The Social Security Number Application Form, also known as the SS-5 form, is a form used to apply for a social security number in the United States. Originally intended as a way to track individuals through the Social Security system, which provides financial support to people who are unable to work due to old age or various disabilities, social security numbers (SSNs) have become the de facto national identification number used for taxation purposes. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents can all be issued an SSN. Any ancestor who lived and worked in the United States since 1935 is likely to have applied for a social security number and therefore to have filled out this form. The form requests a number of details about the applicant and can serve as an important alternative to vital records for genealogical purposes.
Historical background
The Social Security Act was signed into US federal law by President Roosevelt on 14th Aug 1935. Prior to the act, it was up to the state or the person’s family to care for them in old age or if they had physical disabilities. The program was originally intended as a social welfare program to provide insurance against unemployment. However, it eventually became a convenient form of identification for taxation purposes and is currently required to work legally in the United States or to receive tax benefits from the U.S. government.
Before 1986, SSNs were rarely issued to people under the age of 14. However, the government eventually required parents to register their children for SSNs to be eligible for tax deductions. Today, parents often apply for SSNs for their children soon after birth. Nearly everyone in the United States now has a Social Security number.
Information you can find in a SS-5 form

An SS-5 form typically contains:
- The applicant's name (in this example, Max Berkowitz)
- Place of residence (142 Blake Ave)
- Age at the time of application (64)
- Date of birth (March 15, 1886)
- Place of birth (Poland, Europe)
- Father's name (Sam Berkowitz)
- Mother's maiden name (first name Sylvia, maiden name "unknown")
- Information on the applicant's occupation and place of work
How to order an SS-5 form
Copies of the SS-5 may be ordered from the Social Security Administration by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA), and at the time of writing costs $21 per document.
Note that the SSA “will not disclose information about any person in our records unless: [1] the number holder has provided written consent or we have acceptable proof of his or her death; or [2] the number holder is at least 100 years old and we have acceptable proof of his or her death; or [3] the number holder is more than 120 years old.” It may be necessary to prove that the individual or the parents are not still living, otherwise the vital information that you are seeking may be redacted. In the past, it was possible to peel off the black strips, but today the blacking out is done before the photocopy, and so cannot be removed.
Detailed instructions for ordering the form can be found on The Legal Genealogist Blog by Judy Russell.[1] Here are the steps in brief:
- Go to the FOIA online website, create an account if you don't have one already, and log in.
- Click Submit a Request.
- Under Agency, choose Social Security Administration.
- Under Request Type, leave it at FOIA and ensure that your Contact Information below is accurate. If you include your email address, you will receive a confirmation.
- Under Processing fees, leave it as Will Pay up to $100. Fear not, only $21 will be charged in advance.
- In Description, enter the name, Social Security Number if known, birth date, and birth place if known.
- Under Request Type and Fee select “Photocopy of Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5) for a Deceased Individual.” and then fill out as much as you can in the form that opens up.
- Add supporting files to prove that the individual is deceased.
- Review the information in your request, then click I Agree twice and Submit.
- Click Yes when asked to be redirected to an external payment website. Your supporting files will be uploaded at this point. Fill in your payment details including credit card information, and click Continue.
- You will receive a confirmation of your details. Check the authorization box and click Continue.
- You will receive a Request Confirmation from the FOIA online website, and an email will be sent confirming that the request has been submitted. If you want to see the details of your request, choose View My Requests on the FOIA online website.
Explore more about U.S. Social Security records
- U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007 on MyHeritage
- U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) on MyHeritage
- Decoding Social Security: Providing Benefits to Our Ancestors at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- How Form SS-5 Can Help Break through Your Research Brick Walls at JGSLI YouTube