How to Get a New Social Security Card If I Lost Mine

Because a person's Social Security number is highly confidential, the Social Security Administration requires specific documentation to obtain a replacement card. Providing original government-issued proof of U.S. citizenship and identification prevents identity theft. Do not carry your card except in the rare occasion it needs presenting. Store it in a safe location with your other important documents. If your Social Security card is lost, follow the proper procedure to receive a replacement card.

• 1

  Acquire a government-issued document to prove U.S. citizenship. If you were born in the United States, get your original, state-issued certificate of birth. Hospital certificates and photocopies of the original are not acceptable. If you do not have one, contact the county health department in the state of your birth and ask how to obtain one. Naturalized citizens need an original Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or a U.S. consular report. A U.S. passport is acceptable in either case.

• 2

  Collect your valid U.S. driver's license, a state-issued non-driver identification card or U.S. passport to prove your identity. The Social Security Administration will not accept photocopies.

• 3

  Acquire an "Application for a Social Security card" from the Social Security Administration. They are available at any local Social Security office and from the official Social Security Administration's website.

• 4

  Read the application instructions thoroughly. Write the required information on the application legibly, using only a black or blue pen. The online form can be typed and printed.

• 5

  Deliver the application and documents to any Social Security office, either in person or by mail. It will take 10 to 14 days to receive your replacement card in the mail.