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Before applying, check whether you need the physical card at all. The SSA says many people do not need one if they know the child’s Social Security number (SSN). If an organization asked for the card, ask whether the number or another record will satisfy its requirement.
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This guide covers the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) process for replacing a child’s Social Security card. The steps and documents can vary with a child’s citizenship or immigration status, so do not assume that the examples for a U.S.-citizen child cover every case.
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Choose the application route SSA gives you
Begin with SSA’s online Social Security number and card application. It guides you to the path available for your request. Some applicants can complete the process online; others may be directed to finish at a local Social Security office or Card Center. The child-specific process does not establish that every child’s replacement can be completed entirely online.
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The online flow is the right first step even if you think you will need to visit an office: it can identify the route available for your child’s situation and tell you how to proceed. Do not assume that a child is eligible for end-to-end online processing, or that every application will require the same visit. The practical choice is not simply “online versus in person”; SSA’s routing determines whether the request can be completed online or needs an in-person completion step.
If SSA lets you complete the request online
Follow the application’s instructions and provide the requested information. Use SSA’s routing rather than assuming that a child’s application qualifies for online completion. If the application directs you to an office or Card Center, follow that instruction and bring the required evidence.
Before you start, it can help to have the child’s identifying information and your own information available, and to know which records you can provide if SSA requests documents. The online application will guide you on what applies; this preparation does not replace SSA’s document requirements. If the online route is not available for your case, move to the next step rather than using an unofficial site that promises to complete the application for you.
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If online application is unavailable or SSA requires an in-person step, complete Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, and take it to a local Social Security office or Card Center with the required documents. Call 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or to schedule an appointment. Check current SSA instructions before travelling, since online routing and office procedures can change.
Plan the visit around the evidence SSA needs to review. The application involves proof for the child and for the person applying, and the adult may also need to show authority to act for the child. Check the current instructions for your case before you go so you do not rely on an ordinary photocopy or arrive without a document SSA can accept. If you are unsure whether an appointment is needed or which location to use, the SSA number can provide assistance.
An in-person visit is a place to submit or verify the application and documents—not a way to get a card immediately. SSA mails replacement cards after the request is complete.
Gather documents for the child and the applicant
Plan to prove the child’s identity and, when applicable, age and citizenship. The adult applying also needs identity evidence. If someone applies on behalf of the child, Form SS-5 requires evidence of that person’s authority to act for the child as well as identity evidence for both the signer and the child.
Keep the different document purposes straight: a record that proves age or citizenship may not prove identity. SSA lists examples for each purpose, but the exact evidence depends on the child’s circumstances and the application route. Use SSA’s child-specific instructions or document finder to check what is needed rather than treating a convenient document as a substitute for every category.
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Child identity evidence
SSA examples of evidence that may establish a child’s identity include:
- A state-issued non-driver identification card or a U.S. passport.
- An adoption decree.
- A medical, clinic, or hospital record.
- A religious record.
- A school or daycare record, or a school identification card.
Choose a record that identifies the child. SSA says an identity document should show identifying information and preferably include a photograph. A birth certificate does not prove identity, even though it can be useful for other parts of the application.
This distinction matters when a family has a birth certificate but no photo ID for a young child. The birth certificate can support age or citizenship evidence, but it does not replace a separate identity record. Consider which qualifying records you already have—such as a medical record, school record, or adoption decree—and check SSA’s requirements for the specific case before submitting anything.
Age and citizenship evidence
If a U.S. birth certificate exists, SSA says to submit it as evidence of age. For a U.S.-citizen child, citizenship documents may include a U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. consular report of birth abroad, a U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship.
A birth certificate can therefore serve as age or citizenship evidence, but it cannot replace the child’s identity document. The document types needed depend on the child’s circumstances. For a child born outside the United States or a child who is not a U.S. citizen, use SSA’s case-specific document finder and instructions rather than treating the examples above as a complete list.
