SS-5 Customer-Assembly Preparation Kit

This workflow helps you prepare an SSA Form SS-5 application for a new, replacement, or corrected Social Security card. PostalForm prepares the official form and delivers the unsigned preparation kit only to your verified address. PostalForm does not file, serve, or submit it. Hand-sign and date SS-5, gather the original or issuing-agency-certified evidence SSA requires, and personally submit the application through the correct SSA office or in-person process.

Prepare SS-5 for your own final assembly and submission

PostalForm prepares and prints an unsigned customer-assembly kit and sends it only to your verified address. You perform final assembly and submission.

Preparation and delivery record only — not proof of filing or agency receipt

Current step

Before you start

What kind of card does this application request?, Who are you filling this application out for?, and I understand SSA only accepts original documents as evidence — photocopies and notarized copies are rejected

This step

3 fields · 3 required

PostalForm is not affiliated with Social Security Administration.

Step 1

Before you start

A Social Security card is always free from SSA. Two quick questions so we only ask what your situation requires.

3 required

What kind of card does this application request? *

If you only need a replacement with nothing changing, most adults can order one free online with a my Social Security account at ssa.gov — no paper form, no documents to mail, and the card arrives in about 5 to 10 business days.

Who are you filling this application out for? *

Myself — I need the cardMy child — I'm the natural or adoptive parentSomeone I'm the legal guardian ofSomeone else

I understand SSA only accepts original documents (or copies certified by the issuing agency) as evidence — photocopies and notarized copies are rejected *Evidence such as a birth certificate, driver's license, or passport must accompany this application, and SSA returns everything after processing. Because mailing originals is nerve-racking, many people bring the signed form and documents to their local Social Security office or Card Center instead — find yours at ssa.gov/locator and consider booking an appointment first (1-800-772-1213). Anyone 12 or older who has never had a number must apply in person.

Need more context?

The form is ready to fill now. If you want supporting instructions, mailing notes, or source links, they are below.

Important details+

Answer the guided questions and PostalForm prepares the official form, leaves signature areas blank, adds a customer instruction cover, and sends the packet only to your verified address. Nothing is filed or submitted for you. Hand-sign and date SS-5, gather the original or issuing-agency-certified evidence SSA requires, and personally submit the application through the correct SSA office or in-person process.

What you need+

Name to be shown on the card, plus the name at birth or other names used, if different
Date and place of birth, and the existing Social Security number for replacements or corrections
Citizenship status or current work-authorized immigration status
Parents' names — and their Social Security numbers when a child under 18 needs a first card
Original or agency-certified evidence documents: identity for everyone (for example a driver's license, state ID, or U.S. passport), plus age and citizenship or immigration status for original and corrected cards
Signature of the applicant, or of a parent, legal guardian, or other authorized person
Hand-sign the printed form after the preparation kit is delivered

Form summary+

How it works+

Answer the guided questions and review the prepared form information.
PostalForm prints the official form with signature areas left blank and sends the customer-assembly kit only to your verified address.
After delivery, follow the cover instructions, hand-sign where required, and add every original, certified record, payment, witness, certification, companion form, or other physical item.
Verify the current deadline and destination, then personally complete final submission through the official channel.

Where it gets mailed+

PostalForm mails the unsigned preparation kit to you. You complete the signatures, physical enclosures, and final submission yourself.

Packet order+

Customer assembly instruction cover (remove and keep before final submission)
Prepared unsigned form (signature and reserved third-party fields blank)

Common mistakes+

Paying a third-party "filing fee" — a Social Security card is always free from SSA.
Mailing photocopies or notarized copies of evidence documents: SSA only accepts originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, and returns whatever you send.
Filing the paper SS-5 for a plain replacement when most adults can order one free online at ssa.gov in minutes, with no documents to mail.
Sending the application to SSA headquarters in Baltimore — there is no national mailing address; it goes to your local Social Security office or Card Center.
Leaving parents' Social Security numbers blank on a child's first-card application instead of entering them or checking the Unknown box.
Applying by mail for a first-ever number at age 12 or older — SSA requires those applicants to appear in person.

FAQs+

Can I replace my Social Security card online instead of filing Form SS-5?

Usually, yes. U.S. citizens age 18 or older with a state-issued driver's license or ID card can request a replacement free through a my Social Security account in nearly every state, as long as the name and other details on the card are not changing. Online replacement cards typically arrive in 5 to 10 business days.

Where do I mail Form SS-5?

To the Social Security office or Card Center that serves your area — there is no single national address. Use SSA's office locator at ssa.gov/locator. SSA also lets you start most card applications online and finish them at a scheduled office visit, which avoids mailing documents at all.

Does a Social Security card cost anything?

No. SSA never charges for an original, replacement, or corrected card. Replacements are limited to 3 per calendar year and 10 per lifetime, but cards issued for legal name changes or work-authorization updates don't count against those limits.

What documents does SSA require with the application?

Originals or copies certified by the issuing agency — for example a birth certificate to prove age and an unexpired driver's license, state ID, or U.S. passport to prove identity. Photocopies and notarized copies are rejected. SSA mails your documents back after processing.

How long does it take to get the card?

SSA usually mails the card within 14 business days after it processes a complete application. Fully-online replacement requests typically arrive in 5 to 10 business days.

Can an adult or a child age 12 or older get a first Social Security number by mail?

No. Anyone age 12 or older who has never been assigned a Social Security number must apply in person at a Social Security office, even if they start the application online.

Sources+

Related+

Last verified+

Last Social Security Administration verification: July 12, 2026