N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45F-4.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024
Section 13:45F-4.1 - Restrictions on the communication of Social Security numbers
(a) No person, including a public or private entity, shall:
1. Publicly post or publicly display an individual's Social Security number or any four or more consecutive numbers taken from the individual's Social Security number;
2. Print an individual's Social Security number on any materials that are mailed to the individual, unless State or Federal law requires the Social Security number to be on the document to be mailed;
3. Print an individual's Social Security number on any card required for the individual to access products or services provided by the person or public or private entity;
4. Require an individual to transmit his or her Social Security number over the Internet, unless the connection is secure or the Social Security number is encrypted; or
5. Require an individual to use his or her Social Security number to access an Internet website, unless a password or unique PIN or other authentication device is also required to access the Internet web site.
(b) Nothing in this section shall prevent the collection, use or release of a Social Security number, as required by or to comply with State or Federal law nor shall this subchapter obviate any prohibition on the use of Social Security numbers found in any Federal or State statutes and regulations.
(c) A public or private entity may use a Social Security number for internal verification and administrative purposes, as long as the use does not require the release of the Social Security number to persons not designated by the entity to perform associated functions allowed or authorized by law.
(d) Notwithstanding this section, Social Security numbers may be included in applications and forms sent by mail, including documents sent as part of an application or enrollment process or to establish, amend or terminate an account, contract or policy, or to confirm the accuracy of the Social Security number. A Social Security number that is permitted to be mailed under this subsection may not be printed, in whole or in part, on a postcard or other mailer not requiring an envelope, or visible on the envelope or without the envelope having been opened.
(e) Nothing in this subchapter shall apply to documents that are recorded or required to be open to the public pursuant to Title 47 of the Revised Statutes. This section shall not apply to records that are required by statute, case law, or New Jersey court rules, to be made available to the public by entities provided for in Article VI of the New Jersey Constitution.
(f) Nothing in this subchapter shall apply to the interactive computer service provider's transmissions or routing or intermediate temporary storage or caching of an image, information or data that is otherwise subject to this subchapter.
(g) Where a person or a private entity requests a Social Security number from an individual, the person or private entity, when asked by the individual, shall state the reason for requesting the individual's Social Security number. Where a public entity requests a Social Security number from an individual, the public entity shall affirmatively state the use to which the Social Security number will be put.
(h) Where a person or a public or private entity requests a Social Security number from an individual, the person or public or private entity shall do so in conditions under which the Social Security number will remain confidential. Nothing contained in this subsection shall prohibit a person or public or private entity from using or releasing the Social Security number if otherwise permitted to do so under the Act or any other applicable law.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45F-4.1