Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-12

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Homeland Security Presidential DirectiveiHspd-12

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Homeland Security Presidential Directive/Hspd-l2

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Subject: Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors

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(1) Wide vadafions in the quality and security of forms of identification used to gain access to secure
Federal and other facilities where there is potential for terrorist attacks need to be eliminated. Therefore, it
is the policy of the United States to enhance security, increase Government efficiency, reduce idenfity
fraud, and protect personal pdvacy by establishing a mandatory, Government-wide standard for secure
and reliable forms of identification issued by the Federal Government to its employees and contractors
(including contractor employees).

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(2) To implement the policy set forth in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Commerce shall promulgate in
accordance with applicable law a Federal standard for secure and reliable forms of idenfiticafion (the
"Standard") not later than 6 months alter the date of this directive in consultation with the Secretary of
State, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director
of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy. The Secretary of Commeme shall periodically review the Standard and update the
Standard as appropriate in consultafion with the affected agencies.
(3) "Secure and reliable forms of identification" for purposes of this directive means identification that (a)
is issued based on sound criteda for verifying an individual employee’s identity; (b) is strongly resistant to
identity fraud, tampering, counterfeiting, and terredst exploitation; (c) can be rapidly authenticated
electronically; and (d) is issued only by providers whose reliability has been established by an official
accreditation pmcass. The Standard will include graduated cdteda, from least secure to most secure, to
ensure flexibility in selecting the appropriate level of security for each application. The Standard shall not
apply to idenfiflcation associated with national security systems as defined by 44 U.S.C. 3542(b)(2).
(4) Not later than 4 months following promulgation of the Standard, the heads of executive departments
and agencies shall have a program in place to ensure that identification issued by their departments and
agencies to Federal employees and contractors meets the Standard. As promptly as possible, but in no
case later than 8 months after the date of promulgafion of the Standard, the heads of executive
departments and agencies shall, to the maximum extent practicable, require the use of identification by
Federal employees and contractors that meets the Standard in gaining physical access to Federally
controlled facilities and logical access to Federally controlled information systems. Departments and
agencies shall implement this direcfive in a manner consistent with ongoing Government-wide activities,
policies and guidance issued by OMB, which shall ensure compliance.
(5) Not later than 6 months following promulgation of the Standard, the heads of executive departments
and agencies shall identify to the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Director of
OMB those Federally controlled facilities, Federally controlled information systems, and other Federal
applications that are important for security and for which use of the Standard in circumstances not
covered by this directive should be considered. Not later than 7 months following the promulgation of the
Standard, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and the Director of OMB shall make
recommendations to the President concerning possible use of the Standard for such additional Federal
applications.

¯ June 2002

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/O8/20040827-8.html

4/27/2006

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Homeland Security Presidential Directive!Hspd-12
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(6) This directive shall be implemented in a manner consistent with the C0nstitufion and applicable laws,
including the Pdvacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and other statutes protecting the rights of Americans.
(7) Nothing in this directive altem, or impedes the ability to carry out, the authorities of the Federal
departments and agencies to perform their responsibilities under law and consistent with applicable legal
authorities and presidential guidance. This directive is intended only to improve the internal management
of the execufive branch of the Federal Government, and it is not intended to, and does not, create any
dght or benefit enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, entities, omcers, employees or agents, or any other person.
(8) The Assistant to the President for Homeland Secur’¢cy shall report to me not later than 7 months after
the promulgation of the Standard on progress made to implement this directive, and shall thereafter
report to me on such progress or any recommended changes from time to time as appropriate.

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