Form SS-5: How to Apply for or Replace a Social Security Card

Form SS-5 is the paper application the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses for a new Social Security number (SSN), a replacement card, or a corrected card after a legal name change. You fill in your name, birth details, citizenship status and mailing address, sign it, and submit it with original identity documents. The card itself is free.

This guide explains who needs the form, which documents to gather, how to complete each part on screen, and what the limits on replacement cards are.

Who Uses Form SS-5

You use the SS-5 in three common situations:

• First-time SSN. A newborn, a child, or an adult who has never had a number, including noncitizens authorized to work or eligible for certain benefits.
• Replacement card. Your card was lost, stolen or damaged and your information has not changed.
• Corrected card. You changed your legal name (marriage, divorce, court order) or your citizenship status changed, and you want a card that matches.

The distinction matters because it changes what you attach. A pure replacement needs proof of identity. A name change needs a document showing the legal change, plus identity. A first-time application also needs proof of age and of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status. Many U.S. citizens with a replacement request can use SSA's online account instead of paper, depending on state and circumstances, so check the SSA site first. The paper form is the route for first-time cards, many name changes, and anyone who cannot use the online option.

Documents You Need Before You Start

SSA says it needs original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency, and it returns them. Based on SSA's published guidance, plan on the following:

• Proof of identity: a current, unexpired document with your name and a photo, such as a driver's license, state ID or U.S. passport.
• Proof of citizenship or status: a U.S. birth certificate or passport for citizens, or current immigration documents for noncitizens.
• Proof of age (first-time cards): usually a birth certificate.
• Proof of legal name change: a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.

Requirements change, and your situation may differ, so confirm the exact list on ssa.gov or with your local office before you go. Because SSA returns originals, ask your local office whether you can bring them in person, which avoids sending irreplaceable papers through the mail.

Step by Step: Filling Out the PDF

You can complete the form in your browser instead of printing it and writing by hand. Handwriting errors are a common reason forms get sent back.

1. Open our Form SS-5 template or upload your own copy at /fill-pdf. Download the current edition from ssa.gov if you want to compare.
2. Name fields. Enter the name exactly as it should appear on the card. If it differs from the name on your birth record, also list your full name at birth and any other names you have used.
3. Previous SSN. If you were ever issued a number, enter it, even for a replacement. If you do not know it, leave it blank rather than guessing.
4. Birth details. Enter your date of birth and place of birth (city and state, or country). Match your birth certificate.
5. Citizenship. Check the category that reflects your status today. Noncitizens should check the category that matches their immigration documents.
6. Ethnicity and race. These questions are voluntary and do not affect processing.
7. Parents' names. Enter your mother's name at birth and your father's name if known. First-time applications ask for them; they may be optional for replacements, so follow the form's own instructions.
8. Prior application and card details. If you are correcting a card, give the name shown on your most recent card, and the date of birth shown if it was different.
9. Contact and mailing address. Enter a phone number and the address where you can reliably receive mail. Spell it out the way the post office does.
10. Signature. Fill in the date, relationship to the person on the card, and sign. SSA generally expects a handwritten signature on the application you submit, so print the finished PDF and sign it by hand. If someone is applying for a child, the parent or guardian signs.

Item numbers shift between form editions, so match each entry by its label rather than its number. Save the filled PDF to your device before you print.

Replacement Limits

Federal law, from the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, directs SSA to limit replacement cards to three per calendar year and ten in a lifetime. SSA has said legal name changes and similar updates do not count toward these limits, and it can grant exceptions in compelling circumstances. Treat these as the rule of thumb and confirm with SSA if you are close to the cap.

In practice, most people never get near the limit. The better habit is to memorize your number and keep the card in a secure place. You rarely need to carry it, since an employer typically only needs the number.

Name Change Versus Replacement: A Common Mix-Up

People often check the wrong reason for applying. A replacement says nothing changed. A name change says your legal name is different now, so you must attach the document that proves it. If you changed your name, update SSA first, then your driver's license or passport, and then your employer and bank. The mismatch between SSA records and a W-2 can cause tax filing trouble, so do not skip this step.

Submitting the Application

Take or mail the signed form with your original documents to your local Social Security office. SSA returns the documents you send. Before mailing originals, check your local office's current process; many offices still process in person or by mail. After approval, the card typically arrives by mail in about one to two weeks, although timing varies. Keep a scan of the completed form and your receipt for your records.

Fill It Out Without Printing and Rewriting

If you have ever filled in a government PDF by hand and started over after one mistake, working in the browser saves time. You can type into the form, fix errors, then print only the final copy. PDF Editify is a paid tool, but you do not need a subscription for one form. The One Week Plan is $3 one time, expires on its own and has nothing to cancel, which compares favorably with monthly subscriptions that often run $10 or more per month. If you also need a signature on other paperwork, /sign-pdf covers that, and the Social Security and Medicare forms library has related templates, including the Medicare Part B enrollment guide.

Your SSN is sensitive. Files processed in PDF Editify are deleted automatically after processing, but you should still avoid saving copies of the completed form on shared computers.

Mistakes That Delay Applications

• Name mismatch. Writing a nickname or dropping a middle name that appears on your birth certificate. SSA compares what you write to your documents.
• Expired ID. SSA expects current, unexpired identity documents, so renew a lapsed license first.
• Photocopies. Plain copies and notarized copies are generally not accepted. Bring originals or agency-certified copies.
• Missing signature. A typed name in the signature box is not a substitute for a handwritten one on the printed form.
• Wrong reason checked. Marking replacement when you really changed your name leaves SSA with no proof to process the update.

Final Checklist

• Name matches your legal documents exactly.
• Checked the right reason: new, replacement or correction.
• Originals or certified copies ready, nothing expired.
• Signed by hand and dated.
• Scan of the form saved before you hand it over.