Fill out Form SS-5 online

Who uses Form SS-5

• People who have never been assigned a Social Security number, including parents applying for a child
• People who need a replacement for a lost, stolen or damaged card
• People who changed their legal name
• People whose date of birth, citizenship or immigration status on their record needs to be changed or corrected
• A legal guardian, parent or close relative signing for an adult who cannot sign the form

Before you start

• Proof of identity in your legal name that is current and not expired, such as a U.S. driver's license, a state-issued non-driver ID card or a U.S. passport
• For an original card: at least two documents that prove age (usually your birth certificate), identity, and U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized immigration status
• If you were born outside the U.S.: proof of U.S. citizenship or a current Department of Homeland Security document showing your status, such as Form I-551, I-94 or I-766
• For a name change: a recent document that shows both your old and new names
• Your parents' names, and for an original card for a child under 18, the parents' Social Security numbers if they were assigned one
• If you apply for someone else: proof of your authority to sign, plus documents proving your identity and theirs

How to fill out Form SS-5

1. 1

   Items 1 and 2: Names and any earlier number

   In item 1, enter the name to be shown on the card (first, full middle and last). If the name at birth was different, enter it on the next line, then list any other names used. In item 2, enter any Social Security number already assigned to the person in item 1.

2. 2

   Items 3 to 5: Birth and citizenship

   Item 3 is the place of birth: city and state or foreign country, not abbreviated. Leave the Office Use Only box next to it empty. Item 4 is the date of birth as MM/DD/YYYY with a four-digit year. In item 5, check one box: U.S. Citizen, Legal Alien Allowed to Work, Legal Alien Not Allowed to Work, or Other. The last two need a document from a U.S. federal, state or local government agency that explains why you need a number and that you meet the requirements for the government benefit.

3. 3

   Items 6 to 8: Ethnicity, race and sex

   Item 6 (Hispanic or Latino) and item 7 (race, select one or more) are voluntary. Your answers do not affect decisions on the application. Item 8 asks for sex: Male or Female.

4. 4

   Items 9 and 10: Parents

   Item 9A is the parent/mother's name at her birth and 9B is her Social Security number. Item 10A is the parent/father's name and 10B is his Social Security number. For an original card for a child under 18, the parents' numbers must be shown unless a parent was never assigned one. Check Unknown if you do not know a number and cannot get it.

5. 5

   Items 11 to 13: Earlier cards

   Item 11 asks whether the person in item 1, or anyone acting for them, ever filed for or received a Social Security card. If you check Yes, answer items 12 and 13. If you check Don't Know, skip to item 14. Item 12 is the name on the most recent card. In item 13, enter any different date of birth used on an earlier application. If the date in item 4 differs from the one on the Social Security record, enter the date on the record here and provide evidence for the date in item 4.

6. 6

   Items 14 to 16: Date and contact details

   Enter today's date in item 14 and a daytime phone number with area code in item 15. In item 16, enter the mailing address where the card should be sent, without abbreviations. Use an address where you will still be able to receive the card when it is mailed.

7. 7

   Items 17 and 18: Signature and relationship

   Read the penalty of perjury declaration, then sign in item 17. Do not add anything else on the signature line; the instructions say this may invalidate the application. In item 18, check your relationship to the person in item 1: Self, Natural or Adoptive Parent, Legal Guardian, or Other (specify). Leave the area marked For SSA Use Only blank.

After you fill it out

In most cases, you can take or mail the signed form, with your original or certified documents, to any Social Security office. SSA returns any documents you mail. Use SSA's office locator to find the Social Security office or Social Security Card Center that serves your area. If you are 12 or older and have never had a Social Security number, you must apply in person.

Signing: The instructions say to complete and sign the form legibly in black or blue ink on 8.5 x 11 inch or A4 paper, so print it and sign item 17 by hand. If you cannot write your name, sign with an "X" and have two people sign as witnesses next to the mark.

Questions about Form SS-5

Official information

• Social Security number and card (SSA)
• Documents you need for a Social Security card
• Replace a Social Security card
• Find a Social Security office

Page text last reviewed November 7, 2026.

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