How to Change Your Name on a Social Security Card

When you change your name legally after getting married, divorced, or for any other reason, you must apply for an updated Social Security card with your new name. To receive an updated Social Security card, you must gather the required documents to prove your identity and new name, fill out an application for a new card, and submit your application and documents to the nearest Social Security office. There is no fee to update your Social Security card.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Gathering the Paperwork

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    Collect documents that will prove your US citizenship. For this purpose, you may produce either a U.S. birth certificate or a current U.S. passport. You will need to bring originals. Photocopies will not be accepted, even if they are notarized.[1]
    • If you are foreign born U.S. citizen, you may also produce a Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570), Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561), Certificate of Report of Birth (DS-1350), or Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240, CRBA).
    • If you are a non-citizen residing in the U.S., you will need to show proof of your legal residency. These may be Form I-551 (Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa), I-766 (Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit), I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record), or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport.
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    Produce proof of your name change. You will need some recently issued document that proves your name change. This must be a document that has been issued within the past two years. All documentation must be original. Photocopies will not be accepted. The documentation to prove your name change may be one of the following:[2]
    • Marriage document
    • Divorce decree
    • Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name
    • Court order approving the name change.
    • If updating a Social Security card for a child, you must provide a final adoption decree with the new name, a court order approving the name change, or an amended birth certificate with the new name.
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    Bring proof of your identity. In addition to your citizenship and your recent name change, you must have proof of your identity. This must be a current, unexpired document that shows your name, date of birth or age, and preferably a recent photograph. As with all other documents, these must be originals. Photocopies will not be accepted. The following are all qualifying proofs of identity:[3]
    • U.S. driver's license
    • State-issued non-driver identification card
    • U.S. Passport (You may use your passport for both proof of citizenship and proof of identity.)
    • Employee identification card
    • School identification card
    • Health insurance card (not a Medicare card)
    • U.S. military identification card.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Completing the Application

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    Obtain a copy of the application. You may get a copy of the application form in one of three ways. Whichever you choose, you must use the official form to apply for your replacement social security card. To get the application form, you may:
    • Download and print the form at https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
    • Call the Social Security Administration Office at 800-772-1213 to request a copy of the form
    • Visit a Social Security Administration Office near you to pick up a copy of the application form. To find an office near you, visit www.socialsecurity.gov, call the number at 800-772-1213, or check your local telephone directory.
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    Complete the application for a replacement card. Whether you are replacing a lost card or replacing a card because of a name change, the application form is the same. Read the instructions carefully that accompany the application form and fill in all the information that you can.[4]
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    Sign the completed application. Your application will not be processed without the appropriate signature. If the applicant is over 18, then the applicant must sign the form, if he or she is mentally capable. If not, a guardian may sign. If the applicant is a minor, the minor may sign the form, or a parent may sign.[5]
    • If you are signing the form on behalf of another person for any reason, be sure to mark the box in Item 18 that indicates your relationship to the applicant.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Submitting the Application

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    Combine the completed application form with all the required documents. You must submit the citizenship, identification and name change documents together with your completed application. If the application is submitted without all the required documents, your application will not be processed or will be delayed. The Social Security Administration will need to contact you or return your package and request that you resubmit it with the appropriate documentation.
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    Locate the nearest office of the Social Security Administration. Applications for replacement cards are taken at all Social Security offices, so you will want to locate the one closest to you for the fastest service. You can search by zip code for the nearest office at https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp. Alternatively, if you do not have access to the Internet, you may call 800-772-1213 and ask for the location of the nearest office.
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    Submit your application and documentation by mail or in person. You may not apply online for a replacement social security card. The Social Security Administration must see your original supporting documents.
    • If you are applying by mail, you must include the original documents. The Social Security Administration will return all your original materials to you when they send your new card.
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    Wait to receive your new card. Generally, a new or replacement card will be issued within about ten business days after the application is received and processed. When you receive your new card, your original documents should be returned to you in the same package.[6]
    • If for any reason you do not receive your original documents when you receive your new card, call the Social Security Administration support number at 800-722-1212 to inquire.
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Warnings

  • Failing to update your Social Security card with your new name could prevent your wages from being posted correctly to your Social Security record and result in delays when filing your taxes. After undergoing a name change, follow the steps in this article to update your Social Security card as soon as possible to prevent complications such as these from arising.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
  2. ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
  3. ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm
  4. ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
  5. ↑ https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf
  6. ↑ https://faq.ssa.gov/en-US/Topic/article/KA-02196

About This Article

Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD
Co-authored by:
Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD
Doctor of Law, University of Wisconsin-Madison
This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 33,869 times.
6 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 3
Updated: January 7, 2020
Views: 33,869
Categories: Social Security
Article SummaryX

If you’ve legally changed your name, you’ll need to apply for an updated social security card. To do this, you’ll need a U.S. birth certificate or valid passport, driver’s license or other form of ID, and proof of your name change, such as a marriage or divorce certificate. You can find an application form on the Social Security Administration website or at your local office. Fill in the form and mail or take it in to a Social Security Administration office. Generally, replacement cards are issued within 10 business days after the application is received. For more tips from our Legal co-author, including how to find your nearest Social Security Administration office, read on!

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