1936 |
First version of SSN card. No form number and no revision date. The
preprinted information on the card face was in blue ink with a Social
Security Board seal (in a lighter shade of blue) in the center of card.
The SSN was in red ink. The date of issue was typed on the card. Had a
“stub” to type in the mailing address. (The stub was to be put away for
safe keeping.) Left edge was perforated. The card had a curved header
showing “Social Security Act.” Under the header was “account number.” Had
preprinted legends “date of issue” and “employee's signature.” The
instructions on the back were in black ink. |
1937 – 1938 |
Second version of SSN card. Same as the first version of the
card. The stub had a centered legend “For Office Use Only.” |
1938 – 1940 |
Third version of SSN card. The card itself was the same as the
prior version but there were some variations in the printings. In some
printings the SSN was printed on the stub; in others it had to be typed
on. In some printings the stub had pre-printed spaces for the NH's name
and address.
First version of replacement SSN card. On the back of the card
the form number was shown as “Form OA-702 DUP.” The card format was the
same as the original SSN card except it was light green and had
“DUPLICATE” printed diagonally across the face in red letters (green
letters for those used by RRB). There was a Social Security Board seal in
the middle of the card. The left margin was not perforated. The back of
the RRB version showed only “RR” in large letters. The cards did not have
a stub.
Second version of replacement SSN card. The preprinted
information was in blue ink. “Duplicate” was not printed on the card. On
the back of the card was “Form OA-702.1.” Date of issue was omitted. All
printed information was in black ink. Back of card had: Federal Security
Agency, Social Security Board |
1940 |
Fourth version of SSN card. The preprinted “date of issue” was
eliminated. “Employee's signature” changed to “worker's signature.” The
stub had the SSN preprinted in red. “Federal Security Agency” was printed
on the back of the stub. Instructions said to show card to employer.
Third version of replacement SSN card. The card was the same as
the prior version. The stub had a box designated “worker's name and home
address.” |
1942 |
Fourth version of replacement SSN card (12/42 revision). The
revision date was printed on the back of the card. The legend “employer's
name” was pre-printed on the stub. Preprinted information on the card and
stub was in blue ink. Instructions (in black ink) included information
about name changes. |
1943 |
Fifth version of SSN card (4/43 revision). The card looked the
same as the prior version. Instructions on the back of the card were
expanded. |
1944 |
Sixth version of SSN card (7/44 revision). The same as the prior
version, except the left edge was straight and the form number (“Form
OA-702”) and the revision date (7-44) appeared in the lower left corner of
the stub and the back of the card.
Fifth version of replacement SSN card (7/44 revision). The card
was the same as the prior version. “Employer's name” was no longer
preprinted on stub. |
1946 |
Seventh version of SSN card (1/46 revision). The seal was now
the Social Security Administration Seal and both the card and the stub
bore the legend “For Social Security Purposes Not For Identification.”
Back of the card showed: Federal Security Agency, Social Security
Administration.
Sixth version of replacement SSN card (1/46 revision). Both card
and stub showed “For Social Security Purposes--Not For Identification”
across the bottom. Back of card showed: Federal Security Agency, Social
Security Administration. |
1948 |
Eighth version of SSN card (6/48 revision). Some cards were the
same as the prior version; others had a new header, “Social Security” with
a small SSA seal in the header between “Social” and “Security.” There were
variations in the printings of this version.
Seventh version of replacement SSN card (3/48 revision). Card
had the Social Security Administration seal instead of the Social Security
Board seal. Back of card showed: Federal Security Agency, Social Security
Administration.
Eighth version of replacement SSN card (10/48 revision). The SSA
seal appeared as a slightly stippled design in the same shade of blue as
the rest of the format. Instructions on the back of the card and the stub
were printed in blue ink. |
1949 |
Ninth version of replacement SSN card (7/49 revision). The card
was the same as the prior versions with the “Social Security”
header. |
1949 – 1951 |
Printings of the 6/48 version of the SSN card had a header “Social
Security” with a small SSA seal between the two words. |
1952 |
Ninth version of SSN card (1/52 revision). “Signature”
instead of “Worker's signature” appeared on card and stub.
Tenth version of replacement SSN card (1/52 revision).
“Signature” rather than “Worker's signature” appeared on card and
stub. |
1953 |
Tenth version of SSN card (4/53 revision). The card was
the same as the prior version. The instructions on the back of the card
were revised. Also showed: Department of Heath, Education, and Welfare,
Social Security Administration.
Eleventh version of replacement SSN card (4/53 revision). The
card was the same as the prior version. Instructions on back of card were
changed. Back showed: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Social
Security Administration. |
1954 |
Eleventh version of SSN card (2/54 version). The seal on the
card was changed to a small DHEW seal.
Twelfth version of replacement SSN card (2/54 revision). The
seal was changed to a DHEW seal.
Twelfth version of SSN card (7/54 revision). The card was the
same as the prior version. There were small changes in the instructions on
the back of the card.
