How to Get a Social Security Card for Your Newborn

The simplest way to get a Social Security card for your newborn is to request one at the hospital when you fill out the birth certificate paperwork. Do that, and the state’s vital records office sends the information to the Social Security Administration electronically, a number is assigned, and the card arrives in the mail. If you missed that step, you can apply on your own using Form SS-5, either starting online, visiting a local Social Security office, or mailing the application with original documents. There is no fee, no matter which route you take.¹

You’ll want the number sooner rather than later. It’s required to claim the Child Tax Credit, worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child, and you’ll need it to add the baby to health insurance, open a savings account, or list the child as a dependent on your tax return.²

Request It at the Hospital

This is the Enumeration at Birth program. While you’re filling out the birth certificate paperwork at the hospital, birthing center, or with a licensed midwife, check the box asking for a Social Security number too. The birth data goes to the Social Security Administration through your state’s vital statistics office, and the agency assigns the number, prints the card, and mails it to you.³

No documents to gather, no separate form, no office visit. Before you leave the hospital, confirm with the clerk that the request was actually included. If it wasn’t, or if your baby was born at home without a licensed midwife participating in birth registration, you’ll need to apply yourself.

If You Missed the Hospital Step

You have three ways to apply on your own. As of February 2026, you can start an original Social Security number application online through the agency’s website. After you submit the information, the Social Security Administration will either finish processing online or direct you to schedule an appointment at a local office to bring in your documents. Starting online usually cuts down the time you spend at the office.⁴

You can also skip the online step and go straight to a local office with a completed Form SS-5 and your original documents. Use the agency’s field office locator to find one near you.⁵ A representative examines the originals, enters the information, and hands your documents back the same day. An in-person appointment isn’t required for a newborn; it’s only required for applicants twelve or older who have never had a number.

The third option is mailing the signed Form SS-5 with your original documents to any Social Security office. The agency returns everything by mail once processing is done.⁶ Because that means putting a birth certificate in the mail, many parents prefer to apply in person.

Form SS-5 asks for the child’s full name at birth, date of birth, and place of birth, along with both parents’ full names and Social Security numbers. If a parent has no number or you don’t know it, check the “unknown” box on the form.⁶ Spell every name exactly the way it appears on the birth certificate; mismatches slow the process down.

Documents You’ll Need

The Social Security Administration wants original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies don’t count.⁷

For your child, you need to prove three things: U.S. citizenship, age, and identity. A U.S. birth certificate handles all three. If a birth certificate isn’t available yet, the agency may accept a U.S. passport, consular report of birth abroad, or certificate of citizenship for citizenship; a religious record made before age five, a U.S. hospital record of birth, or a U.S. passport for age; and an adoption decree, unexpired state-issued ID, or a certified medical record from a doctor, clinic, or hospital for identity.⁸

You also have to prove your own identity. A U.S. driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or U.S. passport is what most parents use. If you don’t have any of those and can’t get a replacement within ten days, the agency may accept other current documents that show your name and identifying details, such as an employee ID, school ID, health insurance card, or military ID.⁷

If a Parent Is Not a U.S. Citizen

A baby born in the United States is eligible for a Social Security number no matter the parents’ immigration status. A non-citizen parent proves their own identity with a current Department of Homeland Security document: a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), an Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) or admission stamp in an unexpired foreign passport, or an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766).⁷

How Long the Card Takes

If you used the hospital’s Enumeration at Birth program, timing depends on your state. State vital records offices take anywhere from about one to six weeks to send the information to the Social Security Administration, and the average is about two weeks. The agency then takes roughly two more weeks to mail the card.⁹

Applying at an office or by mail can take longer, because the agency has to verify the birth certificate with your state’s vital records office before assigning a number.⁹

If the card doesn’t arrive within the expected window for your state, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213.⁹

Adopted Children

Once your adoption is final, you can apply for a Social Security number using the child’s new name. The adoption decree serves as proof of identity, and the agency can use it to update the child’s name and parent information on file.⁷

If the adoption is still pending and you can’t get the child’s existing Social Security number, you can apply to the IRS for an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number using Form W-7A. An ATIN is temporary and lets you claim the child as a dependent while the adoption is in progress. Don’t apply for an ATIN if you can get a Social Security number for the child in time to file.¹⁰

If the Card Arrives Wrong or Gets Lost

To correct a misspelled name or wrong information, submit a new Form SS-5 with a document showing the correct information, such as the birth certificate with the right spelling. Originals or issuing-agency certified copies only.⁶ You can start a correction on the agency’s website or schedule an appointment at a local office.¹¹

Replacements are free, but federal law caps them at three per calendar year and ten over a lifetime. Cards reissued for a legal name change or a change in work-authorization status don’t count toward those limits.⁶ Store the card itself somewhere secure, like a locked file cabinet or safe. You almost never need the physical card again; most situations only ask for the number.

Protect the Number From the Start

Children make appealing targets for identity theft because nobody checks a five-year-old’s credit report. A few habits keep the risk low.

Give the number out sparingly. When someone asks for it, ask why they need it, how they’ll store it, and whether the last four digits or a different identifier would do. Keep the card, medical records, and any paperwork with the number on it in a locked location, and shred those documents before you throw them out.¹²

You can also freeze your child’s credit for free at each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) for any child under sixteen. The freeze stays in place until you ask to lift it, and it makes opening accounts in your child’s name much harder for anyone who does get hold of the number.¹³

1
Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card?
2
Internal Revenue Service. Child Tax Credit
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Social Security Administration. What Is Enumeration at Birth and How Does It Work?
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Social Security Matters. A Faster and More Convenient Way to Request a Social Security Number and Card
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Social Security Administration. Field Office Locator
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Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. Social Security Numbers for Children
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Social Security Administration. How Long Does It Take to Get My Child’s Social Security Number?
10
Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions
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Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card?
12
Federal Trade Commission. How to Protect Your Child From Identity Theft
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Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts