Social Security·5 min read

How to Apply for Your Baby's Social Security Number

Published June 27, 2026

Your newborn needs a Social Security number (SSN) sooner than you might think — for adding them to health insurance, claiming them on your taxes, and opening accounts down the road. The application uses Form SS-5, and the simplest way to file it is at the hospital. Here's how to get your baby's Social Security number the easy way.

At a glance: newborn Social Security number — Form SS-5, free, card arrives in about two weeks — SSN application facts at a glance.

The easiest path: apply at the hospital

When you complete birth registration in the delivery unit, you'll usually be asked whether you want to apply for the baby's Social Security number at the same time. Say yes. The hospital forwards the request along with the birth record, the Social Security Administration (SSA) assigns the number, and the card is mailed to you in about two weeks. It's free, and you don't have to visit an office.

Why opt in at the hospital

Applying at the hospital means you skip a trip to a Social Security office and avoid having to show the baby's birth certificate separately — the SSA gets the verified birth data directly. It's the single easiest item on the whole newborn checklist.

If you didn't apply at the hospital

No problem — you can still apply directly with the SSA. You'll:

Complete Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card).
Provide proof of the baby's age and identity — usually the birth certificate.
Provide proof of your own identity.
Submit it to your local Social Security office (some steps can't be done fully online for a first-time card).

Never email or text your baby's SSN

Treat the number as sensitive from day one. Legitimate agencies and insurers will have secure ways to collect it — FirstDays, for example, never asks for or stores SSNs at all.

What you'll use it for

Health insurance: most plans want the SSN to add your baby as a dependent.
Taxes: to claim your child and any related credits.
Benefits and accounts: 529 plans, savings bonds, and government benefits.

Key takeaways

The SSN application is Form SS-5 and it's free.
The easiest way is to opt in during hospital birth registration.
The card typically arrives by mail within about two weeks.
If you missed it at the hospital, file Form SS-5 with the SSA using the birth certificate.

FirstDays keeps the SSN step on your checklist and even pre-fills the SSA's SS-5 form with your baby's name, date of birth, and state of birth (never the SSN itself). Get started free.

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