How to Change the Name on Your Social Security Card

To change the name on your Social Security card, complete Form SS-5, gather original documents proving your legal name change and your identity, and submit them to the Social Security Administration by mail, in person, or — in many cases — online. There is no fee. Your Social Security number stays the same; only the name on the card and in SSA’s records changes.¹

Getting this right matters beyond the card itself. The IRS cross-checks the name on your tax return against SSA’s database, and a mismatch can cause an e-filed return to be rejected or a refund to be delayed.²

Can You Do It Online

Often, yes. If you got married in one of 21 participating states — including Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others — you can handle the entire name change through your my Social Security account. Keep your marriage certificate and identification nearby during the application, and wait at least 30 days after the marriage date so the state has time to update its vital records.³

If you live outside a participating state, or your name change came from a divorce or a court order rather than a marriage, you can still start online and then bring your documents to a local office to finish.⁴ The fully paper route — filing by mail or in person — remains available if neither online option works for you.¹

Documents You Need

Every request requires proof of the name change and proof of your identity. If SSA doesn’t already have your citizenship or immigration status on file, you’ll need to prove that too. All documents must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.⁵

Proof of the Name Change

You need a document that ties your old name to your new one. Any of these works:

A marriage certificate issued by the state or county where the marriage was recorded.
A divorce decree that specifically restores or grants a former name.
A court order for any other legal name change.

The document must be recent enough for SSA to consider it current, and it must show both your previous name and your new name.⁶

Proof of Identity

Bring at least one current, unexpired document that identifies you: a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, U.S. passport, or a similar document showing your name and either your date of birth, age, or a photograph.⁵

Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Status

If SSA doesn’t already have this on file, U.S. citizens can provide a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, certificate of naturalization, or certificate of citizenship.⁵ Non-citizens must provide a current, unexpired Department of Homeland Security document, such as Form I-551 (Permanent Resident Card), Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record), or Form I-766 (Employment Authorization Document). A receipt showing you applied for one of these will not do; SSA needs the actual document.⁷

Filling Out Form SS-5

Form SS-5 is available from SSA’s website or at any local office and is used for original cards, replacements, and name or record corrections.⁶ Print clearly, and make sure every entry matches the documents you’re providing. The form asks for:

Your new legal name — first, middle, and last — exactly as it appears on the name-change document.
Your full name at birth, if different.
Any other legal names you’ve used.
Your existing Social Security number.
Your place and date of birth, matching SSA’s records.
Your parents’ names and Social Security numbers, if known.

You sign and date the form under penalty of perjury, so read your entries carefully before submitting. A transposed digit in your Social Security number is enough to get the application returned.

How to Submit It

Send the completed Form SS-5 and your original documents by mail, or bring them to a Social Security office.⁶ If you started online, you may be able to self-schedule an appointment at your local office through the website when you’re ready to finish. Otherwise, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to schedule.¹

Mailing means sending originals like a passport or marriage certificate through the postal system, so use a trackable service. SSA returns all original documents to you by mail after processing, and the new card comes separately. Expect roughly two to four weeks for the whole process.⁸ The card is free; postage is your only cost.

Replacement Card Limits Don’t Apply

Federal law generally caps you at three replacement Social Security cards per year and ten per lifetime.⁹ Cards issued because of a legal name change do not count against either limit.¹⁰ SSA treats a verified name change as a compelling circumstance that automatically qualifies for an exception.¹¹

After Your New Card Arrives

Tell Your Employer

Give your employer your new legal name so your W-2 reflects it. Because the IRS matches your return to SSA’s records, a mismatch can cause an e-filed return to be rejected.¹² If you receive a W-2 in your old name after updating your card, ask your employer to issue a corrected form. When filing, make sure both the name and Social Security number on your return match your card exactly.²

Report It If You Receive Benefits

If you already receive Social Security benefits, report the name change to SSA by the 10th day of the month following the change. Marry on March 15, and SSA should hear from you by April 10.¹³ Late reporting can delay your payments.

Update Everything Else

Update your Social Security card before changing your name with other agencies, because many verify identity against SSA’s database. Once the new card is in hand, plan to update your driver’s license or state ID at the DMV, your U.S. passport through the Department of State, and any bank accounts, insurance policies, or professional licenses tied to your legal name.

One boundary worth flagging: this process is for adults changing their own card. A parent or legal guardian changing a child’s name on their card also files Form SS-5, but the child’s situation brings extra documentation rules — including proof of custody and, in some cases, ID in the child’s prior name — that go beyond what’s covered here.¹⁴

1
Social Security Administration. U.S. Citizen – Adult Name Change on Social Security Card
2
Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
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Social Security Administration. Just Married? Need to Change Your Name?
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Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card?
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eCFR. 20 CFR 422.107 – Evidence Requirements
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Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card – Form SS-5
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Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card – Form SS-5-FS – Evidence Requirements
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Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card?
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Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 422.103
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Social Security Administration. POMS RM 10205.400 – Limits on Replacement SSN Cards
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eCFR. 20 CFR 422.110 – Individual’s Request for Change in Record
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Internal Revenue Service. Age Name SSN Rejects, Errors, Correction Procedures
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Social Security Administration. Communicate Changes to Personal Situation
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card