Thirteenth version of replacement SSN card (7/54 revision). Card
and stub were the same as the prior version. Instructions on the back of
the card and stub used the term “field office” rather than “district
office.” |
1956 |
Fourteenth version of replacement SSN card (3/56 revision). The
card and stub were the same as the prior version. Instructions included
information for the NH to get in touch with SSA if totally disabled.
Thirteenth version of SSN card (4/56 revision). The card was the
same as the prior version. Instructions on the back of the card said to
get in touch with SSA if a worker became totally disabled.
Fifteenth version of replacement SSN card (4/56 revision). The
card and stub were the same as the prior version. Some cards may have been
printed with 4/56 revision date (rather than 3/56). |
1958 |
Sixteenth version of replacement SSN card (10/58 revision). The
card and stub were the same as the prior version. Instructions included
information that a woman should contact SSA when she reached age
62. |
1959 |
Fourteenth version of SSN card (5/59 revision). The card and the
stub were the same as the prior version. Instructions added information
that a woman should contact SSA when she reached age 62. The instructions
on the back were in black ink. |
1961 |
Fifteenth version of SSN card (9/61 revision). The card and stub
revised to read “For Social Security and Tax Purposes -- Not For
Identification.”
Seventeenth version of replacement SSN card (11/61 version). The
card and stub revised to read “For Social Security and Tax Purposes -- Not
For Identification.” |
1970 |
Seventeenth version of SSN card |
1972 |
Eighteenth version of SSN card (1/72 revision). Legend “Not For
Identification” was no longer on card (shown from 1946 to 1972). A large
DHEW seal was in the middle of the card. The format of the stub was
changed to envelope size (the card was a small two-sided tear-off of the
stub). The instructions were expanded on the back of the card and stub and
were in black ink. |
1974 |
Eighteen version of replacement SSN card. This was the last
version of the replacement SSN card. Thereafter, original and replacement
cards looked the same. |
1976 |
Nineteenth version of SSN card (4/76 revision). The card is the
same as the prior version. The stub size is smaller. The instructions are
less and are printed in blue ink. |
1980 |
Twentieth version of the SSN card (5/80 revision). The seal is
changed to a DHHS seal. |
1981 |
Twenty-first version of the SSN card (4/81 revision). The card
is the same as the prior version. |
1982 |
On May 17, 1982, SSA began annotating SSN cards issued to aliens
assigned nonwork SSNs “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT.”
Twenty-second version of SSN card (6/82 revision). The card is
the same as the prior version. The SSN was removed from the card stub.
Instructions add information about legend on non-work SSN cards.
Twenty-third version of SSN card (9/82 version). The card is the
same as the prior version. |
1983 |
Twenty-fourth version of SSN card (10/83 revision). SSA begins
issuing counterfeit resistant SSN card (on blue banknote paper with
randomly placed colored planchettes on the back). |
1984 |
Twenty-fifth version of SSN card (4/84 revision). The card is
the same as the prior version with the instructions reformatted. |
1987 |
Twenty-sixth version of SSN card (1/87 revision). Same as prior
version with slightly darker shade of blue ink on back of card and
stub. |
1988 |
Twenty-seventh version of SSN card (1/88 revision). Anti-copy
VOID pattern added as security feature for card. |
1992 |
On September 14, 1992, SSA began showing the legend “VALID FOR WORK
ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION” for aliens with temporary work
authorization. |
1994 |
Twenty-eighth version of SSN card (January 1994).
Language on the card tells NHs to “Keep card in a safe place to prevent
loss or theft.” |
1995 |
Twenty-ninth version of SSN card (April 1995), has SSA's new
seal on the card. |
1999 |
Thirtieth version of the SSN card (06/99). Corrected SSA address
to which cards should be returned. |
2002 |
Thirty-first version of the SSN card (12/2002). Instructions
updated for clarity, to ask that the NH report changes in name, U.S.
citizenship or alien status to SSA and not allow others to use SSN. The
instruction “do not carry it with you” added to the back of the
card. |
2004 |
Thirty-second version of the SSN card (03/2004). The language,
“DO NOT CARRY IT WITH YOU” is added to the face of the card and the
anti-copy VOID pattern is removed. In April 2004 the restrictive legend,
VALID FOR WORK WITH INS AUTHORIZATION is changed to show INS change to
DHS. |
2006- 2007 |
Thirty-third version of the SSN card (11-2006). Left side of SSN
card carrier includes an explanation of the date printed under signature
line on SSN card. Right side of carrier provides instructions for signing
card. Beginning 04/07, the date the card is issued is printed under the
signature line. Beginning 9/08/07, the number holder’s name will always be
printed on two lines, with the last name printed directly below the first
and middle names. |
2007 |
Thirty-fourth version of the SSN card (10-2007). The 10-2007
version of the SSN card includes additional security features. Some of the
more recognizable features are:
|