How do I replace a lost or stolen Social Security card?
Free, online for most people, you don't need to drive anywhere — and the people charging you twenty or thirty dollars to expedite it are scammers. Here's the right way to do it, what counts as proof, and what to do first if you think the card was stolen.
Dr. Ed Weir, PhD · 20 years inside Social Security · "Former" Sergeant, USMC
Updated May 2026
How do I replace a lost or stolen Social Security card?
To replace a lost or stolen Social Security card, go to ssa.gov/number-card and start there. In most states an adult with a my Social Security account can request the replacement online for free. If your state doesn't allow online or your situation is more complicated — name change, child's card, no online access — you'll use Form SS-5 plus original documents at a Social Security office. SSA never charges for a replacement card.
Replacing a card is a Social Security task — but if you're approaching 65, Medicare comes next.
Free help from licensed Medicare advisors
If you're sorting out card paperwork because retirement is on the horizon, my friends at Chapter Medicare can help when 65 rolls around. Licensed advisors who don't sell one company's plans, so they can compare what's actually out there. Free service. Tell them Dr. Ed sent you.
Here's what to do, in 4 steps.
Four steps. The fastest path is online — try that first.
1. Start at ssa.gov/number-card
Answer a few questions on the SSA tool. It will tell you whether your state allows online replacement and route you to the right path. This is the fastest way to find out if you can avoid an office visit entirely.
SSA card replacement landing ›2. Sign in to my Social Security and request online
If your state participates and you're a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident with an unexpired U.S. driver's license or state ID and a U.S. mailing address, sign in to your my Social Security account and submit the request. Card arrives by mail in about ten to fourteen business days.
my Social Security account ›3. If online isn't available, fill out Form SS-5
Download Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card), fill it out, and gather original (not photocopy) proof of identity and citizenship or lawful immigration status. Required for name changes, children's cards, and any state that doesn't offer the online path.
Form SS-5 (PDF) ›4. Submit at a Social Security office or by mail
Take Form SS-5 plus your original documents to a Social Security office or Card Center. There are no walk-in same-day cards — expect ten to fourteen business days for the card to arrive. Originals leave your hands at intake. Bring nothing irreplaceable, and ask whether documents will be returned same-day.
Find a Social Security office ›What you need to know in 60 seconds
Which of these sounds more like you?
Eight situations I see when people need a new card. Pick the one that matches.
I want to request a replacement onlineand I have a my Social Security account
Most adults can do this from their kitchen table. Sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount, answer a few questions, and submit. The card is mailed to your address of record in about ten to fourteen business days. Free.
The online path requires: a my Social Security account, U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, an unexpired U.S. driver's license or state-issued ID, a U.S. mailing address, and your state has to participate in the online program. Most do.
Most people don't realize you can do this from your kitchen table. Twenty years inside taught me half the office visits I saw for replacement cards didn't need to happen — the person was online-eligible and just hadn't been told.
My state doesn't participate, or my situation needs in-personname change, child's card, or no online path
If your state isn't on the online list, or you've changed your name, or you're requesting for a child, or you don't have a my Social Security account — you'll go in person or by mail with Form SS-5.
Download Form SS-5 from ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf, fill it out, gather original (not photocopy) proof of identity and citizenship or lawful immigration status, and either bring it to a Social Security office or Card Center, or mail it to your local field office. The tool at ssa.gov/number-card will tell you which path applies.
If you're going in person, self-schedule the appointment through ssa.gov/number-card before you go. Walk-ins still get served, but appointments cut wait time in half on most days.
A website is asking me to pay for a replacement cardor to expedite it
Walk away. SSA never charges for a replacement Social Security card. Sites with names like ssa-replacement.us or social-security-card-services.com that take fifteen, twenty, fifty dollars to "process" or "expedite" your application are scams or middlemen. The most they're doing is filling out a form you can fill out yourself for free at ssa.gov/number-card.
The pattern to watch for: a .us, .org, or .com domain that mimics ssa.gov or includes words like "social security card services"; fees for what SSA does free; promises of expedited delivery (SSA doesn't offer that anyway). The real SSA hub is ssa.gov — always ends in .gov.
Don't get caught by this. Every fee a third-party site charges for a card replacement is money the U.S. government doesn't see a penny of. They're collecting from you to fill out a free SSA form on your behalf. The application is at ssa.gov/number-card.
