Q. This question is about organizations asking for your driver’s license — sometimes it seems questionable to me. Two recent examples: A community group I volunteer with needs to do background checks, which I understand. However, the person taking the information wanted to collect everyone’s driver’s license make a copy and then return them later in the meeting. We politely refused and waited for the copies. Were we overly concerned? Most of the attendees thought we should not give our license to someone.

I went with a friend to tour an apartment complex and the property manager would not let us take the tour unless we left our license at the office. They have this policy framed in a beautiful silver frame on their desk! Is this legal?

A. When it comes to securing your personal information, I do not think you can ever be too cautious. While the information is necessary for background checks, there should be no reason for a community group to keep a copy of your license on file once the check is completed. Social Security numbers, by federal law, are part of the information on Commercial Driver Licenses only, not any other class of license, and that information must be kept safe.

To answer the second part of your question, I consulted several people in the property management business to ask why this policy might be in place at an apartment complex. The answer is that it is a security measure on the part of the management company. If a rental agent is going out on property alone with a prospective tenant, the license is held so that if any harm comes to the agent, the management office has the identity of the person that agent was with. As with any policy, it must be applied evenly to all applicants so that there can be no question of discrimination, which is a legal issue.

Bottom line — if you do not feel comfortable giving up your drivers’ license information to anyone other than a police officer — then don’t!

No e-mail at DMV

Q. Why is it not possible to contact the DMV via e-mail, since that is far more efficient than available methods?

A. E-mail is one of the avenues of communication that the DMV is currently exploring. Lack of staff prevents us from taking all questions via e-mail. Routine information, such as locations and hours of DMV branch offices, documents to bring for duplicate registrations and licenses and other specific information can be obtained by calling the DMV’s main number at (401) 462-4DMV and listening to the menu options to get the information desired.

Disabled veteran plate

Q. My husband is a disabled veteran and I understand he is eligible for a special plate. I had heard, that once this plate is issued, he no longer is required to pay for license and registration renewals. Also, if this is true, would this apply if he has more than one vehicle registered in his name? Does this apply to the state excise tax as well?

A. The Veteran’s Administration must certify that your husband is 100 percent disabled due to and resulting directly from a service-related injury or illness. Some veterans are under the mistaken impression that if they are eligible for 100 percent compensation from the VA, that is the same thing as being 100 percent disabled and it is not.

RIGL 31-6-8 states that “Any veteran who has been honorably discharged from the service of the armed forces or the merchant marine of the United States in any of the wars or campaigns in which the United States has been engaged and who, while engaged in these wars or campaigns or as a result of engagement in these wars or campaigns, by reason of amputation, has lost one or both of his or her arms, hands, feet, or legs, or who, by reason of other permanent injury, has lost the use of one or both of his or her arms, hands, feet, or legs, or to whom has been granted a motor vehicle license under chapter 870-2D, United States Public Laws 663, enacted 1946, 79th Congress, or has been determined by the Veterans’ Administration to have a service-connected disability of 100 percent shall be forever exempt from the payment of any fee for the annual registration of and a license to operate that motor vehicle.”

Once your husband has this letter from the VA, he can apply for his Disabled Veteran plate and license at the Pawtucket branch of the DMV. He must also present his form DD-214 indicating honorable discharge and dates of service. Disabled veteran plates and a special license number indicating his veteran status will be issued. This will exempt him from paying any registration or license renewal fees for life.

For more information on Veterans Affairs, you can also contact the Department of Veteran Affairs, 380 Westminster Street, St., Providence 02903 or call (401) 223-3629. You can also contact the Rhode Island House Committee on Veteran Affairs at (401) 222-2933.

Gina Antonucci Zanni, chief of communications for the State Division of Motor Vehicles, has agreed to answer questions of general interest posed by Journal readers about state motor vehicle laws and procedures. To ask a question that would also be of interest to other readers, send a letter to Ask projoCars, Features Department, The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI, 02902. You can e-mail your question to projocars@projo.com. Please put “Ask projoCars” in the subject field. Questions or complaints of a specific nature should be posed to the DMV directly and will not be answered in this column.