How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Social Security Card

To replace a lost or stolen Social Security card, fill out Form SS-5 and submit it with original proof of your identity through a my Social Security account online, by mail to your local Social Security office, or in person at an office or Card Center. There is no fee. Once the Social Security Administration approves your application, the new card arrives by mail in five to ten business days.1Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card If the card was stolen rather than misplaced, protect yourself against identity theft before you worry about the replacement.

Do You Even Need a New Card?

Most of the time, no. Employers are encouraged to ask to see your Social Security card, but the IRS does not require it. If you can’t produce the card, an employer can verify your name and number through the Social Security Number Verification Service.2Social Security Administration. Do You Really Need to See the Card? As long as you know your nine-digit number, you can file taxes, open bank accounts, and handle most government paperwork without the physical card.

A few situations do call for the card itself. If you’re completing Form I-9 for a new job and want to use the Social Security card as your List C document proving work authorization, you have to present it.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 – 13.3 List C Documents That Establish Employment Authorization Certain benefit enrollments may ask for it too. If none of that applies, memorizing the number or storing it securely at home is often enough.

Cost and Replacement Limits

The SSA does not charge for a replacement card, first one or tenth.4Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card? Private websites that offer to file the application for a fee give you nothing you can’t do yourself, and the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General has warned that charging for something the government provides for free can violate the Social Security Act.5Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. SSA Provides New and Replacement Social Security Cards for FREE! If a site asks for a credit card, close it.

Federal rules cap replacements at three per year and ten over your lifetime. Legal name changes from marriage or a court order do not count toward either cap, and neither do updates to the work-authorization legend on the card triggered by a change in immigration status.6eCFR. 20 CFR 422.103 – Social Security Numbers

If you’ve hit a limit and still need the card, the SSA can grant a hardship exception when not having it would cost you a job or a benefit. You’ll need a letter from the employer or benefits agency saying the card is required; wanting it for personal convenience isn’t enough.7Social Security Administration. Exception to SSN Card Limits Due to Hardship

Documents You’ll Need

Every document you give the SSA must be an original or a certified copy from the agency that issued it. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.8Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card

Proof of Identity

Your identity document has to be current, show your name and identifying information such as your date of birth, and preferably carry a recent photo. The 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 ten business days, the SSA will consider secondary documents like an employee ID, school ID, health insurance card, or U.S. military ID, provided they’re current and show your name.8Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card

Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Status

If your citizenship is already on file from a prior application, you don’t have to prove it again. If it isn’t, you’ll need a U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Non-citizens need to show a current immigration document from the Department of Homeland Security, such as a Permanent Resident Card or an Employment Authorization Document.8Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card

One document can sometimes do double duty. A U.S. passport, for instance, works as proof of both identity and citizenship, so you don’t need a separate birth certificate.

Form SS-5

Form SS-5 is the application itself, whether you file online, by mail, or in person. It’s available on the SSA’s website and at any local office.9Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card The form asks for your full legal name, the name given at birth if different, your Social Security number, date and place of birth, and both parents’ full names including your mother’s maiden name. Everything on the form must match your supporting documents exactly. A mismatch between the name on your ID and the name on the form is one of the most common reasons applications get delayed.

How to Submit Your Application

Online

The fastest route is the my Social Security online portal. You qualify if you’re 18 or older, have a U.S. mailing address, and already have a my Social Security account.8Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card The online option runs in most states, though the SSA doesn’t publish a full list of exclusions.10Social Security Administration. How Do I Apply for a Replacement Social Security Number Card Online? If you also need to change information on your record, such as your name, online won’t work and you’ll have to apply by mail or in person. The portal tells you during the process if you don’t qualify.

By Mail

If online isn’t available, mail the completed Form SS-5 with your original identity documents to your local Social Security office. You do have to send the actual originals. The SSA returns them after processing, but mail-in applications currently take two to four weeks to process and to get your documents back.11Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card? If mailing a passport or birth certificate makes you nervous, apply in person instead.

In Person

Schedule an appointment at a local Social Security office or Card Center to hand in your form and documents. This is the right choice if you don’t want to mail originals or if your situation is complicated enough that you’d rather have someone walk you through it. The SSA’s office locator on ssa.gov finds the nearest location.

How Long the Card Takes

After the SSA approves the application, the new card arrives by mail in five to ten business days.1Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card That clock starts once processing is done, so add the mail-in processing time on top if you didn’t apply online. Once it arrives, keep it somewhere secure at home rather than in your wallet. Losing the same card twice is how people start running into the replacement limits.

If the Card Was Stolen, Do This First

A lost card is an errand. A stolen card is a potential identity theft problem, and the replacement is the smallest part of it. Take these steps before you focus on the new card:

  • File an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. The site asks a series of questions and produces a personalized recovery plan.12Social Security Administration. Report Stolen Social Security Number
  • Place a free credit freeze at each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Online and phone requests must be processed within one business day. A freeze stops anyone from opening new credit accounts in your name.
  • Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask to block electronic access to your record. That shuts down all automated telephone and online access to your Social Security information until you contact the SSA to lift the block.13Social Security Administration. How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe
  • Check your Social Security Statement periodically for wages you don’t recognize, which could mean someone else is working under your number.

The electronic access block is a strong shield, but it also locks you out of your own online account, and you’ll have to call the SSA and verify your identity to remove it. Use it only if you have a real reason to think your information has been compromised.

Replacing a Child’s Card

The process for a child’s replacement is nearly the same, but a parent or legal guardian handles it. You’ll need to prove your own identity with a current photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport, and you’ll need to establish the child’s identity and age. A U.S. birth certificate covers both, since it shows the date of birth and the parent-child relationship.14Social Security Administration. U.S. Citizen/Child – Replacement Social Security Card If the birth certificate isn’t available, a U.S. passport for the child works instead.8Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card

For young children, the SSA also accepts school or childcare records from the current or prior year as secondary identity evidence. Immunization records can work for children age five and under if the record was issued within the past four years.15Social Security Administration. Priority List of Acceptable Evidence of Identity Documents The originals-only rule still applies to every document.