To change your Social Security address by mail, send a signed letter to your local Social Security field office stating that you want to update the mailing address on your record. Include your full legal name, Social Security number, previous address, new address, and a daytime phone number. That’s all the agency needs for a straightforward domestic address change; there is no dedicated SSA form for it.
What to Put in the Letter
Keep it short and direct. One paragraph is enough. The letter should contain:
- Your full legal name, exactly as it appears on your Social Security records
- Your Social Security number
- Your previous mailing address
- Your new mailing address
- A daytime phone number where SSA staff can reach you to verify anything
Sign it by hand. For a domestic address change sent from within the United States, you do not need to enclose a photocopy of your ID.
Where to Mail the Letter
Send the letter to your local Social Security office. You can look up the mailing address using the office locator at ssa.gov/locator.
Do not mail it to SSA headquarters in Baltimore. The Baltimore address published on SSA’s website belongs to the Office of Public Inquiries, which handles general questions, and the agency explicitly warns against sending applications or benefit-related documents there.1Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security By Mail
How Long It Takes
Mail is the slowest of the available methods. Online and phone updates can post to your record within a day or two; a mailed letter depends on postal delivery plus the time it takes staff at the field office to process it. If you are expecting a benefit check, a tax document, or another important notice soon, calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or using your my Social Security account will get the change on file faster.2Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security By Phone3Social Security Administration. my Social Security | SSA
If mail is still your preference, send the letter well before your next scheduled payment date. Keeping your address current matters because SSA uses it to send benefit notices, tax documents, and payment information, and an outdated address can delay or disrupt your benefits.
If You Receive SSI
Supplemental Security Income recipients have a reporting duty that a plain address-change letter may not fully satisfy. SSI payments depend on your living situation, including who you live with, whether you pay rent, and whether someone else covers your food or housing costs. A move can change any of those, and SSA needs to reassess.
You must report the move no later than 10 days after the end of the month in which it happened.4Social Security Administration. Understanding Supplemental Security Income Reporting Responsibilities Missing that deadline can trigger a penalty deducted from your payment: $25 for the first late report, $50 for the second, and $100 for each one after that. The penalty only applies if the late report causes an overpayment that you accept.5Social Security Administration. Assessing Penalties
Along with the new address, report any changes to your household, such as new roommates, a spouse moving in or out, or a shift from paying rent to living rent-free. Moves into or out of a hospital, nursing home, or other institution, even temporary ones, must be reported too.6Social Security Administration. Report changes to your situation while on SSI Given the 10-day window and the penalty structure, most SSI recipients are better off calling 1-800-772-1213 or contacting the local office directly rather than relying on the mail. SSI recipients also cannot update an address through the my Social Security online portal.7Social Security Administration. How can I change my address or direct deposit information for my Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments
If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen
Updating your address with Social Security does not update it with immigration authorities. Federal law requires most non-citizens living in the United States to also report an address change to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within 10 days of moving, by filing Form AR-11 online or on paper.8USCIS. Alien’s Change of Address Card The only exceptions are A and G visa holders and visitors admitted under the visa waiver program. SSA and USCIS do not share address updates automatically, so a failure to file the AR-11 is a separate violation from failing to notify SSA.
Mailing From Outside the United States
There are no Social Security offices outside the country, and the mailing address is different. U.S. citizens living abroad who want to update an address by mail should write to the SSA’s Office of Earnings and International Operations at P.O. Box 17769, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769. Include your name, Social Security number, old address, new address, and a phone number.9Social Security Administration. Service Around the World – Office of Earnings and International Operations
If you are moving from the United States to a foreign country, complete Form SSA-21 (Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United States) and include it with your written request. U.S. embassies and consulates also have staff trained to help with Social Security matters if you need assistance while abroad. Non-citizens living abroad cannot use the online portal to change an address, so writing or calling is the available route.9Social Security Administration. Service Around the World – Office of Earnings and International Operations
What Updates Automatically, and What Doesn’t
Once SSA processes your letter, Medicare Part A and Part B pull your address directly from your Social Security record, so those are updated automatically.10Social Security Administration. Manage your Medicare benefits Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medigap supplemental policies are run by private insurers, and the SSA update does not carry over to them. Contact those plans directly. A move to a new area can also open a Medicare Advantage Special Enrollment Period, so if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, check whether it still covers your new location.