By Arina Smith
The fact that you can apply for a replacement social security card online is great. And what’s more, if you really need no documentation. Technically, you do need your license or state ID in your hand, but you don’t have to submit a copy. What you need is the information on that license or ID, and you might even have it memorized. Your license number and its expiration date are what’s important.
You submit no documentation to the SSA office to get your replacement card. You fill out the online form, and you prove your identity in other ways. The process is quite simple, saving you a trip to the local SSA office. It should be noted that you still wait for your SS card to arrive in the mail, 10-14 business days later.
You also need to know that you first must register for a My Social Security account. When you do that, all your correspondence with the SSA will now be handled online, including annual benefits statements. In order to apply online for a replacement social security card, you must register for this account first. There are other benefits to having this account as you can imagine, and registering only requires a few minutes of your time.
Applying for the replacement SS card only takes a few minutes as well. The SSA will have you answer questions to confirm your identity and citizenship, and you essentially get to skip the hassle of applying for a replacement card the old-fashioned way. A confirmation email will be sent to you so that you know your application is being processed.
While applying online for your replacement social security card can get your application processed much quicker, remember that it still takes the same amount of time to get your card in the mail. You just don’t have to drive to the office, wait in line and show all your documentation. And the convenient online application process doesn’t cost you anything.
Some people wonder if they are going to be charged a fee to handle the application for an SS card online. No, there is no fee. But it should be mentioned that the online process is only good for a replacement card with no changes. If you need to change your name on your social security card, then a trip to the local SSA office is required.
Additionally, there is an eligibility list of states whose citizens are allowed to complete the replacement SS card application online. This list of states continues to grow, and hopefully, you will find that your state is on the list. In most of the states whose citizens are eligible, people can use the information on a state ID if they don’t have a driver’s license.
While you don’t need documentation, again, it’s about the information that is on that particular form of identification. If you need a replacement social security card, and you aren’t changing your name, then this is where you start. You check the list of states on the official SSA website. If you are eligible, then you can proceed to register for your My Social Security account.
You do have to prove your identity online by answering questions, but it’s a lot easier than bringing your documentation up to the local SSA office and filling out the form in print. This online process is extremely convenient, and you can be finished in a matter of minutes.
The SSA office, major credit bureaus and other entities do recommend that you file a police report if you have lost your social security card and especially if you think it has been stolen. In the event you apply for a replacement card, you’re not going to be changing your number. You’re simply getting a replacement card so that you can conduct business as usual.
In this day and age, it’s always a good idea to monitor your credit report as well. That said, people do misplace their SS cards. It happens, and it used to happen more often because people used them more frequently. Nowadays, you rarely have to show your card. So when you get this replacement card, keep it put away somewhere safe.
To be clear, ‘somewhere safe’ doesn’t mean keep it in your wallet or purse. You don’t want to carry this type of documentation on your person unless you need to present your card to an employer or another organization. You want that SS card ready to go when it needs to be used, and you will know exactly where it is at, safe and sound.
In fact, a small safe is a great place to keep it along with other important documents. You decide where you want to keep your social security card. For now, you’re working on getting your replacement card, and you now know the process can be handled quickly online.
People are allowed 10 social security cards during their lifetime. They are made of paper after all. In the past, they could get worn out rather quickly if people weren’t careful. I once washed mine. You’re going to keep yours safe and filed somewhere so that it stays in pristine condition.
If for some reason you do find out that your state isn’t on the list, then you will need to make that trip to the SSA office as mentioned. As for documentation, you’re going to need your driver’s license or state ID, and you’re going to need your birth certificate. A passport will work in place of your birth certificate.
But again, if you’re eligible to apply online, you need not show any documentation. You just want to have your ID handy if you don’t have your license number and its expiration date memorized. After spending a few minutes online registering for your My Social Security account and a few minutes filling out the actual application, you will be getting your confirmation email. Without having stepped foot in the SSA office, and without gathering up your documentation, you will have a new replacement social security card on its way.
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