Executive Order 9397

EXECUTIVE ORDER 9397 (AS AMENDED)
NUMBERING SYSTEM FOR FEDERAL ACCOUNTS RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL PERSONS
WHEREAS certain Federal agencies from time to time require in the administration of their activities a
system of numerical identification of accounts of individual persons; and
WHEREAS some seventy million persons have heretofore been assigned account numbers pursuant to
the Social Security Act; and
WHEREAS a large percentage of Federal employees have already been assigned account numbers
pursuant to the Social Security Act; and
WHEREAS it is desirable in the interest of economy and orderly administration that the Federal
Government move towards the use of a single unduplicated numerical identification system of accounts
and avoid the unnecessary establishment of additional systems:
NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is
hereby ordered as follows:
1. Hereafter any Federal department, establishment, or agency may, whenever the head thereof finds it
advisable to establish a new system of permanent account numbers pertaining to individual persons,
utilize the Social Security Act account numbers assigned pursuant to title 20, section 422.103 of the Code of
Federal Regulations and pursuant to paragraph 2 of this order.
2. The Social Security Administration shall provide for the assignment of an account number to each person
who is required by any Federal agency to have such a number but who has not previously been
assigned such number by the Administration. The Administration may accomplish this purpose by (a) assigning
such numbers to individual persons, (b) assigning blocks of numbers to Federal agencies for reassignment to
individual persons, or (c) making such other arrangements for the assignment of numbers as it may
deem appropriate.
3. The Social Security Administration shall furnish, upon request of any Federal agency utilizing the numerical
identification system of accounts provided for in this order, the account number pertaining to any person
with whom such agency has an account or the name and other identifying data pertaining to any account
number of any such person.
4. The Social Security Administration and each Federal agency shall maintain the confidential character of
information relating to individual persons obtained pursuant to the provisions of this order.
5. There shall be transferred to the Social Security Administration, from time to time, such amounts as the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall determine to be required for reimbursement by any
Federal agency for the services rendered by the Administration pursuant to the provisions of this order.
6. This order shall be implemented in accordance with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
7. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies,
instrumentalities, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
8. This order shall be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 18, 2008.