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This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 170,785 times.
Your Social Security number (SSN) is the absolute truth of your identity. It is a nine-digit identification number that is used to verify your identity and your right to work, and it serves as a record of your earned wages.[1] When you have a new baby, or when you become a U.S. citizen, you must fill out the appropriate forms in order to secure a Social Security card for yourself or your child. There are a number of reasons why a person may need a new Social Security card: new American citizens (both by birth and by immigration) will need a new number and card issued to them, existing citizens may need a replacement card if the original is lost or destroyed, and existing citizens may also need a replacement if the individual has legally changed her name.[2] Learning how to get a new or replacement Social Security card can help you maintain gainful employment and collect the wages that are owed to you.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Applying for a New, Original Card
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1Gather the required documents. In order to apply for and receive a Social Security card, you will need to verify your age, your identity, and your status as a United States citizen with valid, unexpired identification documents. You must present the original copies of these documents. The only copies that will be accepted are those that were made and certified by the agency that issued those documents.[3] There are three criteria that must be met, and you will need to be able to provide the following documents to meet each requirement:
- proof of citizenship, such as U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport[4]
- a record of age and date of birth, including religious record showing date of birth, U.S. hospital record, or U.S. passport[5]
- proof of identity, including a U.S. driver's license, a state-issued (non-driver) identification card, or U.S. passport. If none of these documents can be acquired or replaced within 10 days, other documents may be accepted, including an employee ID card, a student's school-issued ID card, a health insurance card (not including Medicare cards), or a U.S. military ID card.[6]
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2Acquire any missing documents. Because the Social Security Administration only accepts original copies of all documents, you may need to acquire a new document, if any are missing. Each state, U.S. territory, and the District of Columbia has its own office for issuing vital records like birth certificates and marriage licenses. You can find your state's office by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm.
- Some states have a state records office or vital records office.[7] Other states issue vital records through the state Department of Health offices.[8] Check with the CDC website to determine which office is responsible for vital records in your state.
- Be prepared to pay the necessary costs for a vital records copy. Birth certificates vary in cost from one state to another. For example, California charges $25,[9] Colorado charges $17.75,[10] and New York State charges $30.[11]
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3Print out a copy of the application on US Letter paper. Two applications, both of which can be found on the official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration, are available: one for people inside the United States, and one for people outside the United States.
- The application for U.S. citizens can be found at the SSA website by visiting https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf.
- Non-citizens must fill out the required information on Form DS-230 or Form DS-260 as part of the Visa application process. Form DS-260 can be accessed by entering your case number through the Consular Electronic Application Center website at https://ceac.state.gov/IV/Login.aspx.
- Generally speaking, the only non-citizens eligible for a Social Security number are those authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to work in the United States. A Social Security number is not required for employment, banking services, private health insurance, or drivers license issuance.[12]
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4Fill out the application. You must read all of the instructions carefully and complete the application in its entirety. Submitting an incomplete, inaccurate, or fraudulent application may significantly delay the application process.[13]
- The application must be printed on 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper, and must be filled out using only blue or black ink.[14]
- Race and ethnicity questions are voluntary. Opting out of these sections will not affect your application, and you will not be penalized in any way, as long as the rest of the application is complete and accurate.[15]
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5Visit a Social Security Administration office. Anyone over the age of 12 who needs a new or replacement Social Security card must visit a Social Security Administration (SSA) office in person. The purpose of this visit is to verify the documents provided to satisfy the SSA's requirements and to conduct any necessary interviews with the candidate.[16]
- You can find your local SSA office by entering your zip code in the SSA website at https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp.
- Some SSA offices permit applican'ts to apply by mail, provided that the applican't can verify his or her identity and citizenship. However, in order to apply by mail, the applican't must mail the original copies of all required documents to an SSA office. The documents will be returned after the application process has been completed, but some people may feel uneasy about sending the original copies of such important documents through the mail.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Acquiring a Replacement Card
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1Follow all steps in Method One. Replacing a Social Security card that has been lost or stolen requires the same steps as applying for a new one. Be sure that you have all of the necessary documents available, or are able to acquire authorized copies, if needed.
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2Learn how replacements work. If your Social Security card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can apply for a free replacement from the SSA. However, not everyone needs a replacement card. As long as you know your Social Security number, many adults can get by without having a physical copy of the card.[17]
- Replacement cards are free. However, there are limits to the number of times an individual may replace his or her Social Security card. All U.S. citizens, regardless of age, are limited to three replacement cards in a given year, and no citizen may replace a Social Security card more than 10 times over the course of an entire lifetime.[18]
- Replacements due to a legal name change and other exceptional circumstances are exempted from the limits on the number of card replacements available to a citizen.[19]
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3Prevent fraud and identity theft. In the case of a stolen Social Security card, be aware of the risk for fraud and identity theft. The SSA does not directly investigate cases of theft or identity theft, but there are some steps you will need to take to prevent identity theft or recover from it.[20]
- Contact your local police department immediately to file a theft report.[21]
- Contact the SSA to alert them to the situation and begin the process of requesting a replacement card. You can call the SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213.[22]
- Review any information that seems out of place. This includes inquiries from companies you have not contacted; accounts you know you have not opened; and debts that you know you did not incur. Close any accounts that you know you did not open and file a police report in the city where you believed the theft to have taken place.
