Redacting Personal Information

Social Security, Credit Card, Bank Account Numbers & Redaction Statutes

Missouri State Laws

Effective August 28, 2006, Missouri law prohibits the preparer of documents from including social security numbers, credit card numbers and bank account numbers unless it is otherwise required by law (59.331) Also, if such information is found on the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds website, the document "preparer, submitter, or anyone in an agency relationship with the person" may apply to redact such information as follows:

59.331.

The preparer of a document shall not include an individual's sensitive personal identifying information in a document that is prepared and presented for recording in the office of the Recorder of Deeds. "Sensitive personal identifying information" includes federal Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit card account numbers. This section does not apply to state or federal tax liens, military separation or discharge papers, and other documents required by law to contain such information that are filed or recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds.

Should any person's sensitive personal identifying information appear on any document prepared or submitted for recording, the preparer, submitter, or anyone in an agency relationship with the person may redact, remove, or delete the sensitive personal identifying information before submission to the Recorder of Deeds. Any such redaction, removal, or deletion shall not in any way affect the legal status of the transaction described in the document. The Recorder of Deeds shall not alter or modify any document in the official record except as otherwise provided by law.

59.332. 1.

Should any sensitive personal identifying information, as defined in section 59.331, appear in any record or image viewable on any publicly available Internet web site maintained or sponsored by a Recorder of Deeds, any person may apply to the Recorder of Deeds for redaction or removal of that sensitive personal identifying information. Any such application shall be made in writing, signed by the applicant, his or her attorney, or legal guardian, and shall specifically identify the document or documents containing the sensitive personal identifying information.

The application shall be accompanied by a legible copy of each recorded document affected by the application, upon which the sensitive personal identifying information that is to be redacted is highlighted or otherwise indicated. Upon receipt of an application submitted in compliance with this section, the Recorder of Deeds may redact or remove the affected document from the records viewable on the publicly available Internet web site.