Form SS-5: find the official form and complete it correctly

Use the official version for your situation

The PDF reviewed for this guide is Form SS-5, revision December 2024. Open the live SSA link to check the version and instructions you are using. The application page is part of a longer document containing evidence and completion guidance; do not discard those pages before reading them.

People living outside the United States should check Form SS-5-FS and their servicing Federal Benefits Unit's instructions. A domestic form guide does not establish the correct overseas submission method.

Describe the applicant's names and application history

Complete the form for the person whose card is requested, including when an authorized parent or other person fills it out. Give the requested card name, birth name when different, other names used, and previous card-application information.

Before signing, check these details against the current form's instructions:

• Write clearly in black or blue ink on U.S. letter-size (8½ by 11 inches) or A4 paper.
• Enter the month, day and full four-digit birth year.
• Answer the previous-application questions; a lost card does not mean a number was never assigned.
• Check the mailing address, application date and authorized signature. Read the signing instructions if someone is acting for the applicant.

Read the special instructions before answering

SSA supplies additional directions for citizenship/work categories, parent information, a corrected birth date and the mailing address. Use those instructions rather than guessing how an unfamiliar category applies to you. Race and ethnicity responses are voluntary under the form's instructions.

If the application involves a nonwork reason, the form describes supporting government-agency evidence and advises contacting SSA about whether the reason qualifies. A company's request for an SSN is not enough to select a category without checking eligibility.

Confirm the signature and evidence

The form explains who may sign, including rules for an adult signing for themselves and a parent or guardian acting for a child. If the applicant cannot sign, read the specific instructions or ask SSA for help; do not assume any family member can sign every request.

The signed application does not replace the required evidence. Original, replacement and corrected requests have different evidence needs. Provide originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, not ordinary photocopies or notarized copies.

Arrange submission through SSA

SSA's current online service can identify whether paper filing or an evidence appointment is needed. Confirm the office or Card Center and submission instructions before mailing important documents or traveling. The form's general mailing language is not a guarantee that every request can be completed entirely by mail.

Do not use this directory as a form-submission service. Keep identifying information, signatures and documents within the official application process.