To get a Social Security card, you fill out Form SS-5, gather original documents that prove your identity, age, and citizenship or immigration status, and submit everything to the Social Security Administration online, by mail, or in person. The application is free. Most people receive the card by mail within about seven to ten business days after the SSA finishes processing the application.
Figure Out Which Card You’re Requesting
Three situations cover almost everyone. You need an original card if you’ve never been assigned a Social Security number, which mostly means newborns and people newly admitted to the United States. You need a replacement if your card was lost, stolen, or damaged but nothing on it has changed. You need a corrected card if your legal name or immigration status has changed since your last card was issued.
The form and the process are the same in every case. What differs is the supporting paperwork. And one warning up front: applying costs nothing. If a website asks you to pay, it’s a third-party service, not the SSA.
Documents You’ll Need
The SSA needs proof of three things: identity, age, and citizenship or immigration status. Every document must be an original or a copy certified by the agency that issued it.1eCFR. 20 CFR 422.107 – Evidence Requirements Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted, no matter how clean they look. The SSA verifies each document with the issuing agency before approving the application.
Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Status
U.S. citizens can use a birth certificate or a U.S. passport. If a birth certificate isn’t available, the SSA may accept a religious record made before age five that shows your date of birth, or a final adoption decree.2Social Security Administration. RM 10210.265 Kinds of Documents that Establish Age for an SSN Card Naturalized citizens can use a Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.
Non-citizens must show a current Department of Homeland Security document proving lawful admission with work authorization. A Permanent Resident Card (green card) or an Employment Authorization Document are the common examples.1eCFR. 20 CFR 422.107 – Evidence Requirements Without valid DHS documentation, the SSA will not issue a card.
Proof of Identity
Your identity document has to be current, show your legal name, and carry identifying information like a photo or date of birth. For adults, a state-issued driver’s license or ID card is preferred. If you don’t have one, the SSA accepts a U.S. passport, U.S. military ID, or a health insurance card that includes a photo or biographical data.3Social Security Administration. RM 10210.420 Priority List of Acceptable Evidence of Identity Documents
Children are handled differently because they rarely have photo IDs. For a child from birth through age five, the SSA accepts a certified medical or immunization record, a health insurance or Medicaid card with the child’s name and date of birth, a certified childcare or school record, or a religious record such as a baptismal certificate.3Social Security Administration. RM 10210.420 Priority List of Acceptable Evidence of Identity Documents An immunization record must be less than four years old, measured from either its issue date or the date of the child’s most recent shot.
Proof of Age
A birth certificate usually covers both citizenship and age. The SSA prefers a birth certificate or hospital birth record filed before age five. If neither is available, a religious record from before age five showing your date of birth is the next-best option.4Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 404.716 – Type of Evidence of Age to Be Given Beyond those, the SSA will consider other convincing evidence such as a passport, school records, or an immigration record.
Proof of a Name Change
If you’re updating the card because your legal name has changed, add proof of the change to the identity, age, and citizenship documents above. The SSA accepts a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order approving the name change, or a Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name.5Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card For a child’s name change, a final adoption decree with the new name or a court order works.
Filling Out Form SS-5
Form SS-5 is a single page. It asks for your full legal name at birth, any other names you’ve used since, your date and place of birth, and your mailing address.6Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card Form SS-5 You’ll also enter both parents’ full names and Social Security numbers, which the SSA uses to match you against existing records.
If the application is for a child, the parent or legal guardian signs and provides their own identification. You can download the form as a PDF from ssa.gov or pick up a paper copy at any local field office. Fill it out carefully. Every name, date, and number should match your supporting documents exactly, because mismatches are one of the most common reasons applications get kicked back, and that correction loop can add weeks.
How to Submit the Application
Online
A straightforward replacement card (no name or status change) can often be requested through the SSA’s “my Social Security” portal. This option is limited to adult U.S. citizens with a domestic mailing address who aren’t changing any information on the record.7Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card You’ll need to create or log into a my Social Security account and pass the identity verification built into the portal. Online is usually the fastest route because there’s no mail transit on the front end.
By Mail
If you’re applying for an original card, updating your name, or otherwise ineligible for the online option, you can mail your completed Form SS-5 and original documents to your local Social Security office. Use the office locator at ssa.gov to find the correct address. Sending originals through the mail makes most people uneasy, and reasonably so. Consider certified mail with a return receipt so you can track the package.
The SSA returns your original documents separately from the new card, typically within a few days of entering your application into the system. Mail-in applications can take two to four weeks to process because of the added handling time.8Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card?
In Person
Visiting a local field office lets a claims representative verify your documents on the spot and hand them back before you leave. That’s the best option if you can’t afford to be without your passport or driver’s license while it travels through the mail. Many offices require an appointment. You can schedule one by calling the national toll-free number (1-800-772-1213) or the local office directly.
How Long It Takes
Once the SSA finishes processing your application, the card arrives by mail within about seven to ten business days.8Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card? The clock starts once the SSA has everything it needs — all documents verified and any discrepancies resolved. In-person and online submissions tend to move faster. Mail-in applications run two to four weeks total.
If the card doesn’t arrive within about two weeks of your visit or the SSA’s confirmation, contact your local office to check the status. Because original documents come back separately, don’t be alarmed if your birth certificate shows up first and the card follows a few days later.
Newborns Can Skip Most of This
New parents rarely need to complete Form SS-5 at all. The Enumeration at Birth program lets you request a Social Security number for your newborn during the birth registration process at the hospital or birthing center.9Social Security Administration. What Is Enumeration at Birth and How Does It Work? The state’s vital records office transmits the birth data electronically to the SSA, which assigns a number and mails the card without anyone visiting an office.
Processing times vary by state but average about two weeks, plus another two weeks for the card to arrive.10Social Security Administration. How Long Does It Take to Get My Child’s Social Security Number? Some states are faster; a few take up to six weeks. If you need the number sooner, you can apply separately at a local office once you have the birth certificate in hand.
International Students and Workers
If you’re in the United States on an F-1, M-1, or J-1 visa, you can apply for a Social Security card once you have work authorization. The documentation is more specific than for citizens or permanent residents.
F-1 and M-1 students bring their unexpired foreign passport with a current admission stamp, Form I-94 (if available), and Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status). J-1 exchange visitors bring the same passport and I-94, plus Form DS-2019.11Social Security Administration. International Students and Social Security Numbers
You’ll also need proof of work authorization. F-1 students working on campus provide a letter from their designated school official confirming status, identifying the employer, and describing the work. For curricular practical training, the Form I-20 must have the employment page completed and signed by the school official. Students with a DHS work permit present Form I-766. J-1 visitors provide a letter from their program sponsor on letterhead authorizing the employment.11Social Security Administration. International Students and Social Security Numbers One timing rule catches people off guard: the SSA won’t process the application if your on-campus or CPT work starts more than 30 days from the date you apply.
Limits on Replacement Cards
Federal law caps replacement Social Security cards at three per year and ten over your lifetime.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 405 – Evidence, Procedure, and Certification for Payment These limits apply only to straight replacements where nothing on the card changes. Cards issued for a legal name change, a change in immigration status legend, or a first-time original assignment don’t count toward either cap.13Social Security Administration. Limits on Replacement SSN Cards
If you’ve hit the limit, the SSA will deny your replacement request unless you qualify for a hardship exception or can show the SSA made an error.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial notice will state the reason. The usual causes are missing documents, documents that couldn’t be verified, or mismatches between the form and the supporting evidence. Most denials can be resolved by resubmitting with the correct or missing paperwork.
If you believe the denial was wrong, you have 60 days from the date you receive the notice to file a written appeal. The SSA assumes you received the notice five days after the date printed on it. The first level of appeal is a reconsideration, where someone who wasn’t involved in the original decision reviews the case from scratch.14Social Security Administration. Your Right to Question the Decision Made on Your Claim You can request the appeal online at ssa.gov or by filing the appropriate paper form at a local office.