Replace a Social Security card

Check whether you need a physical card

SSA says a physical card is unnecessary in most situations if you know your number. If an organization requests your card, ask what it needs before applying for a replacement.

Follow SSA’s application route

• Answer the questions in SSA’s official card application.
• If you qualify, you may finish online. Otherwise, follow SSA’s instructions to arrange an appointment and present the required documents.
• If you cannot begin online, SSA’s replacement-card FAQ explains the paper Form SS-5 route and the need to bring the required documents to an office or Card Center.

Prepare the right evidence

Document requirements depend on citizenship, the type of request, and whether the card is for an adult or child. Use SSA’s document selector for your situation. A name change is a corrected-card request; use SSA’s name-change instructions rather than treating it as a lost-card replacement.

How the card arrives

SSA mails replacement cards after completing the request. Its replacement-card page currently gives 5–10 business days after completion. That is not a promise about application or appointment processing time. An office cannot print your card for immediate collection.