My card was stolen, not just lostand I'm worried about identity theft
Stolen and lost are the same process for the replacement — but the protective steps you take alongside it are different.
Before you request the replacement: freeze your credit at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It's free, you can do it online in about fifteen minutes, and it stops new credit accounts from being opened in your name. Then file a report at identitytheft.gov. Then request the replacement at ssa.gov/number-card.
The replacement card carries the same Social Security number you've always had. It does not give you a new number. Getting a new SSN is a different, much harder process reserved for limited circumstances.
Don't get caught by this. Replacing the card does NOT change your number. People assume a new card means a new SSN, and it doesn't. If your number is out in the wild, the credit freeze is the protective step — not the new card.
I need to change my name on the cardmarriage, divorce, or court order
Name changes can't be done online. You'll need Form SS-5 and original or certified proof of the legal name change — marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. Bring it in person or mail it to your local Social Security office.
Good news on the limits: name-change replacements do not count toward the three-per-year or ten-per-lifetime card limits. The federal regulation excludes legal name changes from those caps. So if you've used most of your replacement allotment for other reasons, a marriage or divorce name change is still allowed without burning a slot.
Twenty years inside taught me people get this in the wrong order. Update your name with Social Security FIRST, then update your driver's license, passport, and bank. SSA's record is what gets verified back to the IRS at tax time — the other agencies key off it.
I need a replacement for my childminor under 18
A child's replacement card cannot be done online. A parent or legal guardian has to file Form SS-5 and bring original documents in person.
What you'll need: the child's Social Security number (or, if you don't have it, the child's birth certificate so SSA can pull it up), the child's proof of identity if they're 12 or older (school ID, medical record, state-issued ID), the child's proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status, and your own unexpired ID as the parent or guardian.
I'm a flashlight, not a courtroom. If there's a custody dispute, divorce-in-progress, or contested guardianship, the SSA office may decline the request without a court order. Talk to a family-law attorney before showing up if any of that applies.
I'm helping an elderly parent get a new cardand they can't manage the trip alone
If you're the adult child stepping in for an elderly parent who lost their card — here's the practical playbook.
1. The card has to be issued in the parent's name based on the parent's documents. Being a representative payee on their benefit doesn't bypass card-issuance rules. Bring the parent's original birth certificate or U.S. passport, their unexpired state ID or driver's license, and Form SS-5 filled out in their name.
2. If they can't get to the office, call your local SSA field office first and ask about home-bound applicants or appointment by phone. There's more flexibility than people assume — SSA can sometimes do these by phone if originals are mailed in — but the parent still has to participate in some way.
3. Ask whether the originals can be returned the same day. For elderly parents, losing a birth certificate or passport in the mail is the worst outcome. Some offices return documents on the spot; others mail them back.
I can't find my birth certificate or IDeverything was in the lost wallet
Without primary documents this is harder, but not impossible. Build the document trail back step by step.
Step 1: order a certified copy of your birth certificate from your state's vital records office. Most states do this online for ten to twenty-five dollars and mail it within a week or two.
Step 2: if your driver's license or state ID is also gone, the DMV often requires fewer documents than SSA does — sometimes just the birth certificate and a proof-of-address letter. Get the state ID first.
Step 3: with birth certificate + state ID in hand, come back and request the SSA card replacement. Online if eligible, otherwise Form SS-5 in person.
If you have no usable documents at all, call your local SSA office and ask. There are limited workarounds for compelling circumstances — a referral letter from a governmental social services agency is one example the federal regulation explicitly recognizes — but those are case-by-case and not the normal path.
Other things to handle while you're at it
While you're sorting out the card, a few related items often come up at the same time. Here's where to start on each.
my Social Security account
Most online card replacements run through your my Social Security account. If you don't have one yet, set it up first — it's the central tool for almost every Social Security task you'll do from here on out.
Check your earnings record
Once the replacement card is on its way, the next sanity check is your earnings record. Errors there directly reduce your retirement check, and they're easier to fix the closer you are to the year the wages were earned.
How to apply for Social Security
If you're approaching retirement and worrying about the card, here's the truth: you don't need a physical card to file for Social Security. Knowing your number is enough. If retirement is the bigger task on your plate, start here.
