So You’ve Lost Your Social Security Card
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 3, 2023
Losing important documents is frustrating, especially something as important as your Social Security card.
You’ll want to consider whether you really need to get a replacement card. Knowing your number is what’s important, after all. You’ll rarely need the card itself — perhaps only when you get a new job and have to show it to your employer. If you really must replace your card, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber before visiting your local Social Security office.
The first step is to learn what documents you need. You’ll need to show us a U.S. driver’s license, a state issued non-driver identification card, or a U.S. passport to prove your identity. Sometimes you may also need to prove your current U.S. citizenship or lawful noncitizen status with a birth certificate or passport.
Keep in mind that all documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We can’t accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. We also can’t accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.
Once you’re clear on what documents you’ll need, the second step is to print the Application for a Social Security Card, so you can fill it out. Finally, the third step is to bring or mail your application and original documents to us, and the online process will take you to a screen where you can find the address of your local office.
In some areas, you can request a replacement Social Security card using your online my Social Security account if you meet certain requirements. Simply access your account and follow the instructions to replace your Social Security card. It’s safe, convenient and secure.
You can replace your Social Security card for free if it’s lost or stolen. Avoid service providers wanting to charge you a fee to get your replacement card. Keep in mind that you’re limited to three replacement cards in a year, and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions don’t count toward these limits. Changes in immigration status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you aren’t affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.
We’ll mail your card as soon as we have all of your information and have verified your documents. Your replacement card will have the same name and number as your previous card.
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Tags: Social Security benefits, Social Security card, SSN
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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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Raleigh
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Sharon
a friend is getting married in 11 days, she procrastinated getting the marriage license, she just found out her fiancee doesn’t have his social security card…will the SS office give them something that will satisfy for the marriage license, or are they out of luck??
R.F.
Hi Sharon, we recommend that your friend’s fiancee visits the nearest local Social Security office or card center, and submits an application for a replacement Social Security card as soon as possible. Our representatives should be able to provide guidance and assistance in the situation.
Brandon
I didn’t know I lost are misplaced my card. Untill I needed it today for a new job. I went to the local social security office to apply for another one. I was assuming they were going to give me a receipt with my social security number on it like they did years back. And I could have brought that paper to the job as proof. Come to find out they stop that. Now I have to wait 2 weeks untill the card comes. I just hope the job is still there for me. Why want they give you a print out anymore?
J. C.
Seriously? They don’t do that anymore? My husband needs to get one and I was counting on that receipt in order to present it to the military to get him enrolled in DEERS. UGH.
R.F.
Hi Brandon. The Social Security card is the only official verification of your Social Security number. With the widespread usage of the Social Security numbers as the basis for establishing other identity documents and the increasing incidences of identity theft, we must process your request for a replacement Social Security card. Generally, we provide you with a receipt showing that you applied for a replacement card and that you will receive the card in the mail soon thereafter.
Page
Are there any circumstances in which an office can tell me my foreign born child’s number? We adopted and submitted an application last week at the local SSA office but the state is requesting us to submit her SSN under the threat of dropping her insurance. The deadline to submit is prior to when we’ll receive the card. We can submit the receipt as proof that we’ve applied but the healthexciange system is so automated I’m concerned that anything other than submitting number itself will complicate things.
R.F.
Thanks for your question Page. Typically, after we process your application, you should receive your child’s Social Security card by mail within 10 business days. Generally, we do not disclose Social Security numbers by phone, you will have to return to the Social Security office where you filed your application and speak to one of our representatives for further assistance.
Rachael
Hi there! I am getting married shortly and went to get all the documents we may need for our marriage license only to find they weren’t there!
Do I need to apply for a replacement now and then reapply for the name change?
Ms.Dee
I have a crazy situation that I need help with…..so here we go;
I’ve been homeless since 2009, and about a year and a half ago my wallet was stolen in a shelter. I only have my birth certificate and proof of address to prove I am who I am and my knowledge of my personal information. They say I need ID to get my as card but I need my as card to get my ID. So I’m kind of stuck, is there anything else I can do to receive my replacement card because I need to be able to identify myself for housing and job purposes. I’m getting my life in order and this is the only thing keeping me from becoming an active member of society again. Please help bcuz I’ve tried everything in my power.
Signed,
Desperate to pull my life back in order
Ms.Dee
Sorry for the typos….. It should say ss card twice in my post.
Rich
What documents can I use to get a replacement ss card if I don’t have a photo ID card, or employee ID card, health insurance card, school ID card. I never got a state issued ID and I don’t have any of the other documents required as proof. Can someone please help me
R.F.
Hi Rich. There are primary and secondary documents we can use to process your request for a replacement Social Security card. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or visit your local office or card center for further assistance.
Barbara C.
I found my card.
tony
The best feature with the new social security card is the 2D Barcode in the back. It took terrorism to finally make security changes to the social security card.
To bad the credit cards companies can’t verify with the SSA about this 2D Barcode to prevent Identity theif.
I wonder if E-verify will require companies to submit the 2D Barcode.
Kathy
What! you have to prove your citizenship and you have to produce a U.S. driver’s license, a state issued non-driver identification card, or a U.S. passport to prove you identity to get a replacement card. When asked to do the same when voting it becomes an issue.
R.F.
Hi Kathy. We require all individuals applying for an original or replacement Social Security card to present documentary evidence of his or her identity because of the following reasons:
•due to the growing problem of identity theft and false identity situations,
•to be certain the individual is who he or she claims to be (i.e., that the person existed and continues to exist)
•to ensure the applicant for an original card, does not already have a Social Security number.