- Report any suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is the primary investigative body for solving cases of identity theft, including theft resulting from a stolen Social Security card.[23] You can file a complaint report by visiting https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-2, or by calling 1-877-438-4338. Be sure to print and save your FTC Identity Theft Affidavit the moment you finish it. Once you've left the webpage, you will not be able to recover your affidavit.[24]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Requesting a New Card After a Name Change
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1Follow all directions in Method One. You will need to provide all of the original documents required of someone applying for a brand new card, in addition to providing proof of your new identity. For example, in addition to your original birth certificate, you will need to provide a document proving a name change. Accepted documents include a marriage license, divorce decree, Certificate of Naturalization (which displays your new name), or a court order approving a legal name change.[25] This name change document must:
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2Mark your application type. Unlike getting a new card or replacing a lost one, the application type to reflect a name change is considered "corrected." You will need to select this option under the heading "Type of Card" in order to have your request processed correctly.[28]
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3Understand corrected Social Security cards. The process of correcting a Social Security card is generally similar to that of requesting a new or replacement card (aside from the additional identification requirements). However, failing to correct your Social Security card information can have damaging effects. You must notify both your current employer(s) and the SSA of any name changes in order to avoid tax delays and prevent your wages from being posted incorrectly. Having your wages posted incorrectly may reduce your future Social Security benefits, or it could result in you owing money back to the SSA.[29]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Getting a Card For a Baby
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1Know when to apply for a card. You should apply for a child's Social Security card while giving information for a child's birth certificate. When you apply, you will need to provide a birth record for the child. The only exception to this requirement is if the Social Security application is completed at the hospital immediately after the baby has been born.[30]
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2Provide the necessary documents. In addition to verifying your own identity, you will need to provide documents to prove your child's identity and date of birth. A birth certificate, while required, is not enough to confirm the identity of the child, and additional documentation is necessary to verify that the child has continued to exist beyond the date of birth.[31] Acceptable documents to identify your child include:
- a state-issued non-driver's ID card for the child[32]
- an official adoption decree[33]
- a record from the child's doctor, or from a clinic or hospital, verifying that the child has been given medical attention after birth[34]
- a religious record (like a baptismal certificate, for example)[35]
- a record of the child from a school daycare center[36]
- a school ID card[37]
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3Wait until an adoption is complete. If you are seeking a Social Security card for a child you have adopted or are in the process of adopting, it is best to wait until the adoption is complete. The SSA may make exceptions in some cases, but generally the SSA recommends waiting and applying for a Social Security card with the child's new legal name.[38]
- If you are seeking a Social Security card for your child to claim him or her for tax credits, and the adoption has not yet been finalized, you can contact the IRS directly to fill out Form W-7A (Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions - available at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7a.pdf). The IRS can also help provide you with additional information on how to proceed.[39]
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Warnings
- Unscrupulous individuals may try to use your Social Security information to open credit card accounts or other forms of identity theft. File a police report and file a claim reporting any instance of theft or fraud due to the loss of your Social Security card to the Federal Trade Commission immediately.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Do not apply for a Social Security card on any websites that do not end in ".gov".⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Do not give your Social Security information to people or organizations without knowing the reason they are asking for it.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- To reduce the chances of your card being lost or stolen, do not carry your card with you. Instead, it's best to keep it at home with your other important documents.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- If you are over the age of 12 and have never been issued a Social Security number you must go into the office. You will also have to attend an interview.⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/
- ↑ https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01981
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/new_york.htm
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/california.htm
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/california.htm
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/colorado.htm
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/new_york.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse/what-cant-oig-investigate
- ↑ http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse/what-cant-oig-investigate
- ↑ http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse/what-cant-oig-investigate
- ↑ http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse/what-cant-oig-investigate
- ↑ https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-2
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01981
- ↑ https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01981
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- ↑ https://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
- http://www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices/
About This Article
Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD
Doctor of Law, University of Wisconsin-Madison
This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 170,785 times.
Co-authors: 21
Updated: September 5, 2022
Views: 170,785
Categories: Social Security
Article SummaryX
To get a replacement social security card, start by gathering original, unexpired documents that prove your identity, age, and citizenship. For example, use a U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport as proof of identity. Next, print the application from the Social Security Administration’s website, fill it out completely, and return it to your local SSA office. Although replacement cards are free, you are limited to 3 replacements per year and 10 over the course of your lifetime, unless you’re replacing the card due to a legal name change. To learn how to request a new social security card after a name change, keep reading!
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