Social Security credits / 40 quarters
Your number is what represents your work record — the credits you've earned over a lifetime. The card is just a piece of paper. Here's what those credits actually mean and how many you may qualify for benefits with.
Identity theft and Social Security
If the card was stolen and you're worried someone may misuse the number, here's the protective playbook — credit freezes, IRS Identity Protection PIN, and when you may qualify for a new SSN entirely.
Replace your Medicare card
If your Medicare card was lost in the same wallet, the path is different from the SSA card. Medicare cards are replaced through your my Social Security account or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE — here's how that works.
Everything people ask me about replacing a Social Security card
How do I replace a lost or stolen Social Security card?
Go to ssa.gov/number-card and answer a few questions. The tool will tell you whether your state allows online replacement through my Social Security or whether you'll need to file Form SS-5 in person at a Social Security office. There's no charge either way. Most adults can do it online; name changes, children's cards, and a handful of states still require an in-person visit.
Is it really free?
Yes. SSA does not charge for a replacement Social Security card — ever. The exact words from SSA's own FAQ: "There is no charge for a replacement card." Any website charging you to replace one is either a scam, a middleman filling out a free form on your behalf, or both.
How many replacement cards can I get?
Federal regulation 20 CFR 422.103(e)(2) sets two limits: no more than three replacement Social Security number cards in a year, and no more than ten replacement cards per lifetime. SSA may grant exceptions in compelling circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Two situations are excluded from the count entirely: legal name changes, and changes in alien status that change a restrictive legend on the card. Those don't count toward either limit.
Can I do it online?
In most states, yes — if you're an adult U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident with a my Social Security account, an unexpired U.S. driver's license or state ID, and a U.S. mailing address. State participation varies; the tool at ssa.gov/number-card will tell you whether yours is on the list. If not, you'll file Form SS-5 in person at a Social Security office or by mail.
What documents do I need?
For an in-person replacement, SSA requires original or certified documents — not photocopies. You'll need proof of identity (an unexpired U.S. driver's license, state-issued non-driver ID, or U.S. passport) and proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status (a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport for citizens; immigration documents for non-citizens). For name changes, add the marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. For a child, add the child's birth certificate and citizenship/status documents.
How long does it take to arrive?
About ten to fourteen business days from approval. SSA mails the replacement card to your address of record. There's no walk-in same-day card and no expedited delivery option — anyone offering to expedite for a fee is selling something SSA doesn't actually provide.
Do I get a new Social Security number with the replacement?
No. The replacement card carries the same Social Security number you've always had. Getting an entirely new SSN is a different, much rarer process — reserved for limited circumstances like documented life-threatening identity theft or harassment, with its own application and a much higher burden of proof.
What if my state doesn't allow online replacement?
You'll file by paper — download Form SS-5 from ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf, fill it out, and either bring it in person to a Social Security office or Card Center, or mail it with your original documents to your local field office. The tool at ssa.gov/number-card tells you which path applies based on your state and situation. Some Social Security offices let you self-schedule the appointment online before you arrive.
How do I replace my child's card?
Children's card replacements cannot be done online. A parent or legal guardian must file Form SS-5 and bring the child's original documents to a Social Security office. You'll need the child's Social Security number (or birth certificate to look it up), proof of the child's identity (school ID or medical record if under 12; state-issued ID if 12 or older), proof of the child's citizenship or lawful immigration status, and your own unexpired ID as the parent or guardian.
Are those websites charging $20 to $50 for expedited service legitimate?
No. SSA does not charge for replacement cards and does not offer expedited delivery. Sites that charge twenty, thirty, fifty dollars to "process" or "rush" a Social Security card replacement are scams or middlemen filling out a free SSA form on your behalf. The real application is at ssa.gov/number-card. The hub URL always ends in .gov — not .us, .com, or .org.
Helping an elderly parent get a new card?
If you're the adult child stepping in to help an elderly parent replace their card — here's what matters. The card has to be issued in the parent's name based on the parent's documents. Being a representative payee on their benefit doesn't bypass card-issuance rules. Bring the parent's original birth certificate or passport, their unexpired state ID or driver's license, and Form SS-5 filled out in their name. If they can't get to the office, call your local SSA field office first and ask about home-bound options or appointment by phone — there's more flexibility than people assume, but the parent still has to participate in some way.
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