How to Set Up a Social Security Account: Login.gov or ID.me

To set up a Social Security account, go to ssa.gov/myaccount, choose Login.gov or ID.me as your sign-in provider, and verify your identity with a photo ID and some personal details. The whole process takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes when your documents are ready and the online identity check goes through on the first try. As of June 2025, Login.gov and ID.me are the only two ways in; the older SSA username-and-password option has been retired.¹

Before You Start

You need to be at least 18 and have a valid Social Security number.² A working email address is required. A U.S. mailing address is not: people living abroad can register through ID.me by selecting the “I don’t live in the United States” option.³

Have these on hand:

Your nine-digit Social Security number.
A photo ID. Login.gov accepts a U.S. driver’s license, state ID, or passport book. ID.me accepts a wider set, including permanent resident cards and foreign passports.⁴⁵
An email address you can check right now, for verification links.
A text-enabled mobile phone if possible. It’s the fastest way to receive verification codes. Email works as a backup.

You’ll photograph your ID with your phone during setup, so check that it isn’t expired and that the printing is easy to read. Good light and a flat surface help the automated reader.

One boundary worth knowing: some features are limited if you live outside the United States. From an international address you can’t change direct deposit, request a replacement Social Security card, or update your address unless you’re a U.S. citizen.³ Viewing your earnings record and pulling benefit estimates still work.

Choosing Login.gov or ID.me

You only need one of these credentials to reach your Social Security account.¹

Login.gov is run by the federal government, and one account works across many federal agencies. If you already sign in to another government service with Login.gov, that same account works here. Its accepted ID list is narrower: U.S. driver’s license, state ID, or passport book.⁴

ID.me is a private contractor for federal agencies. Its accepted document list is broader, so if you don’t have a U.S. driver’s license or state ID, or you’re setting up from outside the country, ID.me is the practical route.⁵

If you already have an account with either provider from another service, use it. There’s no benefit to creating a second one.¹

Creating the Account

Open ssa.gov/myaccount and click to sign in or create an account.⁶ Pick Login.gov or ID.me. You’ll be sent to that provider’s site to do the actual identity work.⁷

The provider steps look about the same on either service:

Enter your email address and set a strong password.
Set up multi-factor authentication. Login.gov supports an authentication app, face or touch unlock, a physical security key, or text codes. ID.me offers text codes or an authenticator app. This is the layer that keeps someone out even if they steal your password.⁸
Verify your identity. Enter your name, date of birth, and Social Security number, then upload photos of your ID. The system matches the document against what you typed.
Confirm your phone or address. The provider sends a one-time code to the contact method you gave.

After the provider clears you, you’re sent back to SSA, and in many cases you land on your dashboard right away. Some users get pulled into an extra step where SSA mails an activation code to the address on file. If that happens to you, the setup pauses until that letter arrives.

If Online Verification Fails

Automated checks don’t work for everyone. Blurry ID photos, a recent name change, or a thin credit history can trip the system. There’s a fallback on each side.

Login.gov: In-Person at a Post Office

Finish whatever online steps Login.gov will let you complete, including entering your personal information and phone number. Login.gov then emails you a barcode with a deadline to bring it to a participating U.S. Post Office. Take the barcode (printed or on your phone) and the same ID you used online. Passports aren’t accepted for in-person verification, so bring a driver’s license or state ID. A clerk scans the barcode and reviews your ID, and Login.gov emails the result within 24 hours.⁹

ID.me: Live Video Call

ID.me offers a video call with an agent. You’ll need two primary identity documents, or one primary and one secondary, and they must be originals rather than photocopies. After you upload your paperwork, you’re placed in a queue and shown an estimated wait time.¹⁰

What the Account Lets You Do

Your dashboard changes based on whether you’re already collecting benefits.⁶

If you’re not yet receiving benefits, you can pull personalized retirement estimates based on your actual earnings record, view spousal benefit estimates, download your Social Security Statement, check the status of a pending application, and get proof that you don’t currently receive benefits.

If you are receiving benefits, more tools open up. You can set up or change direct deposit,¹¹ pull current and past 1099 tax forms, see your annual cost-of-living adjustment, print a benefit verification letter, and change your mailing address.

Either way, you can request a replacement Social Security card and upload documents for pending applications.⁶

If You Suspect Your Information Has Been Compromised

If you think someone has your Social Security information, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and request an electronic access block on your record. This turns off all automated phone and online access, including yours. It’s a strong step, appropriate when identity theft is actually underway. You can call the same number later to lift the block after verifying your identity on the phone.¹²

1
Social Security Administration. Learn About Changes We’re Making to Your Personal my Social Security Account
2
Social Security Administration. Retirement Benefits
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Social Security Administration. Service Around the World – Office of Earnings and International Operations
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Login.gov. Verify My Identity
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ID.me Help Center. Primary and Secondary Identification Documents
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Social Security Administration. my Social Security
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Social Security Administration. my Social Security – Security and Protection
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Login.gov. Authentication Methods
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Login.gov. Verify in Person
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ID.me Help Center. Verifying With an Extended Video Call
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Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit
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Social Security Administration. How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe