What Are the 3 Types of Social Security Cards?

The Social Security Administration issues three types of Social Security cards, and which one you receive depends on your citizenship or immigration status. An unrestricted card goes to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. A restricted card, printed with the legend “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION,” goes to people with temporary work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security. A non-work card, printed with “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT,” goes to people who need a Social Security number for a purpose other than work. All three carry the same nine-digit number format, and all three are free to apply for.¹

The Unrestricted Card

This is the version most people carry. It shows your name and Social Security number with no additional printed text. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) receive it, and it reflects a permanent right to work in the United States without any further government approval.¹

For hiring, an unrestricted card counts as a “List C” document on Form I-9, which establishes employment authorization. It does not prove identity on its own, so you still need a separate identity document from “List B,” such as a driver’s license.² Only unrestricted cards are accepted this way, and the card must not be laminated.

The Restricted Card (Valid for Work Only With DHS Authorization)

People admitted to the United States on a temporary basis who have work authorization from DHS receive a card printed with the legend “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION.”¹ This includes individuals on certain work visas and those granted temporary protected status. The printed restriction signals that the holder’s right to work depends on a separate DHS authorization that can expire.

A restricted card cannot be used as a List C document on Form I-9. Employers are specifically instructed not to accept cards bearing the DHS authorization legend for employment verification.³ Instead, holders typically satisfy I-9 requirements by presenting a valid Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), which counts as a standalone “List A” document proving both identity and work authorization.²

If the underlying DHS work authorization expires, the Social Security number itself stays the same, but the legal right to use it for employment ends until new authorization is granted. The SSA uses the restricted card to track earnings for tax purposes while keeping oversight of temporary workers’ employment eligibility.⁴

The Non-Work Card (Not Valid for Employment)

The third card is issued to people who are not authorized to work but need a Social Security number for another purpose. It is printed with the legend “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT” above the name and number.⁴

The SSA considers you to have a valid reason for a non-work card if a federal statute or regulation requires a Social Security number to receive a federally funded benefit you’re otherwise entitled to, or if a state or local law requires the number for public assistance benefits and you are legally present in the country.⁴ Common examples include processing housing assistance or financial aid applications.

Using a non-work card to obtain employment is a federal crime. Altering, buying, selling, or counterfeiting a Social Security card, or using one to fraudulently obtain benefits or employment, is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.⁵ If the SSA detects wages reported under a non-work number, it notifies the Department of Homeland Security.

If You Aren’t Eligible for Any Social Security Card

Some people aren’t eligible for any of the three cards but still need to file a U.S. federal tax return. In that case, you can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS. An ITIN is a tax-processing number only. It does not authorize employment and cannot be used to claim the earned income credit.⁶ To apply, you file Form W-7 along with your federal tax return and supporting documents proving foreign status and identity.⁷

How the SSA Decides Which Card You Get

You don’t choose between the three cards. The SSA assigns the correct one based on the documents you submit with Form SS-5, the Application for a Social Security Card.⁸ All documents must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, and all must be current and unexpired. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.

The specific proof depends on which status you’re establishing:

Proof of age: usually a birth certificate.
Proof of identity: a U.S. driver’s license, state-issued ID, or U.S. passport.
Proof of U.S. citizenship, for the unrestricted card: a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization.
Proof of immigration status, for a lawful permanent resident (also unrestricted) or a temporary worker (restricted): a current, unexpired DHS document such as Form I-551 (Green Card), Form I-94, or Form I-766 (Employment Authorization Document).

If your status later changes, whether through naturalization, adjustment to permanent residence, or the loss of temporary work authorization, you can apply for a new card that reflects the change. Cards issued to add, change, or remove a restrictive legend because of an immigration status change do not count against the SSA’s usual three-per-year and ten-per-lifetime replacement limits.⁹

Once your application is approved, the card arrives by mail within five to ten business days.¹⁰ There is no fee at any point, whether you’re getting your first card or replacing one you already have.¹¹

1
Social Security Administration. Types of Social Security Cards
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.3 List C Documents That Establish Employment Authorization
4
eCFR. 20 CFR Part 422 – Organization and Procedures
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 408 – Penalties
6
Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN)
7
Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN
8
Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card
9
Social Security Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 422.103 – Social Security Numbers
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Social Security Administration. Request a Social Security Number for the First Time
11
Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card