How to Get, Replace, or Correct a Social Security Card

To get a Social Security card, complete Form SS-5, gather original documents proving your identity and (for a first-time card) your citizenship and age, and submit everything to the Social Security Administration online, by mail, or in person at a field office. Applying is free, and the card typically arrives within seven to ten business days after SSA verifies your documents.¹

Figure Out Which Card You’re Requesting

SSA handles three kinds of requests on the same form, and the documents differ slightly for each.²

Original card. You’ve never been assigned a Social Security number. You must prove citizenship or immigration status, age, and identity. Anyone age 12 or older applying for a first number has to appear in person for an interview.³
Replacement card. You already have a number but need a new physical card because yours was lost, stolen, or damaged. Identity documents are required; SSA may also ask for citizenship or age documents.
Corrected card. You need to update information on your record, such as a legal name change. You’ll need proof of the change plus identity documents.

All three use Form SS-5, and none costs anything.

Gather the Documents SSA Requires

SSA will not accept photocopies or notarized copies. You have to submit either originals or copies certified by the agency that issued them, and every document must be current and unexpired.⁴ A receipt showing you applied for a document is not enough.

Proof of Identity

Every applicant has to prove identity. SSA prefers a U.S. driver’s license, a state-issued non-driver ID card, or a U.S. passport. If none of those is available and you can’t get one within 10 days, SSA will consider other current documents that show your name and identifying information, ideally with a recent photograph: an employee ID, a school ID, a health insurance card (not Medicare), or a U.S. military ID.⁴

Proof of Citizenship and Age (Original Cards)

If you’re a U.S. citizen applying for a first card, a U.S. birth certificate covers both citizenship and age. When a birth certificate doesn’t exist or isn’t available, SSA may accept a religious record created before age five that shows your date of birth, a U.S. hospital record of your birth, or a U.S. passport.⁴

Proof of Work-Authorized Status (Non-Citizens)

Non-citizens can generally apply only with work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security. Your current immigration documents replace the citizenship proof and also serve as identity proof.⁴ SSA accepts:

Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (green card)
Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document
Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, with an unexpired foreign passport showing a class of admission that permits work

Some visa categories need extra paperwork. F-1 and M-1 students also present Form I-20. J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors present Form DS-2019. F-1 students working on campus need a letter from their designated school official confirming enrollment and employment details.⁴

If you’re applying for a green card, work permit, or naturalization through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, you can request a Social Security number as part of that immigration application. DHS sends the information to SSA electronically, and the card is mailed to the address you gave USCIS.⁵

Fill Out Form SS-5

Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card, is one page. You can download it from the SSA website or pick it up at a field office, and SSA estimates it takes between 5 and 60 minutes to complete.⁶ Indicate whether you want an original, replacement, or corrected card, and provide:

Your full legal name, and your name at birth if different
Your place of birth (city and state, or foreign country)
Your date of birth
Both parents’ full names and Social Security numbers, if known
Your current mailing address

Names and other details on the form have to match the documents you submit. SSA uses your name, date of birth, parents’ names, country of birth, and sex to process the application and check for any previously assigned number.⁴

Submit the Application

You have three options. Which one is available depends on the type of card you need and your circumstances.

Online (Replacement Cards Only)

SSA’s online portal is the fastest route, but only for replacement cards, and only if you meet every one of these conditions:

You’re a U.S. citizen age 18 or older
You have a driver’s license or state ID from a participating state
You have a U.S. mailing address
You have a my Social Security account
You aren’t changing your name, date of birth, place of birth, or sex

Not all states participate. You can check yours at ssa.gov/ssnumber.⁷ If you don’t qualify, or you need an original or corrected card, apply in person or by mail.

In Person

Any SSA field office can take your application. SSA recommends starting online or calling ahead for an appointment rather than walking in.⁸ Staff verify your original documents on the spot and hand them back. In-person filing is required for anyone age 12 or older applying for a first Social Security number.³

By Mail

You can mail the signed Form SS-5 and your original documents to your local Social Security office; SSA returns your documents by mail after processing.⁶ Mailing takes longer than an in-person visit, currently two to four weeks to process and return your documents.¹

How Long It Takes

Once SSA has your application and has verified your documents, the card typically arrives within seven to ten business days.¹ Mailed applications run longer because of the paper handling and document return. For non-citizens whose immigration documents need to be verified with USCIS, processing may take up to two additional weeks.⁹

If you need the number before the card arrives, ask at the field office when you apply. SSA may notify you of your assigned number by phone or contact your employer on your behalf. The card itself goes to the address on your application, delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

Newborns and Children

The simplest way to get a number for a baby is to request one at the hospital during birth registration, a process called Enumeration at Birth. The hospital collects the child’s name, date and place of birth, sex, and both parents’ names and sends it through the state vital records office to SSA, which assigns a number and mails the card.¹⁰⁵

If you skipped that step or the card hasn’t arrived after a few weeks, a parent or legal guardian can apply using Form SS-5. You’ll need to show the child’s citizenship (usually the birth certificate), the child’s identity, and your own identity.³ SSA may also ask for proof of custody or responsibility: court custody documentation, a placement letter from a state social services agency, school records naming you as responsible, or a rental agreement listing the child in your household.⁴

Getting a Card After a Name Change

If your legal name changes through marriage, divorce, a court order, or naturalization, you need a corrected card. SSA wants proof of the change plus proof of your identity. Acceptable name-change documents are a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order approving the change, or a Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name.

If the name-change document doesn’t contain enough information for SSA to match you to your existing record, or if the change happened more than two years ago (four years for applicants under 18), you’ll also need an identity document in your prior name.⁴

Replacement Limits

SSA limits replacements to three per year and ten over your lifetime. Name changes and updates to the immigration status legend on the card don’t count toward either limit.¹¹ If you’ve hit the ceiling, SSA may grant an exception on a showing of significant hardship, such as a government social services agency requiring the physical card to release benefits. Many everyday uses of the number, including opening a bank account or starting a job, don’t require the card itself; a W-2, tax return, or other document showing the number often works.

After the Card Arrives

Keep the card somewhere secure rather than in your wallet. Replacing a lost or stolen card counts toward the lifetime limit. Do not laminate it; lamination hides the security features. A removable plastic sleeve is fine as long as it doesn’t damage the card.¹²

1
Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card
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eCFR. 20 CFR 422.107 – Evidence Requirements
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
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eCFR. 20 CFR 422.103 – Social Security Numbers
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Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card Form SS-5
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Social Security Administration. Request Your Replacement Social Security Card Online
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Social Security Administration. Make or Change an Appointment
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Social Security Administration. Apply for Your Social Security Card While Applying for Your Work Permit, Lawful Permanent Residency, or U.S. Naturalization
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SSA. POMS RM 10205.505 – Enumeration at Birth Process
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Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 422-0103 – Social Security Numbers
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Social Security Administration. Can I Laminate My Social Security Card