Form SS-5 is the Social Security Administration's application for a Social Security card — used to get a first card, replace a lost one, or change the name on it. It's free. What actually gates approval isn't the form, it's the evidence: the SSA requires original documents (never photocopies) proving your identity, age, and — for noncitizens — work-authorized immigration status.
What Form SS-5 Is
Form SS-5, "Application for a Social Security Card," is handled by the Social Security Administration, not the IRS. You use it in three situations: applying for your first SSN, replacing a card that's lost or damaged, or updating the name on your card after marriage, divorce, or a legal name change. The number itself never changes on a replacement — you're only getting a new card for the same number.
How to Fill Form SS-5
- Applicant details. Your name (and, for a name change, your name as currently shown on your most recent card), date and place of birth, and citizenship status.
- Parents' information. For an original card, the SSA asks for parents' names and SSNs, mainly to prevent duplicate numbers.
- Prior SSN. Whether you or your child have ever had a Social Security number before.
- Sign and date. You sign as the applicant, or a parent/guardian signs for a minor.
You then submit it in person at a Social Security office or by mail, along with your original evidence documents.
What documents does Form SS-5 require?
The SSA accepts only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency — not photocopies you make yourself. You'll generally need proof of identity (like a passport or driver's license), proof of age (usually a birth certificate), and, if you're not a U.S. citizen, proof of your immigration and work-authorization status. Sending photocopies is the single most common reason an SS-5 is returned unprocessed.
SS-5 or Form W-7 — which do I need?
It depends on whether you're eligible to work. If you're authorized to work in the U.S., you apply for an SSN with Form SS-5. If you have a U.S. tax obligation but can't get an SSN, you apply for an ITIN with Form W-7 instead. New immigrants often deal with both systems, but never for the same purpose — the SSN is for work, the ITIN is a tax-only substitute.
Is there a fee for a Social Security card?
No. Getting or replacing a Social Security card with Form SS-5 is free directly through the SSA. Any site charging a fee to "get your Social Security card" is reselling a free government service — apply directly with the SSA instead.