LIST OF SSA ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTS

Important Rules (Apply to All Applicants)

Submit original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency.
Photocopies, notarized copies, and expired documents will not be accepted.
SSA does not accept a receipt showing you applied for a document.
A birth certificate can prove citizenship or date of birth, but cannot be used as ID for adults or children over age 4.
SSA will return your original documents by mail.

Replacement Card – Adults (U.S.-Born)

Provide ONE primary ID:

Unexpired U.S. driver’s license
Unexpired state-issued non-driver ID
Unexpired U.S. passport or passport card

If you cannot provide a primary ID, SSA may accept ONE alternate document:

U.S. military ID (active duty, retiree, National Guard, or dependent)
Certificate of Naturalization
U.S. government employee ID
Employee ID with photo or date of birth
Health insurance or Medicaid card with photo and date of birth
Certified medical record or doctor’s statement with name + DOB/age
School ID, record, or transcript
Life insurance policy showing DOB
Court-issued marriage/divorce/name change certificate (plus an ID in old or new name)

Original Card – Children (U.S.-Born, Age 12 and Under)

Applicants age 12 or older requesting a first-time card must appear in person for an interview.

Provide ONE citizenship document:

U.S. birth certificate
U.S. passport

Provide ONE identity document:

State-issued ID card
Final Adoption Decree
Doctor, clinic, or hospital record
Religious record made before age 5
School or daycare record
School identification card

Replacement Card – Children (U.S.-Born, Any Age)

Preferred IDs: U.S. driver’s license, state ID card, or U.S. passport.

If none available, SSA may accept ONE alternate:

Employee ID card
School ID or record
Health insurance card (not Medicare)
Medicaid card
Certified medical record (clinic, doctor, or hospital)
Religious record made before age 5
School or daycare record

Replacement or Update – Foreign-Born U.S. Citizens

If citizenship has not yet been updated with SSA, provide proof of U.S. citizenship and one identity document. If citizenship is already established, only one ID is required.

Proof of citizenship options:

U.S. passport
Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570)
Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561)
Certificate of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240, CRBA)

For children: parent or guardian must also provide their own current ID.

Replacement Card – Noncitizen Adults

Provide ONE document from each category: Immigration Status, Work Eligibility, and Identity.

Immigration Status	Work Eligibility	Identity
Form I-551 (Permanent Resident Card) Form I-766 (Employment Authorization Document, EAD) Form I-94 or passport admission stamp F-1/M-1: Form I-20 J-1: Form DS-2019	I-94 or admission stamp permitting work Some workers must show I-766 (EAD) F-1 students with on-campus work: letter from school official + employer verification F-1 students with EAD must present it J-1 exchange visitors: sponsor letter on official letterhead	I-551 Permanent Resident Card I-94 with unexpired passport I-766 Employment Authorization Document

Note: A single DHS document may satisfy more than one category (example: an EAD can prove both immigration status and identity).

Where to Obtain a Certified Birth Certificate

You can request a certified copy of your birth certificate from your state’s Department of Health or Bureau of Vital Statistics.