How To Update Your Social Security Card

Social Security card

How to update your legal name and/or gender marking with social security for US-born citizens. You tin change both at the same fourth dimension.

Subsequently changing your legal name with your probate court, you must update your name with the federal Social Security Administration. Non doing so tin lead to delays with your taxes or cause issues with your Social Security benefits.

Gender markers are not listed on your Social Security card. Unfortunately, Social Security currently does non allow an "X" gender marker, which differs from Rhode Island-issued IDs.

If you are not a US-born denizen, visit the Social Security website to come across specialized instructions.

Updating Name

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Updating Gender Marker

STEP 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step four

Updating Proper noun with Social Security

Gather your supporting documents

Proof of citizenship , proof of name change , and proof of identity are required to update your name.
Social Security does not accept photocopies of these documents. All submitted documents must exist certified and current (not expired). You lot may utilise one document for two purposes. For instance, your U.S. passport can be used every bit both proof of citizenship and identity.

Y'all will need to gather the following original documents:

Proof of citizenship: U.Due south. nascence document or U.S. passport
Proof of proper noun change: court gild approving name change
Proof of identity: U.S. driver's license, land-issued ID, or U.S. passport
- If you do not have one of these documents, you will exist asked to submit another type of document, such equally an employee ID, school ID, health insurance carte du jour, or U.Southward. war machine ID

Download and fill up out an Application for a Social Security Card

Read the instructions on Pages 1-four of the form.

Fill out the information on Page v.
- Fill in your current name in the first line ("Name to be shown on card")
- Fill in name at nativity in the second line
- Include whatsoever other names you have legally gone by iun the third line
- Fill in all other biographical information on Page 5

Submit application and documents to your local Social Security office

As of March 2020, in-person appointments were suspended. Y'all can still submit your application and documents by mail service. If you do not want to submit these past mail, you lot may want to call your local Social Security function and ask if they accept a driblet off box.

Place the address of your nearest Social Security office here.
Mail service your Awarding for a Social Security Bill of fare and your supporting documents by post.
- Whatever documents you submit by mail service will be returned to you.
It will accept anywhere between one to four weeks for Social Security for Social Security to procedure your application and issue your new Social Security carte. This volition take the aforementioned number as your previous carte but will show your updated legal proper noun.

Updating Gender Marker with Social Security

Gather your supporting documents

Proof of citizenship and proof of identity are required to update your gender mark.

Social Security does not accept photocopies of these documents. All submitted documents must be certified and current (non expired). Y'all may use one document for 2 purposes. For example, your U.Due south. passport can be used every bit both proof of citizenship and identity.

You will need to get together the following original documents:

Proof of citizenship: U.Southward. nascence certificate or U.S. passport
Proof of identity: U.Southward. commuter's license, state-issued ID, or U.Southward. passport
- If you lot exercise not take one of these documents, you will be asked to submit another type of document, such as an employee ID, school ID, health insurance carte, or U.S. military ID

Acquire documentation for gender marking alter

The Social Security Administration requires specific documentation as " proof " of your gender.

The post-obit documents are accepted for a gender marker change:

Signed letter from a licensed physician confirming you lot have had appropriate clinical handling for gender transition (recommended)
Court order legally recognizing your change of gender
Valid U.S. passport showing updated gender mark
Country-issued amended nascency certificate showing updated gender mark

We recommend using a signed letter from a licensed physician.

Updating your gender marker with Social Security is often easier than updating your passport and birth document. If you follow our recommended society, and then these last two options will not be possible.

If you lot cull to submit a letter from a md, we advise these tips:

The letter of the alphabet must comprise key biographical data, including your full name and date of nativity
The letter must come up from a licensed medico with whom you take a patient relationship and who is familiar with your transition-related handling, including a primary care md or a specialist.
The letter must exist signed by a medical doc, not a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner.
The letter should be printed on the letterhead of the physician'southward role and include the physician's license or certificate number.
In this letter, your dr. must certify that you have had "appropriate clinical treatment" for gender transition.
- Please notation: at that place is no standard "clinical treatment" that is required.
- Every bit long equally your medico volition sign the letter, the document volition be accepted. No further medical documentation is necessary.
A template letter tin exist found here. This is simply a template you tin provide to your physician for guidance. Many physicians who serve trans and non-binary patients will probable be familiar with this template and this blazon of letter.

Download and fill out an Awarding for a Social Security Bill of fare

Read the instructions on Pages ane-4 of the grade.

Make full out the information on Folio 5.
- In Box 8, "sexual activity", select the gender mark (M or F) your want your new social security card to carry.
Delight note: Your social security carte du jour does not list your gender marker and is only kept on file.
Social Security currently does non let an "10" gender marking. This differs from Rhode Island-issued IDs, which practice permit "X" gender markers.

Submit application and documents to your local Social Security role

Equally of March 2020, in-person appointments were suspended. Y'all tin can nevertheless submit your application and documents past postal service. If yous do not want to submit these by mail, you may want to call your local Social Security office and ask if they have a drop off box.

Identify the address of your nearest Social Security function here.
Postal service your Awarding for a Social Security Bill of fare and your supporting documents by post.
- Any documents you submit by mail will be returned to you.
Information technology will accept anywhere between ane to four weeks for Social Security for Social Security to process your application and issue your new Social Security carte du jour. This will accept the aforementioned number as your previous carte du jour but volition show your updated legal proper name.