Do not infer that a child born abroad is necessarily a noncitizen, or that the same citizenship documents fit every family. SSA’s specific guide and document finder are the safer way to identify the applicable evidence. If the child’s citizenship or immigration situation does not match the U.S.-citizen examples, follow the instructions for that situation or contact SSA for case-specific help.
Applicant identity and authority
The person signing or submitting the application needs identity evidence, too. When a parent or legal guardian applies for the child, be ready to show evidence of the signer’s authority as well as evidence of the signer’s identity and the child’s identity. Check the instructions for the specific documents SSA requires in your situation; do not assume that showing you are the child’s parent resolves every evidence requirement.
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Use acceptable versions of the documents
SSA accepts original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. It does not accept photocopies or notarized copies. Documents must be current and unexpired.
For identity evidence that has no expiration date, the SS-5 instructions generally require that a child’s document have been issued within the past four years. This age limit concerns identity evidence without an expiration date; it does not make an expired document acceptable or replace SSA’s document-specific requirements.
- Check that each document is the original or an issuing-agency-certified copy.
- Check expiration dates before your appointment or submission.
- For a non-expiring identity document, check its issue date against the four-year guidance for children.
- Do not send a photocopy or a notarized copy in place of an acceptable document.
These rules can be easy to miss when assembling a child’s records. A photocopy that looks complete is still not an accepted substitute under SSA’s stated document rules, and notarizing a copy does not change that. If you need a certified copy, it must be certified by the agency that issued the record. Verify the issue date for any identity document without an expiration date, as well as the expiration status of documents that do expire.
Who can sign the child’s application?
A child under 18 may sign their own application, or a parent or legal guardian may sign. If another person applies for the child, SSA’s Form SS-5 instructions require evidence of the signer’s authority and identity evidence for both the signer and the person named in the application.
Signing and applying are distinct from the question of whether the request can be completed online. Follow the route SSA provides, and make sure the person who signs can supply the required evidence.
The signer should be prepared to meet the requirements associated with the role they are taking. A child under 18 may sign, but that does not eliminate the need for the child’s identity evidence or any other evidence SSA requests. If a parent or legal guardian signs instead, the application still needs the child’s evidence and the adult’s identity evidence, plus the required authority documentation.
What the replacement costs and how long it takes
SSA replacement cards are free. Form SS-5 states, “Applying for a Social Security Card is free!” Do not pay a third party to submit a replacement request.
SSA’s replacement-card page estimates mailing in 5 to 10 business days after the request is complete. In a September 23, 2026 blog post, SSA said cards usually arrive in less than two weeks. These are general estimates, not a guaranteed delivery date. The office cannot print a replacement card during your visit.
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The timing estimate begins after the request is complete, not simply when you begin the online application or arrive at an office. If SSA needs an in-person step or additional evidence, account for that part of the process separately. Avoid making plans that depend on a specific delivery day; SSA’s stated ranges are estimates, and mail delivery is not an on-the-spot service.
The SSA replacement-card page, accessed October 9, 2026, says, “You can request a free replacement card.” That is the relevant cost: there is no SSA replacement-card fee. You may need to obtain an official record from its issuing agency if you do not already have acceptable evidence, but SSA does not charge for the replacement card itself.
Protect your child’s information from card-replacement scams
Use SSA.gov and official SSA contact channels. SSA’s Office of the Inspector General warns that impostor websites and social-media accounts may seek a person’s SSN, birth date, and credit-card information while posing as card services. Because the SSA service is free, a website charging to obtain a replacement card is not necessary to complete the government process.
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Do not provide a child’s personal information or payment details to a site or account merely because it appears in a search result or claims to speed up delivery. Start with SSA’s official application and contact channels instead.
Be especially cautious with a site that presents itself as an SSA service but asks for a fee to get the replacement card. A paid intermediary is not needed to access the free SSA process, and giving a child’s SSN, birth date, or payment information to an impostor can expose sensitive details. Type or navigate to SSA.gov and use the official application or SSA contact number rather than relying on a search-result advertisement or social-media account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Before you submit: a practical checklist
- Confirm that the requesting organization actually needs the physical card; ask whether the SSN or another record will work.
