helpline at (877) 863-6338 or visit https://icasa.org/crisis-centers to find a Rape Crisis Center in your area.

Enrolling in the ACP is free, and participants may voluntarily withdraw from the program at any time.

Eligibility Requirements to Enroll in the ACP

• An adult who 1) has good reason to believe they are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking and 2) fears for their own safety.
• A parent or guardian acting on behalf of a minor child, or a legal guardian acting on behalf of a person with a disability, who 1) has good reason to believe that the person they are acting on behalf of is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking and 2) they fear for that person’s safety.
• All applicants must be physically located in Illinois or intend to move to Illinois soon.

The ACP does not require a police report or protective order as proof of the violence, and an applicant is not required to have reported the violence to law enforcement.

Using the ACP Substitute Address

• State and local government agencies are required to accept the ACP substitute address as a participant’s home, school, or work address when creating new public records. Participants can (and should) update their driver’s license or state-issued identification card with the ACP substitute address. Certain exceptions do apply, and at this time, the ACP cannot ensure confidentiality for property records. Before purchasing real property, participants are encouraged to consult with an attorney or bank to discuss safety options.
• Participants may also use the ACP substitute address with private entities and for personal correspondence. Please keep in mind that private businesses and organizations may use the address as your mailing address but are not required to do so.
• All members of the ACP participant’s household are strongly encouraged to participate in the program to protect the residential address the best.

Mail-Forwarding Services

• ACP staff forward all First-Class Mail, including personal mail, bills, cards, letters, etc., sent to the ACP substitute address to the participants' mailing addresses. Pre-Sorted Standard Mail, including magazines, catalogs, credit card offers, or junk mail, is not forwarded unless the return address identifies the sender as a government agency, an educational institution, a healthcare provider or medical group, a health insurance company, or a law firm.
• ACP will not forward packages, medications, and supplies mailed to the ACP Substitute address due to security and safety hazards. Participants will receive information on making alternative arrangements to receive packages
• When the ACP receives legal service on behalf of a participant, the court will consider a participant to have received notice, as if the participant received the service directly.

Voting

• A participant, who is otherwise qualified to vote, may register or reregister to vote by submitting the Illinois ACP Voter Registration Application they will find in their Welcome Materials folder to their local election authority.
• ACP participants must submit the ACP Voter Registration Application and vote by mail for local election authorities to keep their information private from members of the public, as otherwise required by law.

Real Property

• Currently, the ACP cannot provide confidentiality for property records. Participants are encouraged to consult with an attorney or bank before purchasing property to explore the options of purchasing the property through a land trust or LLC.

Disclosure of an ACP Participant’s Confidential Address

The ACP may not disclose a participant's confidential address unless:

• The ACP determines that a government agency has a bona fide statutory or administrative requirement for using the confidential address (e.g., Local election authorities need a participant's residential address to mail the participant the correct Vote by Mail ballot.)
• A law enforcement official makes a written request for information regarding an ongoing investigation.
• A court issues an order requiring the ACP to provide the information to a specific individual.

Applying for the ACP

• Complete the secure online application below or download and complete the PDF version of the ACP Application. The PDF application contains instructions on how to submit the application.
• Each household member aged 18 or older must complete and submit their own application.

Online ACP Application Form

Change of Residential Address After Enrollment

• Current ACP participants should notify the ACP of a change of their residential address before moving. If this is not possible, participants must contact the ACP as soon as it is practical after relocating.
• To notify the ACP of a change of address, participants should email ACP@ilag.gov with their ACP number and request to update their address information. Do not include any actual addresses in this email. ACP staff will respond by emailing a password-protected link allowing the participant to upload proof of residency of the new address to a secure server.
• Participants uncomfortable with electronically providing address information should call
  1-844-916-0295 to discuss alternative options.