Need to Change Your Name on Your Social Security Card?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 3, 2023
Are you changing your name? If so, let Social Security know so we can update your information, send you a corrected card, and make sure you get the benefits you’ve earned.
To change your name on your card, you must show us documents proving your legal name change and identity. If you are a U.S. citizen, you also must show us a document proving your U.S. citizenship, if it is not already in our records. You must present original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We can’t accept photocopies or notarized copies.
To prove your legal name change, you must show one of the following documents:
- Marriage document.
- Divorce decree.
- Certificate of naturalization showing a new name.
- Court order for a name change.
To prove your identity, you must show an unexpired document showing your name, identifying information, and photograph, such as one of the following:
- U.S. driver’s license.
- State-issued non-driver’s identification card.
- U.S. passport.
If you don’t have one of those documents available, we may be able to accept your:
- Employer identification card.
- School identification card.
- Health insurance card.
- U.S. military identification card.
To prove your U.S. citizenship, you must show one of the following documents:
- U.S. birth certificate.
- U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
- U.S. passport (unexpired).
- Certificate of Naturalization.
- Certificate of Citizenship.
Whatever your reason for your name change, Social Security is here to help you with the new… you! Fill out the form online and follow the instructions to ensure your Social Security card is delivered in a timely manner. You can also locate your local field office so you can apply for your updated card and show your required documents in person.
For complete instructions, visit our Social Security Number and Card page, which includes information for non-citizens. And remember, if you simply need to replace a lost Social Security card, but don’t need to change your name, you can — in most states — request your replacement card online using your personal my Social Security account.
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Tags: my Social Security, my Social Security account, Social Security card, SSN
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Anna
Correct name app. What if father refuses to give me his social# which it ask for on app. What do I do?
V.V.
Hi Anna, thanks for using our blog. A parent’s Social Security number is only required if you are applying for an original Social Security card for a child under age 18. Thanks.
Michelle C.
If I submit my driver’s license as proof of identity then what am I supposed to do while I wait to get my driver’s license back? Drive illegally?
Tia D.
Since your company fails to respond to emails and wants to use a flu virus as an excuse to not help customers with crucial information. I want to know if my card with my maiden name is still good since i changed my name with my divorce. nothing else has changed. it would be a complete waste of time if I request a new card when i still have my old one and my number is obviously the same. *DO NOT TELL ME TO CHECK YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE, THAT IS NOT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE*
V.V.
Hi Tia. If you’re changing your name back to your maiden name, you would need to apply for a corrected Social Security card. The Social Security number (SSN) was created for the sole purpose of tracking the earnings histories of U.S. workers for use in determining Social Security benefit entitlement and computing benefit levels. That’s why it’s critical that the name and number on your currently Social Security record agree with your employer’s payroll records and W-2 so that we can credit your earnings to your record. It is up to you to make sure that both our records and your employer’s records are correct.
Jesse
When I applied for a marriage license I used my original name but now I would like to change it. What proof or document do I need to bring to change my name?
V.V.
Hi Jesse, thank you for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page on how to change your name. All submitted documents must be either originals or certified copies by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.
For additional information on how Social Security can help with your Social Security number, please visit our Social Security and Coronavirus web page.
Bridgette
Hi, I have applied for widow’s benefits and was told to submit a the original marriage license, which I do have. However; my late husband put a laminate shield on the face of the document to protect it 30 yrs ago.
Will it be accepted at the Social Security Administration?
V.V.
For your security, Bridgette, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can call your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Andy D.
I finally got my last name corrected. On my birth certificate and my social security card was both spelt wrong. But I did the correction for my birth certificate and now I need to do my social security card plus get a replacement card.
V.V.
Hi Andy, thank you for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page on how to change your name. All submitted documents must be either originals or certified copies by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.
For additional information on how Social Security can help with your Social Security number, please visit our Social Security and Coronavirus web page.
Maggie M.
Hello! If using a U.S. passport for identification and citizenship status while completing a name change, does the passport have to reflect the new updated name?
Thank you!
V.V.
Hi Maggie, thank you for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page on how to change your name. All submitted documents must be either originals or certified copies by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.
For additional information on how Social Security can help with your Social Security number, please visit our Social Security and Coronavirus web page.
Stephen H.
My wife never changed her Social Security name but needs to now. It has been close to 40 years. She submitted a marriage license, her driver’s license and a form for a new card after talking with the SSA office. It was rejected saying she needed a form of Identity Document. What form is that and where can it be found? After talking with the SSA office, she thought she had sent the correct form.
V.V.
Hi Stephen, thank you for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page on how to change your name. All submitted documents must be either originals or certified copies by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.
For additional information on how Social Security can help with your Social Security number, please visit our Social Security and Coronavirus web page.
Stephen H.
That response does not help at all. We did check there. We even spoke to the office. She sent her driver’s license and the original marriage license. Our only guess was that we sent the wrong form. What is the correct form?
V.V.
Hi Stephen. Check out our Social Security Number and Card web page for the steps on how to get a new, replacement or corrected Social Security card. Step two is the form SS-5.
Stephen H.
That is the form she sent. Now you see why we are baffled. All items were originals also.
Jessica
If it has been longer than two years since she changed her name, she needs to submit an identity document showing her previous name (before marriage) along with the marriage license, birth certificate, drivers license, etc.
Jennifer F.
I just got married in October 2020. If I send my original copy of my marriage license since it cannot be photo copied how do I get it back if everything is being done online and by mail? Will they mail it back to me after verification?
Thank you
V.V.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for using our blog. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page on how to change your name. All submitted documents must be either originals or certified copies by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. All submitted documents are returned to you.
For additional information on how Social Security can help with your Social Security number, please visit our Social Security and Coronavirus web page.
Marlana
Is there a way to check the status of a name change for your social security card? I mailed my original documents along with the application about a month and a half ago.
V.V.
Hi Marlana, thanks for using our blog. Please call your local Social Security office. Look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.