- Start with SSA’s online Social Security number and card application and follow its routing.
- For an in-person application, complete Form SS-5 and check whether you need an appointment.
- Gather identity evidence for the child and the applicant, plus authority evidence when someone applies for the child.
- Bring age or citizenship evidence as required for the child’s circumstances.
- Use originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, and verify that documents are current and acceptable.
- Allow for mailing after SSA completes the request; do not expect an office to print the card on the spot.
Before you send or present documents, check them category by category: child identity; applicant identity; the applicant’s authority, when someone is applying for the child; and age or citizenship evidence when applicable. Confirm that each document is an original or issuing-agency-certified copy, is not expired, and meets SSA’s instructions for its purpose. If a document has no expiration date, check whether it falls within the SS-5’s general four-year issuance guidance for a child’s identity evidence.
If the child’s circumstances are not covered by the U.S.-citizen examples, do not guess at a substitute. Use the live SSA document finder or contact SSA. The Social Security Administration’s procedures and delivery estimates can change; consult its current instructions when you apply.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I replace a lost Social Security card for my child?
Start with SSA’s online Social Security number and card application. It will route you to online completion if available for your case, or tell you to complete an in-person step at a local Social Security office or Card Center. For an in-person application, complete Form SS-5 and bring the required documents.
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Can I apply online for my child’s replacement card?
Possibly. Begin with SSA’s online application and follow its routing. The child-specific process does not mean every child’s request can be completed entirely online; some cases may need an office or Card Center visit.
What documents do I need to replace my child’s card?
SSA requires identity evidence for the child and the person applying. Depending on the case, you may also need evidence of the applicant’s authority and evidence of the child’s age or citizenship. Examples of child identity records include a state-issued non-driver ID, U.S. passport, adoption decree, medical record, religious record, school or daycare record, or school ID. Check SSA’s case-specific instructions for the exact requirements.
Can I use my child’s birth certificate as proof of identity?
No. SSA says a birth certificate can prove age or citizenship, but not identity. You need an acceptable identity document for the child as well. If a U.S. birth certificate exists, SSA says to submit it as age evidence.
Does a parent have to go in person?
Not in every case. Start with SSA’s online application to see whether your request can be completed online or whether SSA requires an in-person step. If you apply on the child’s behalf, be prepared to provide your own identity evidence and evidence of your authority, as well as the child’s identity evidence.
Can my child sign the application?
A child under 18 may sign their own application. A parent or legal guardian may sign instead. The signer’s role does not remove the need for identity evidence for the child and the signer, or authority evidence when someone applies on the child’s behalf.
Can I submit photocopies or notarized copies?
No. SSA accepts original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. It does not accept photocopies or notarized copies, and documents must be current and unexpired. For identity evidence without an expiration date, the SS-5 instructions generally say a child’s document should have been issued within the past four years.
Is there a fee to replace a child’s Social Security card?
No. SSA replacement cards are free. Avoid websites that charge to obtain a replacement card; use SSA.gov and official SSA contact channels.
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SSA’s replacement page estimates 5 to 10 business days by mail after the request is complete. SSA’s September 23, 2026 blog says cards usually arrive in less than two weeks. These are estimates, not guaranteed delivery dates, and an office cannot print the replacement card during your visit.
Do I need to replace the card if I know my child’s Social Security number?
Maybe not. SSA says many people do not need the physical card if they know the SSN. Ask the organization requesting the card whether the number or another record will meet its requirement before starting an application.
The Bottom Line
Start with SSA’s official online application, then follow the route it gives you. Prepare acceptable identity evidence for both the child and applicant, plus any required authority, age, or citizenship documents. The replacement is free, the card is mailed after the request is complete, and you may not need a physical card if you already know the child’s SSN.
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