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I received my replacement Social Security card and it has an error. Can I correct this without completing another Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5)?

Occasionally, a person will receive a Social Security card with mistakes or misspellings. If your original Form SS-5 is still at your local office, you may not have to complete another application and resubmit your evidence to get a corrected card.

Contact the office that processed your application to report the error and return the incorrect card. This way, your corrected card will not be counted against your replacement card limit. You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, changes in noncitizen status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.

Keep your Social Security card in a safe place with your other important papers. Do not carry it with you.

For further information about protecting your card and yourself, see Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number (Publication No. 05-10064).