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The easiest way to get a Social Security
number (SSN) for your newborn is to
apply when you provide information
for your baby’s birth certicate in the
hospital.
If you wait to apply for a number at a
Social Security ofce, there may be delays
while we verify your child’s birth certicate.
Why should I get a Social
Security number for my child?
You need an SSN to claim your child as
a dependent on your income tax return.
Your child may also need a number if
you plan to:
• Open a bank account for the child.
• Buy savings bonds for the child.
• Get medical coverage for the child.
• Apply for government services for
the child.
Must my child have a Social
Security number?
Getting an SSN for your newborn is
voluntary, but may be necessary to
obtain important services, such as those
listed above, for your child. Therefore,
getting a number when your child is born
is a good idea.
How do I apply?
At the hospital: When you complete
the application for your baby’s birth
certicate, you will be asked whether you
want to apply for an SSN for your baby.
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If you say “yes,” you will be asked to
provide both parents’ SSNs. If you don’t
know both parents’ SSNs, you still can
apply for your child’s SSN.
At a Social Security ofce: If you
wait to apply for your child’s number,
you can use our online Social Security
Number and Card application available
at www.ssa.gov/number-card. You
will start the application online and
complete the process in a local Social
Security ofce or card center. If you are
not able to apply online, you can ll out
and print our Application for a Social
Security Card (Form SS-5), available at
www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf.
No matter where you apply, you will
need to:
• Show us original documents proving
your child’s:
—U.S. citizenship.
—Age.
—Identity.
• Show us documents proving your
identity and your relationship to
your child.
Anyone age 12 or older who requests
an original SSN must appear in person
for an interview. This applies even
if a parent or guardian will sign the
application on the child’s behalf.
Citizenship
We can accept only certain documents as
proof of U.S. citizenship. These include a:
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• U.S. birth certicate.
• U.S. consular report of birth.
• U.S. passport (valid and unexpired).
• Certicate of Naturalization or
Certicate of Citizenship.
Noncitizens should see Social Security
Numbers for Noncitizens (Publication
No. 05-10096) for more information.
Age
If your child was born in the United
States, you need to present your child’s
birth certicate. If your child does not
have a birth certicate, we may be able to
accept a:
• Religious record made before the age
of 5 showing the date of birth.
• U.S. hospital record of birth.
• U.S. passport or passport card.
If your child was born outside the United
States, you need to present your child’s
foreign birth certicate. You may already
have it or can get a copy within 10
business days. If you can’t get it, we may
be able to accept your child’s:
• Certicate of Birth Abroad (FS-545).
• Certicate of Report of Birth
(DS-1350).
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad
(FS-240).
• Certicate of Naturalization.
• Passport.
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Identity
Your child: We can accept only certain
documents as proof of your child’s
identity. An acceptable document must
be current (not expired) and show your
child’s name, identifying information,
and, preferably, a recent photograph. We
generally can accept a non-photo identity
document if it has enough information to
identify the child. Information may include
the child’s name and age, date of birth,
or parents’ names. We prefer to see the
child’s unexpired U.S. passport. If that
document isn’t available, we may accept
the child’s:
• Unexpired valid state-issued
nondriver identication card.
• Adoption decree.
• Certied copy of medical record
(doctor, clinic, or hospital).
• Religious record.
• Certied school record showing your
child’s name and your child’s age or
date of birth (must be for the current
or prior year).
• School identication card showing
your child’s name and either a
photograph of your child, your child’s
age, or date of birth (must be for the
current or prior year).
You: If you’re a U.S. citizen, we will
ask to see your U.S. driver’s license,
state-issued nondriver identication
card, or U.S. passport as proof of your
identity. If you don’t have these specic
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(over)
documents, we’ll ask to see other
documents that may be available, such
as:
• Unexpired U.S. passport or passport
card.
• Certicate of U.S. Citizenship.
• Certicate of Naturalization.
• School identication card showing
your name and either your
photograph, age, or date of birth
(must be for the current or prior
year).
• Health insurance card (not a Medicare
card) showing your name and either
your photograph, or age, or date of
birth.
• U.S. military identication card.
• Employee identication card
showing your name and either your
photograph or date of birth.
• Life insurance policy.
All documents must be either
originals or copies certied by the
issuing agency. We can’t accept
photocopies or notarized copies of
documents. We may use 1 document
for 2 purposes. For example, we may
use your child’s passport as proof of
both citizenship and identity. Or, we
may use your child’s birth certicate as
proof of age and citizenship. However,
you must provide at least 2 separate
documents.
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We’ll mail your child’s number and card
as soon as we have all of your child’s
information and have veried your child’s
documents.
What if my child is adopted?
We can assign your adopted child an
SSN before the adoption is complete, but
you may want to wait until the adoption
is nalized. Then, you can apply for the
number using your child’s new name,
with your name as parent. You may
want to claim your child for tax purposes
while the adoption is still pending. If so,
contact the Internal Revenue Service
for Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer
Identication Number for Pending U.S.
Adoptions.
What does it cost?
There’s no charge for issuing an SSN
and card. If someone contacts you
and wants to charge you for getting a
number or card, please remember that
these Social Security services are free.
You can report anyone attempting to
charge you by calling our Ofce of the
Inspector General hotline at 1-800-
269-0271 (TTY 1-866-501-2101 deaf
or hard of hearing) from 10:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time or visit
https://oig.ssa.gov.
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What if I lose the card?
You can replace your Social Security
card if it’s lost or stolen. You’re limited
to 3 replacement cards in a year and
10 during your lifetime. Legal name
changes and other exceptions don’t
count toward these limits. For example,
changes in noncitizen status that
require card updates may not count
toward these limits. Also, you may not
be affected by these limits if you can
prove you need the card to prevent a
signicant hardship.
Your child’s Social Security card is an
important document. We recommend
you keep it in a safe place. Do not carry
it with you.
Social Security number misuse
If you think someone is using your
child’s SSN fraudulently, you should
le a complaint with the Federal Trade
Commission via:
• Internet — www.identitytheft.gov.
• Telephone — 1-877-IDTHEFT
(1-877-438-4338).
• TTY — 1-866-653-4261.
It’s against the law to:
• Use someone else’s SSN.
• Give false information when applying
for a number.
• Alter, buy, or sell Social Security cards.
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Contacting Us
The most convenient way to do business
with us is to visit www.ssa.gov to get
information and use our online services.
There are several things you can
do online: apply for benets; start or
complete your request for an original or
replacement Social Security card; get
useful information; nd publications;
and get answers to frequently asked
questions.
When you open a personal
my Social Security account, you have
more capabilities. You can review
your Social Security Statement, verify
your earnings, and get estimates of
future benets. You can also print
a benet verication letter, change
your direct deposit information (Social
Security beneciaries only), and get a
replacement SSA-1099/1042S. Access
to your personal my Social Security
account may be limited for users outside
the United States.
If you don’t have access to the internet,
we offer many automated services by
telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, so you may not need to speak
with a representative.
If you need to speak with someone, call
us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 or at our
TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, if you’re
deaf or hard of hearing. A member of
our staff can answer your call from 8
a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
We provide free interpreter services
upon request. For quicker access to a
representative, try calling early in the
day (between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. local
time) or later in the day. We are less
busy later in the week (Wednesday to
Friday) and later in the month.
Social Security Administration
Publication No. 05-10023
January 2024 (Recycle prior editions)
Social Security Numbers for Children
Produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense
