Delaware ID Scanning Laws & Regulations

Can you scan IDs in Delaware?

Delaware law does not regulate a business’s practice of scanning IDs or retaining information obtained from a scan. 

There are some instances in which merchants are required to record information related to identity, such as scrap metal brokers and pawn brokers. ID scanning can improve the ease and accuracy of record keeping in these scenarios.

Overview of Delaware ID Scanning Laws

In the absence of any statute governing issues associated with a business’s practice of scanning IDs, a business is likely allowed to scan IDs and to retain information obtained from a scan, subject to applicable privacy laws. 

Does Delaware offer affirmative defense for ID scanning?

Yes. Delaware Code references affirmative defense for alcohol sales.

Delaware Code, Chapter 9. Alcoholic Liquors. § 904. Offenses Concerning Certain Persons.

(a) (1) Whoever sells any alcoholic liquor to any person who has not reached the age of 21 years, or sells to any person of more than such age any alcoholic liquor knowing that such alcoholic liquor is bought for a person who is less than 21 years of age and is to be drunk by the latter, shall, in addition to the payment of costs, be fined not less than $250 nor more than $500 and, on failure to pay such fine and costs, shall be imprisoned for 30 days.

(2) In any prosecution for an offense under this subsection, it shall be an affirmative defense that the individual, who has not reached the age of 21 years, presented to the accused identification, with a photograph of such individual affixed thereon, which identification sets forth information which would lead a reasonable person to believe such individual was 21 years of age or older.

(b) Any person under the age of 21 years who knowingly makes false statement to any person engaged in the sale of alcoholic liquor for the purpose of obtaining the same and to the effect that he is 21 years of age or older, shall, in addition to the payment of costs, be fined for the first offense, not less than $100 nor more than $500, and on failure to pay such fine and costs, shall be imprisoned for 30 days, and for each subsequent like offense, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and on failure to pay such fine and costs shall be imprisoned for 60 days.

Delaware Code, Commerce & Trade, Chapter 12B. Computer Security Breaches

(7) a. “Personal information” means a Delaware resident’s first name or first initial and last name in combination with any 1 or more of the following data elements that relate to that individual:

1. Social Security number.
2. Driver’s license number or state or federal identification card number.
3. Account number, credit card number, or debit card number, in combination with any required security code, access code, or password that would permit access to a resident’s financial account.
4. Passport number.
5. A username or email address, in combination with a password or security question and answer that would permit access to an online account.
6. Medical history, medical treatment by a health-care professional, diagnosis of mental or physical condition by a health care professional, or deoxyribonucleic acid profile.
7. Health insurance policy number, subscriber identification number, or any other unique identifier used by a health insurer to identify the person..
8. Unique biometric data generated from measurements or analysis of human body characteristics for authentication purposes.
9. An individual taxpayer identification number.

b. Personal information’’ does not include publicly available information that is lawfully made available to the general public from federal, state, or local government records or widely-distributed media.

Delaware Code, Commerce & Trade. Chapter 50C. Safe Destruction of PII

§ 5002C. Safe destruction of records.

In the event that a commercial entity seeks permanently to dispose of records containing consumers’ personal identifying information within its custody or control, such commercial entity shall take reasonable steps to destroy or arrange for the destruction of each such record by shredding, erasing, or otherwise destroying or modifying the personal identifying information in those records to make it unreadable or indecipherable.

§ 5004C. Exemptions.

This chapter does not apply to any of the following:

1. Any bank, credit union, or financial institution, as defined under the federal Gramm Leach Bliley Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq., as amended, that is subject to the regulation of the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, the Federal Reserve, the National Credit Union Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Department of Business Regulation, or the Delaware Department of Insurance and is subject to the privacy and security provisions of the Gramm Leach Bliley Act;
2. Any health insurer or health-care facility that is subject to and in compliance with the standards for privacy of individually identifiable health information and the security standards for the protection of electronic health information of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [P.L. 104-191]; or
3. Any consumer report agency that is subject to and in compliance with the Federal Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., as amended; or
4. Any government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality.

Delaware Code, Chapter 23. Pawnbrokers, Secondhand Dealers & Scrap Metal Processors

(a) Every pawnbroker and secondhand dealer shall create a record and provide information regarding merchandise acquired via an electronic format to be determined by the Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security.

(1) Such record shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

• The date and time of purchase;
• The make, model, identifying markings, color, size, any listed serial number, International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), the Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), any unique identifying number assigned by the manufacturer, or any other identifiable characteristics of the purchased item or items;
• If payment is based on weight for precious metal, the weight of the type of the metal shall be listed as well as any precious stone(s) which is a part of the item;
• The amount or other consideration paid for the merchandise;
• The name and address of the individual from whom the merchandise is acquired;
• The signature of the individual from whom the merchandise is acquired;

For each individual from whom the pawn broker or secondhand dealer acquires scrap metal:

1. The date of birth and driver’s license; or,
2. Identification information about the individual from a valid state-issued photo identification card that provides a physical description of the individual, including the sex, race, distinguishing features, and approximate age, height and weight of the individual.

(2) Pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers shall collect a photograph of the seller and all information pertaining to the seller, required on the electronic form, for every transaction regardless of value.

(3) Automated kiosks shall collect a right thumbprint image of the seller and all information pertaining to the seller including photograph and valid government issued identification, required on the electronic form, for every transaction regardless of value.

If the article or good’s Serial Number, IMEI, MEID, or other unique identifying number is not available at the time of purchase or receipt from an automated kiosk, the report filed pursuant to this section must be updated with the Serial Number, IMEI, MEID, or other unique identifying number as soon as possible. The holding requirements in §2304(1) do not begin until all required reports are complete and submitted to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

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