How to Get a Duplicate Social Security Card

You can order a replacement if you lose your Social Security card.

If your Social Security card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can easily order a replacement.

Instructions

1. Learn the rules. The Social Security Administration (SSA) issues replacement Social Security cards free of charge. However, you are limited to three replacement cards per year, with a maximum of 10 over your lifetime.

2. Collect your documentation. To get a copy of your Social Security card, you'll need the following documentation:

   - A completed Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Card

   - Proof of your identity

   After you assemble your documents, you can either mail them to your local Social Security Office or deliver them in person.

3. Complete Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Card. Download Form SS-5 in pdf form from the Social Security website -- find a link in the Resources section. Print the form on plain white 8 1/2 by 11 paper, using blue or black ink only. Fill in sections 1 through 17 of the form with a blue or black pen.

4. Provide proof of your identity. Whether replacing your card my mail or in person, you'll need to provide proof that you are who you say you are and to verify your legal name. One of the following documents is required:

   - A valid U.S. driver's license

   - A U.S. state-issued identity card

   - A U.S. passport

   For young children, other forms of identification, such as medical records or a school ID card, might be acceptable. In this case, the parent will have to present identification as well.

5. Submit your paperwork. For most applicants, you can either mail the required documents to your local Social Security office or deliver them in person. To find the address of an office near you, use the SSA's locator (see link in Resource section). It's a good idea to call first to make sure that your submission package is complete before mailing it in.

   If you live in certain areas in the U.S., you must apply for a replacement card in person at a Social Security Center. These areas include:

   - Brooklyn, New York

   - Queens, New York

   - Orlando, Florida

   - Sacramento, California (except NW and NE corners of Sacramento County)

   - Phoenix, Arizona

   - Las Vegas, Nevada

   To locate a Social Security Center in these areas, see the link in the Resource section.

   If you are outside of the U.S., see the link in the Resource section for instructions on where to send your paperwork.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're residing outside of the U.S., you can print Form SS-5 on A4 white paper.

• Don't carry your Social Security card with you in your wallet or purse. You'll rarely need it, and it's much safer at home.

Resources

• Social Security Administration: Link to Form SS-5
• Social Security Administration: Find a local Social Security office
• Social Security Administration: Find a Social Security Center
• Social Security Administration: Find a Social Security office outside of the U.S.