Documents Needed To Replace A Social Security Card

Original Card for a U.S. Born Adult

Important

All documents given have to be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. The Social Security Administration will refuse photocopies or notarized copies of these documents.

Acquire a certified copy of a document depicting a birth, marriage, or divorce that took place in the United States.

What original documents do I need?

Citizenship

The Social Security Administration only accepts a few specific documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These documents include a U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport.


Age

You must provide your birth certification. If you have one, you must send it to the SSA. If you don’t have one, the SSA may accept the following:

  • Religious record made before the age of 5 showing your date of birth;
  • U.S. hospital record of your birth; or
  • U.S. passport.

Any person of or above age 12 must attend an in-person interview if they are requesting an original Social Security number. The SSA will ask for evidence that proves you do not possess a Social Security number. Here are some documents you may use to prove that you were never assigned a Social Security number:

  • If you lived outside the United States for an extended period, a current or previous passport, school, and employment records, and any other record that would show long-term residence outside the United States could be used to show you do not have a Social Security number.
  • If you have lived in the United States and you are applying for an original Social Security number, the SSA may ask you for information about the schools you attended, or we may ask you to provide copies of tax records that would show you were never assigned a Social Security number.

Identity

The SSA only accepts a few documents as proof of identity. An acceptable document must be current or not expired and show your name, date of birth or age and preferably a recent self-photograph. Examples of proof of identity that the SSA must see are:

  • U.S. driver’s license;
  • State-issued non-driver identification card; or
  • U.S. passport.

If you do not possess one of these particular items or you cannot get a replacement for one of them within ten days, the SSA will ask to view other documents. Any documents provided, including the following, are required to show your name and be active (haven’t expired), date of birth or age, and

If you do not have one of these specific documents or you cannot get a replacement for one of them within ten days, we will ask to see other documents. Any documents submitted, including the following, must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age) and ideally a recent self-photograph:

  • Employee identification card;
  • School identification card;
  • Health insurance card (not a Medicare card); or
  • U.S. military identification card.

Note

We may use one document for two purposes. For example, we may use your U.S. passport as proof of both citizenship and identity. However, you must provide at least two separate documents.