•to establish that the person who is applying for a replacement SSN card is the true number holder (NH) (i.e., the person to whom SSA originally assigned the SSN).
tammy
You know what is worse than loosing your social security card? Being physically disabled, marrying an “able bodied person” and loosing out on a lifetime of benefits, all because you married an “able bodied person”.
Because you are physically disabled (adult disabled child) and you choose not to marry another adult disabled child or disabled person drawing off socialist security, you WILL LOOSE ANY AND ALL BENEFITS FOR LIFE. This means that the SOCIALIST SECURITY system is TELLING YOU WHO YOU ARE ALLOWED TO MARRY and who you are
NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY! It is a discriminatory act “rule” and should be ILLEGAL!
Even though I am permanently and totally disabled, if I marry an “able bodied person”, somehow that marriage makes everything ok and I am no longer considered disabled (in the eyes of the socialist security system). Magically (because I married an able bodied person), the pixie fairies come down and cure my disability, because now I can just go out and find gainful employment, no one will discriminate against my physical disability and everything will be grand, right? Somehow magically, marrying an able bodied person makes my physical disablility dissappear and now I am cured, right? WRONG!
The issue is a special “Rule” that the Socialist Security System uses to discriminate against “certain” people. If you are a “physically disabled person” (AKA-certain people) and happen to marry an able bodied person, then the SOCIALIST SECURITY system will use special “Rules” to legally discriminate against you and deny you benefits, even if you appeal online.
The SOCIALIST SECURITY system has caused me a lot of economic hardship all because I married an able bodied person. The SOCIALIST SECURITY system thinks someone who is physically disabled (permanently and totally disabled) marries an “able bodied person”, that somehow magically they are cured of their physical disability and two people can survive off the able bodied persons income. WOW, talk about a bunch of bureaucratic idiotic thinking, that somehow this would not cause a financial hardship….. amazing.
The rules that the Social Security Administration uses to legally discriminate against persons who are “Adult Disabled Children” who happen to marry an able bodied person, are discriminatory. This is loosely referred to as the “marriage penalty” but I call it exactly what it is, a legal form of discrimination.
I firmly believe this rule, is an act of bias, prejudice and discrimination against people who (by no fault of their own) are born disabled and happen to marry an able bodied person
Please write your Congressional Representative and tell them to end this modern day form of Legal Discrimination. In this day of fairness and equality, there are still some people suffering from an outdated and oppressive bureaucratic rule.
(PS. notice how the only thing any of these SOCIALIST SECURITY workers ever say are quotes of the rules or processes, like a worker drone. They are unable to address any topics that fall outside of their rule books). Typical bureaucracy and bureaucratic responses, like trying to argue over lost change with a vending machine!
Chris
Before you married you were eligible for Disabled Adult Child benefits due to 1. Your disability prior to the age of 22 and 2. Your reliance on your parents to support you. Once you married you would still be disabled as you were before BUT you were no longer reliant on the financial support of your parents. Social Security NEVER denied your being disabled and does not allege you are cured in any way. You made a decision to marry and now rely on your spouse for support as you and your spouse are now a family. I hope you are at least happy with your spouse and let go of blaming someone else. Life is too short to make yourself miserable over a situation created by your decision that is in conflict with a law what helped you when you met the criteria.
tony
You got no one to blame except yourself for the decision you made. The other person you can blame is your husband for asking you to marry him.
tony
The free disability money I am getting sure is good. Getting disability for mental disability is a joke. It is nice free loading off the tax payers. The Socialist Social Security system sure work good for people with mental illness.
tony
The service is getting worse at McDonald now since everyone is getting disability or welfare and no one want to work. I keep seeing all these hiring signs at Burger King, Checkers, Wendy’s, etc. Since no one wants to work, we have to get use to the bad service. We should give out more green cards to immigrants who want to work in America. They can serve us Americans on Social Security disability.
tammy
Tony, I am sure it does. Meantime, I have a muscular skeletal disability along with an abscess in my brain tissue. I cannot find any work because of my disabillity and I have to spend the rest of my life this way. If you dont think having an abscess in my brain qualifies me for a “mental disability” then I have a bridge to sell you. Hope you enjoy hades because god will judge us all one day and I will be there to testify.
tony
God knows everything. Why would God need you to testify against me? Is God disabled in the brain too?
The SSA denied people who wrote on the Adult Function Report that they go to church. You are basically asking the devil for free disability money.
tammy
Life is what it is, not sorry at all. I am trying to warn as many people as I possibly can about the Socialist Security trickery so that others do not fall as prey into their web.
tony
It is posted on the SSA website under Adult Child Benefits. How are they going to find what you blogged under So you’ve lost your social security card?
tony
Why are you trying to warn them? Do you want people to be alone for the rest of their life or live together in sin and never get married.
tammy
Chris, the economics of a two income household (at a minimum) are almost a necessity these days. Minimum wage, will barely feed a single person, much less a couple. Being physically disabled means that my work options are nill, there are none. No one will hire me because of my physical disablillty. So, in the husbandry financial support theory, unless he is a millionaire, how can someone in my position ever make it? Honestly, its the end of the rope (and it has been for many years). I still do not see how getting married somehow makes everything better and it is a very twisted dismissing (demonic) mind that thinks this “Rule” is in any way a good idea.
tony
If you marry a dead beat, then you can apply for SSI.
DrGonzo888
Like Chris said, its meant to supplant the support from your parents. PERIOD. Just pop out some babies, roll the dice, maybe get a new claim to file.
Tiffany
Um.. isn’t it kind of a SOCIALIST type of thing to draw disability in the first place?? Without SOCIALIST policies, you would have never drawn any funds for disability IN THE FIRST PLACE!