What Documents Do You Need to Get a Social Security Card?

To get a Social Security card, you need a completed Form SS-5 and original documents that prove who you are. If it’s your first card, you’ll also need to prove your age and either U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status. If you’re replacing a card, identity alone is usually enough. If you’re updating your record, you need to prove the specific change. Everything is free, and every document must be an original or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. The documents needed for a Social Security card are listed below by situation.¹

Rules That Apply to Every Application

Form SS-5 is the starting point for every request. You can download it from ssa.gov or pick one up at a Social Security office.¹

Whatever you submit with it has to be an original or a copy certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies, notarized copies, and application receipts are not accepted. Documents must be current and unexpired.²

For proof of identity, the SSA prefers one of three documents:

U.S. driver’s license
State-issued non-driver ID card
U.S. passport

If you don’t have any of those and can’t get one within 10 days, the SSA will consider alternatives: an employee ID card, a school ID card, a health insurance card (not a Medicare card), or a U.S. military ID. Backup documents still need to show your name, identifying information such as date of birth, and preferably a recent photograph.²

There is no fee. The SSA warns that private companies sometimes charge to file the application for you, but that service is something you can do yourself at no cost.³

Documents for a First-Time Card

If you’ve never had a Social Security number, you need at least two documents covering three categories: age, identity, and either U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status.¹

Proof of Age

A birth certificate is the most straightforward option. The SSA also accepts a U.S. hospital record of birth or a religious record created before you turned five that shows your date of birth or age.⁴

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

If you were born in the United States, a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport is sufficient. If you were born abroad but are a U.S. citizen, the SSA accepts a broader set of documents:²

U.S. passport
Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240)

Proof of Immigration Status for Non-Citizens

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you need current immigration documents from the Department of Homeland Security. Acceptable options include:

Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551, commonly called a Green Card)⁵
Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766)
Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record paired with an unexpired foreign passport

Non-citizens without work authorization can only get an SSN if a federal, state, or local law requires them to provide one as a condition of receiving a government benefit they already qualify for. In that case, you need a letter from the agency administering the benefit that identifies you, names the specific law requiring an SSN, and confirms you meet all other eligibility requirements. The letter must be on agency letterhead, dated, and signed by an authorized official.⁶

Newborns and the Enumeration at Birth Program

The easiest way to get an SSN for a newborn is at the hospital. When you register the birth, you can request a Social Security number at the same time. The state vital records office sends the information electronically to the SSA, which assigns the number and mails the card. No Form SS-5, no office visit.⁷

If you skip that step, you’ll apply through the standard process for a child.

Documents for Children

When a parent or guardian applies for a child, the SSA needs documents for both the child and the adult.

For the child: proof of age (usually a birth certificate), proof of identity, and proof of citizenship or immigration status. Since children rarely have a driver’s license or passport, the SSA accepts school ID cards, health insurance cards, or hospital records as identity documents, as long as they show the child’s name and date of birth.²

The parent or guardian must prove their own identity using the standard adult documents. The SSA may also ask you to prove your relationship to the child or your legal responsibility for them. Acceptable proof includes court custody documents, a letter from a state social services agency placing the child in your household, school records showing your responsibility, or a rental agreement listing the child as part of your household.²

Documents for a Replacement Card

Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged card is simpler than the first-time process. You need one document proving your identity: a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. If you were born outside the United States, you also need to show documents proving your citizenship or current immigration status.¹

Online Replacement

You may be able to skip the paperwork entirely and request a replacement card online through your my Social Security account. To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older, have a driver’s license or state ID from a participating state, have a U.S. mailing address, and not be requesting any changes to your name, date of birth, or other information.⁸ Not every state participates, so check ssa.gov/ssnumber before trying this route.

Replacement Limits

Federal law caps replacement cards at three per calendar year and ten over your lifetime. Cards issued for a legal name change, a change to the work-authorization legend on the card, non-receipt of a previously issued card, an SSA processing error, or documented hardship do not count toward those limits.⁹ If you’ve hit the cap, you’ll need to show evidence that one of those exceptions applies before the SSA will issue another card.¹⁰

Documents for Updating Your Record

When you change information on your Social Security record, you need to prove both your identity and the specific change. Form SS-5 is still required.¹

Legal Name Change

You need one document that proves your new legal name. Acceptable options:²

Marriage certificate
Divorce decree
Court order approving the name change
Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name

A mismatch between your legal name and your SSA records can cause problems with payroll, tax filings, and benefit claims, so don’t sit on this one.

Date of Birth Correction

To fix an incorrect date of birth, bring one of the following original documents to a Social Security office:²

Birth certificate
U.S. hospital record of birth
Religious record created before age five showing your date of birth
Valid passport
Final adoption decree (if the information was taken from the original birth certificate)
Tribal identification card

Date of birth corrections cannot be handled online or by mail. You must visit a field office in person with your original documents.

Citizenship Status Update

If you became a U.S. citizen through naturalization, updating your SSA record makes sure your work history is properly recorded and removes any restrictive legend from your card. Bring your U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship to a local Social Security office.¹¹

Gender Marker Change

As of early 2025, the SSA stopped accepting or processing requests to change the sex designation on Social Security records. The freeze followed a presidential executive order directing federal agencies to reflect biological sex in their records. If this policy changes, the SSA website will reflect the updated requirements.

How to Submit Your Application

You have up to three options depending on your situation:

Online, for replacement cards only, through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. You must be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older in a participating state and not requesting any changes to your record.⁸
In person, by bringing your completed Form SS-5 and original documents to your nearest Social Security office. Staff verify documents on the spot and return them to you.
By mail, by sending your completed Form SS-5 and original documents to your local Social Security office. Use certified mail so you can track delivery of your originals. Find the mailing address at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

For in-person and online applications, expect your card within 7 to 10 business days. Mail applications take longer because the SSA has to process your documents and return them separately, so plan on 2 to 4 weeks.¹² If the SSA needs to verify any of your documents with the issuing agency, that process can stretch to several weeks or even months.¹³

1
Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card?
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Social Security Administration. Social Security Administration Regulations 404-0716
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.1 List A Documents That Establish Identity and Employment Authorization
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Social Security Administration. POMS RM 10211.600 – Requests for an SSN from a Noncitizen Without Work Authorization
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Social Security Administration. What Is Enumeration at Birth and How Does It Work?
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Social Security Administration. Request Your Replacement Social Security Card Online
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Social Security Administration. Social Security Administration Regulations 422-0103 – Social Security Numbers
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Social Security Administration. POMS RM 10205.400 – Limits on Replacement SSN Cards
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Social Security Administration. Your Social Security Number and Card
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Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card?
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Social Security Administration. POMS RM 10205.100 – How Long Does It Take to Get an SSN Card?