What happens if you exceed your limit of social security cards?

April 3, 2015 10:24 AM

I lost my social security card and need to get a replacement. This is my first time losing it, so no big deal, but while I was researching how to get a replacement, I found out that you only can get ten replacements in your lifetime.

What happens if you exceed that? Has anyone done this? I'm not worried that I will lose it that many times, but I'm curious.

I get really concerned about protecting all of my identifying documents because I was not born in the US. I am a naturalized citizen, and not having ready access to producing copies of my birth certificate makes me paranoid about this kind of stuff.

So related question: has anyone ever lost their naturalization/foreign birth certificate and if so, was it difficult to get replacements?

Sheesh, you would think by now we would have moved to electronic versions of these items, huh?

posted by kbennett289 to Law & Government (9 answers total)

Technically, you're safe:

"The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act ... limits the number of replacement SSN cards an individual may receive to 3 per year and 10 in a lifetime, beginning with cards issued on or after December 17, 2005."

And then if you don't meet the criteria for a replacement after 10 (and there are some!), you're just done for: "A denial notice is then generated and mailed."

So, this will be a "problem" for the next generation—but really, they'll be much busier dealing with rising sea levels, so it should be fine!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 10:28 AM on April 3, 2015 [3 favorites]

One of those criteria for replacement, though, is the "hardship" exemption, where they will issue you a new one if you can provide a compelling reason, e.g. an employer or the government depends one:

"To receive an exception due to hardship, the NH must present a letter from a third-party provider, such as a State public assistance agency or an employer, indicating that the NH must present his or her SSN card to receive employment or a benefit."

I.e. they'll still give you a new SSN card for pretty much any reason where you would legitimately need one.
posted by crazy with stars at 10:33 AM on April 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

There really aren't all that many times when you actually *need* a social security card, provided you know the number.

I'll admit that I've never had to actually deal with the Social Security Office itself (except for getting the card in the first place, and getting one replacement, after which I found my original one *sigh*), but generally the only times you need the card itself is to provide proof of employment eligibility to an employer. Generally this is done by completion of a Form I-9.

Page 9 of Form I-9 lists the myriad ways that one can provide proof of eligibility, of which the social security card is just one (and not even a very good one, because it needs to be combined with another piece of identification).

So yeah, if you lose your card 10 more times, you may need to pony up a passport to get a job, but that's the worst that will happen to you.
posted by sparklemotion at 10:39 AM on April 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

My social security card is still attached to the piece of paper it came attached to (I never tore the perforations) and safe in my file cabinet in a file marked "Social Security". If I had a safety deposit box, it would be in there. Short of the terrible fire or the kind of instability that comes with homelessness/evacuation/natural disaster, they're pretty hard to lose. Given this, even without the 2005 restriction, it seems there are few people who would have so much instablity/disaster in their lives that they would need ten replacements. If you ever have that much instability/disaster (and I hope you don't), then an inability to replace your card would probably be the least of your problems.

In short, control your paranoia by putting your documents in a safety deposit box. There's no reason/benefit to be treating a social security card in any way that risks losing it.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 10:49 AM on April 3, 2015 [2 favorites]

There really aren't all that many times when you actually *need* a social security card, provided you know the number.

In yet another "kick 'em while they're down" theme, poor people need them all the time.

I keep running into it because I'm volunteering at one of those free tax sites (free for families making under $53k). Every single person listed on the tax return has to bring in their physical social security card or they'll have to go to a for-pay tax site.

Everyone so far has carried their card in their wallet. Apparently they need them all the time.

I lost mine years ago and I have been meaning to get around to replacing it. So far I've never needed it, though.
posted by small_ruminant at 11:25 AM on April 3, 2015 [25 favorites]

"The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act ... limits the number of replacement SSN cards an individual may receive to 3 per year and 10 in a lifetime, beginning with cards issued on or after December 17, 2005."

[...]

So, this will be a "problem" for the next generation [...]

It looks to me like that's saying only replacement cards issued on or after December 17, 2005 count towards your limit (i.e., the law was not retroactive). I think everyone is affected, even if your original SSN card was issued before that date.
posted by floomp at 12:22 PM on April 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

Seconding small_ruminant, I'm one of those folks who carries mine around because I never know when service providers will need to see/copy it. My card is about 25 yrs old and seriously raggedy, mostly because I can use it as a bus pass. I'd love to laminate it, but I don't think that's allowed.
posted by worldswalker at 12:42 PM on April 3, 2015

So, in theory you only get 10 replacements in a lifetime. In reality, those 10 are for cases where you lost it or something. If you are female and you get married and change your name because you got married, you must get a replacement card with your new last name on it in order to file your taxes. That replacement card does not count against your 10 lifetime limitation. Presumably, any legal name change would also be a situation where you are required to get a new one and it doesn't count against your 10 replacement cards. That replacement limit is a freebie, no questions asked situation but not all replacement cards count against that limit.

If you truly hit your limitation, yes, there is also the hardship exemption.

I am homeless and did not have my own social security card nor cards for either of my sons when I got free tax help my first year on the street when I was particularly sick and destitute. I was able to use a receipt for having ordered a replacement for my card to prove my number and a printed page of a previous year's tax return as valid documentation for my sons' numbers to get the free tax help. I file my taxes online most years, which doesn't require physical proof of the numbers, it just requires me to have access to the actual numbers, which I do have.
posted by Michele in California at 12:44 PM on April 3, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have not seen my Social Security card in over 25 years. I have the number memorized. I really haven't needed it.
posted by Stewriffic at 5:20 AM on April 4, 2015