Guide

How to Change Your Address With Social Security

How Do You Change Your Address With Social Security?

To change address with Social Security, sign in to your my Social Security account and update it under My Profile, which works if you get retirement, survivors or disability benefits or are enrolled in Medicare. People who get SSI, or who can't use the online service, call 1-800-772-1213 or contact a local office. If you don't get benefits, SSI or Medicare, you don't need to report a move at all. The office finder lists every office.

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A young couple unpacks moving boxes in the kitchen of a new apartment
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels

Who Needs to Report a Move to Social Security

Not everyone. SSA says that if you don’t get Social Security benefits, SSI payments or Medicare, you don’t need to change your address with it at all. Your Social Security card has no address on it, so a move never calls for a new card.

You do need to report a move if you:

  • Get retirement, survivors or disability benefits.
  • Are enrolled in Medicare.
  • Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

SSA keeps your address current so it can communicate with you about your benefits. An old address means its letters go to the wrong place.

Online, by Phone or at an Office

Your benefit type decides how you change address with Social Security.

Who you are Online in my Social Security By phone At an office
Getting Social Security benefits or enrolled in Medicare, U.S. address Yes, under My Profile Yes Yes, by appointment
U.S. citizen getting benefits, moving abroad Yes, international address Yes Yes
Getting SSI No; you can only check your address and update your phone Yes Yes
No U.S. mailing address No Yes Yes
Not getting benefits, SSI or Medicare No need to report No need No need

The phone line is 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most U.S. time zones. Tell the agent you want to update your contact information.

Change Address With Social Security Online, Step by Step

If you get benefits or have Medicare, the online route takes a few minutes and needs no visit.

  1. Sign in to my Social Security. If you don’t have an account, create one first; the my Social Security account guide walks through it.
  2. Open the My Profile tab. That’s where SSA keeps your mailing address, phone number and direct deposit details.
  3. Enter your new address. Use your U.S. mailing address, or an international address if you are a U.S. citizen moving abroad.
  4. Pick the date the change takes effect. SSA lets you choose, so you can line it up with your actual move date.
  5. Check your phone number and email while you’re there. You can update your email at any time, even without benefits: My Profile, then Security, then Update Email.

Changing banks as part of the move? The same My Profile tab handles direct deposit, so you can update both in one visit.

Depending on your benefit type, the online system may tell you to call instead. That’s normal; call the number above and an agent makes the change.

If You Get SSI: Report Your Move Quickly

SSI works differently. Online address changes aren’t offered to SSI recipients yet, so you call 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local office.

Speed matters more for SSI than for other benefits. SSI eligibility depends on your income, resources and living arrangements, and SSA asks you to report changes within the first ten days of the month after the change. If you report late, you may be overpaid and have to pay it back. SSA can also cut your SSI payment by $25 to $100 for each change you fail to report on time.

When you call, have ready:

  • Your new address and the date you moved.
  • Who lives with you at the new address, since SSI looks at living arrangements.

The SSI office guide explains which offices handle SSI questions and how to reach them.

Other Contact Details to Update While You Are There

A move often changes more than your street address. my Social Security lets you review several details in one sitting:

  • Phone number. You can update it online if you already get benefits. SSI recipients can update a phone number online too, even though they can’t change an address there.
  • Email address. Anyone with an account can change it at any time, benefits or not.
  • Direct deposit. If you get benefits or have Medicare, the My Profile tab handles bank changes alongside the address.
  • Communication preferences. You can tell SSA whether you want notices by mail or online when possible. Choosing online notices means a move is less likely to cost you a letter.

If your benefit type blocks an online change, the site tells you to call. One phone call to 1-800-772-1213 can cover the address, phone and bank details together.

Moving Abroad or to a U.S. Territory

U.S. citizens who get benefits can switch to an international address online in my Social Security. If you already live outside the U.S., including the U.S. territories and commonwealths, you contact a Federal Benefits Unit to request an appointment rather than a domestic office.

Noncitizens should check the rules before a long trip. SSA stops payments to noncitizens who don’t meet certain requirements once they have been outside the U.S. for 6 calendar months in a row, and doesn’t restart them until the person returns and stays a full calendar month. The guide for non-citizens covers those rules.

How Long the Change Takes

Online, you set the effective date yourself, so you control when the new address applies. By phone, tell the agent you want to update your contact information, and give the new address and the date you moved. If you have a payment due soon after the move, see the 2026 payment schedule to check whether the change will be in place before your next payment date.

Do You Need to Visit an Office?

Usually not. An office visit makes sense if you get SSI and prefer to report in person, if you have no phone access, or if you’re handling several changes at once, such as a move combined with a name change.

To book a visit, you’ll be asked to create a my Social Security account, and SSA helps you schedule after you sign in. If you live outside the U.S., including the U.S. territories, contact a Federal Benefits Unit instead.

The office finder lists all 1,231 Social Security offices in SSA’s office data, checked against SSA’s Office Locator on October 1, 2026. Most of them, 1,194 offices, keep standard hours of Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you’re moving, look up the office near your new home:

Before any visit, check what to bring to a Social Security office.

Protect Your Address and Payments From Scams

Address and direct deposit changes are a favorite target for identity thieves, because a changed address can redirect notices and a changed bank account can redirect payments.

Your best defense is your own my Social Security account. SSA says that if anyone tries to change your address or direct deposit without your permission, you get an alert right away. Having an account also stops a thief from opening one in your name.

Remember what SSA won’t do. It won’t ask for personal details through social media, email or text, threaten arrest, suspend your number, or ask for payment by gift card or wire transfer. Report suspicious contact to SSA’s Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.

If Something Goes Wrong

A letter went to your old address. Update your address now, then call 1-800-772-1213 if the letter set a deadline you may miss.

A payment didn’t arrive after the move. Check that your direct deposit details are correct in My Profile. The lost or stolen payment guide covers what to do next.

The online system won’t let you change it. Some benefit types need a phone call. Call the national number, or visit your local office.

You got an alert you didn’t expect. If you didn’t make the change, treat it as possible fraud: contact SSA and report it to the Inspector General.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need a New Card After I Move?

No. Your Social Security card doesn't show an address, and SSA says it isn't necessary to report a change of address for the card.

Can I Choose the Date My New Address Starts?

Yes. When you change your address in my Social Security, you can decide when the change takes effect, which helps if you are moving later in the month.

I Get SSI. Can I Change My Address Online?

Not yet. SSI recipients can check their address and payment method and update their phone number in my Social Security, but an address change needs a phone call to 1-800-772-1213 or a local office.

Can I Update My Email Without Getting Benefits?

Yes. Anyone with a my Social Security account can update an email address at any time under My Profile, then Security, then Update Email.

I Am Moving Abroad. Who Do I Contact?

U.S. citizens getting benefits can change to an international address online. If you already live outside the U.S., including the U.S. territories, contact a Federal Benefits Unit to request an appointment.

Will Someone Know if a Stranger Changes My Address?

With a my Social Security account, SSA alerts you right away if anyone tries to change your address or direct deposit without your permission.

Keep Reading

Sources

  1. SSA: Update contact information
  2. SSA FAQ: How can I change my address or direct deposit information?
  3. SSA FAQ: How do I change my address on my Social Security card?
  4. SSA FAQ: What do I need to report to Social Security if I get SSI?
  5. SSA: Protect yourself from Social Security scams

Independent site, not affiliated with the Social Security Administration. Office addresses, phone numbers and hours come from SSA's public office data. To apply for benefits or manage your record, go to SSA directly at ssa.gov.