Fill Out Form SS-5 in 2026
Get an original Social Security card, replace one that's lost or damaged, or correct your name in your records, then sign and download it.
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How to fill out an SS-5 Form
Follow the steps below and you'll finish with confidence.
Open the form
Access the pre-loaded SS-5 Form in our editor without uploading anything.
Fill in your details
Complete every required field, including your name, birth details, and citizenship status.
Download as PDF
Save your completed SS-5 Form as a PDF, ready to print, sign, and send to the SSA.
What is an SS-5 Form?
The SS-5 Form is the Social Security Administration's official application for a new or replacement Social Security card. People also use it to correct existing records, such as a legal name change. The Social Security card confirms your identity and your Social Security number, which employers, government agencies, and financial institutions rely on. Without a valid card on file, you can run into problems getting hired, filing taxes, or applying for government benefits, so keeping your SS-5 application current matters.
Key Takeaways
- Form SS-5 requests a Social Security card
- SSA uses it to verify identity for benefits
- Applicants must show proof of citizenship
What is an SS-5 Form used for?
People use this form for several Social Security card needs. You can use the SS-5 application to:
- Request an original card for a newborn or first-time applicant
- Replace a card that's lost, stolen, or damaged
- Correct or update records, such as a legal name change
- Apply as a noncitizen with work authorization who needs a number for employment or tax reporting
What information is required on an SS-5 Form?
NAME TO BE SHOWN ON CARD
Enter the name for the card, plus full birth name and other names used, if different.
Social Security number previously assigned
Enter any Social Security number already assigned to the person named in item 1.
PLACE OF BIRTH
Enter the city and state or foreign country of birth without using abbreviations.
DATE OF BIRTH
Enter the month, day, and full four-digit year of birth.
CITIZENSHIP
Check one box showing U.S. citizen status or the applicable alien work status.
ETHNICITY
Indicate, on a voluntary basis, whether the applicant identifies as Hispanic or Latino.
RACE
Check the box matching the applicant's race from the listed categories.
SIGNATURE
Applicant signs if 18 or older and able; otherwise a parent or guardian signs.
When is an SS-5 Form due?
There's no fixed due date for the SS-5 Form. File it as soon as the need arises — for a newborn or first-time applicant who needs an SSN, to replace a lost or damaged card, or to update details like a legal name change from marriage, divorce, or naturalization. Submit the Form SS-5 right after that triggering event, rather than waiting for a set date on the calendar.
Get your SS-5 Form ready now
Open the SS-5 Form online, fill in each field, and download your completed Form SS-5 for your records.
When is an SS-5 Form not required?
You can skip the SS-5 Form once you already know your Social Security number, since a physical card is rarely needed to prove it. Parents often get a newborn's number through the hospital's enumeration-at-birth process instead. Some noncitizens receive a number through DHS coordination without filing directly. Updating your address alone doesn't require the form either.
What does a SS-5 form look like
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