There is no cost to change the name on your Social Security card. The Social Security Administration does not charge a fee to process a name change or to mail you a replacement card, whether the change follows a marriage, a divorce, a court order, or naturalization.1Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card? The Form SS-5 application is free to file, and the new card arrives by mail at no charge.2Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card Any money you spend on a name change goes to other agencies for the documents that prove it.
Where the Real Costs Come From
Before you can apply, you need a document that legally connects your old name to your new one. That document is where the fees live, and they vary by jurisdiction.
A certified copy of a marriage certificate from your county clerk’s office typically runs $10 to $30. A certified divorce decree carries its own certified-copy fee from the court that issued it. If your name change isn’t tied to marriage or divorce, you’ll usually need a court order, and the filing fee for a name-change petition ranges widely by location, from as low as $25 in some jurisdictions to several hundred dollars in others.
None of these fees are paid to the SSA. They’re the price of the paperwork, not the price of the card, and you’d owe them even if you never updated Social Security.
Beware of Paid Name-Change Services
Some private companies advertise Social Security name-change services for a fee. They have no affiliation with the SSA, offer no advantage over doing it yourself, and don’t remove any step of the work: you still have to submit your own documents to Social Security directly.1Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card? Paying one of these services is money spent on a task that costs nothing when you do it yourself.
What Documents You Need to Gather
Every name-change application asks for documents in three categories. All must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.3Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
Proof of Identity
The SSA prefers a U.S. driver’s license, a state-issued non-driver ID card, or a U.S. passport.3Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card If you don’t have any of those and can’t get one within 10 days, the SSA will consider alternatives such as an employee ID, school ID, health insurance card (not Medicare), or U.S. military ID, provided the document is current and shows your name with identifying information like your date of birth or a recent photo.
Proof of the Legal Name Change
You need a document that links your old name to your new one. Acceptable proof includes a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order approving the name change, or a Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name.3Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card The document must be recent and must show both your prior name and your new name.2Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card
Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Status
You only need to provide this if the SSA doesn’t already have it on file from a prior transaction. If it isn’t on file, U.S. citizens can use a U.S. passport, birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad.3Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card Non-citizens need a current immigration document such as a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), or an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record.
If any supporting document is in a language other than English, submit the original along with a signed English translation. The translator must certify the accuracy of the translation, and it needs to be a full rendering of the original rather than a summary.
How to Submit the Free Application
The SSA offers three ways to apply, and which are available depends on where you live.
Online
In some states, you can complete the entire name change through your personal my Social Security account.4Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card? Even where the fully online path isn’t offered, you can start the application online and then bring your documents to a local Social Security office or Card Center within 45 calendar days to finish.5Social Security Administration. U.S. Citizen – Adult Name Change on Social Security Card The SSA’s Replace Social Security Card page will tell you which option is available in your state after a few screening questions.
In Person
Visiting a local Social Security office lets a representative review your documents on the spot and hand them back before you leave. That’s the option to pick if you’d rather not put originals in the mail. Use the SSA’s online office locator to find the nearest location.
By Mail
You can also mail a completed Form SS-5 with your original or certified supporting documents to your local Social Security office.6Social Security Administration. Submit Forms and Upload Documents The SSA will return your documents, but a trackable shipping method is worth using while they’re out of your hands.
How Long It Takes and Whether It Counts Against Your Limits
After processing, your new card arrives by mail in 5 to 10 business days.7Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security Your Social Security number does not change; only the name printed on the card does. Your original documents come back separately from the new card, so the two mailings may not arrive on the same day.
The SSA normally limits replacement cards to three per year and ten per lifetime.8Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 422-0103 Name changes fall outside those caps. A verified legal name change is treated as a compelling reason for a new card, so the update does not use up one of your allotted replacements.