Replacing Social Security Card

May 26, 2008 10:10 PM

How long does it take to get a replacement social security card? I'm in Texas, if it matters.
posted by LittleMissCranky to Law & Government (10 answers total)

Best answer: It took me about a week to receive my new card from the time I visited the social security office and showed them proof of identity.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 10:19 PM on May 26, 2008 [1 favorite]

http://www.ssa.gov/reach.htm

Why not just call tomorrow morning and ask?
posted by ryanhealy at 10:20 PM on May 26, 2008

Best answer: I think it took a couple of weeks...but when I did it in person they gave me a form that was some sort of official form that was a replacement until the regular card style one arrived
posted by legotech at 11:11 PM on May 26, 2008 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Took about 1 week the last time I had to do this, but that was 15 or so years ago. I went down to the SSA office in person, filled out a form, showed my ID, and 1 week later the card arrived in the mail. Simple, almost painless.
posted by OTA at 1:42 AM on May 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

What is the need for a new card? In general they are not an official ID. I haven't had one in over 20 years. If a social security number is needed to be verified you can show copies of tax returns etc.
posted by Xurando at 3:09 AM on May 27, 2008

Best answer: Ditto legotech. I replaced mine about two years ago. They gave me an official form that worked as a temporary replacement.

What is the need for a new card?

I needed it to renew my expired Texas drivers license and was told to bring in either the card or said official form. No other alternatives were given.
posted by romakimmy at 4:11 AM on May 27, 2008

Best answer: What is the need for a new card? In general they are not an official ID.

When beginning a new job, I-9 forms usually ask for two forms of ID: A driver's license and a birth certificate or a DL and social security card are the most common. Copies of tax returns aren't on my list of acceptable forms of ID :P

Anyway, it takes about two weeks or so, but the people at the SS office will give you a temporary replacement that you can use (kinda like an interim driver's license).
posted by Verdandi at 4:34 AM on May 27, 2008

Passports also count as identification for the I-9 paperwork.
posted by mmascolino at 10:44 AM on May 27, 2008

What is the need for a new card? In general they are not an official ID. I haven't had one in over 20 years. If a social security number is needed to be verified you can show copies of tax returns etc.

This is a Texas thing. Texas requires that you show SS card for driver's license purposes in order to verify US citizenship while also checking you against the "deadbeat dads" database. The DMV reports your SSN to the state attorney general's child support enforcement division -- so they can get your latest address and come find you if you are delinquent in what you owe.

One can also show a military ID or official college transcript, in place of a SS card.
posted by pineapple at 1:26 PM on May 27, 2008

I work for the Texas Department of Public Safety in the Driver's License Division, and there's a sheet that I can picture in my mind (sitting on my desk right now) that says what all the acceptable forms of identification are. It was recently revised (as of May 20th). Unfortunately, I can't remember the whole thing exactly. There are separate lists for what counts for primary, secondary, and supporting documentation.

Ah, here it is online if you might find it useful. If this is what you need it for, you might find something else on the list you can use immediately.
posted by marble at 6:09 PM on May 27, 2008