How to Change Your Sex Designation on Your Social Security Card

For instructions on how to change your sex designation on your social security card, please read the information below or visit the Social Security Administration's website here: Social Security Administration Instructions on Changing Your Sex on Your Social Security Card.

To change your gender on Social Security's records:

Step 1: Gather documents proving your:

• Identity

We can accept only certain documents as proof of identity. An acceptable document must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age) and, preferably, a recent photograph. For example, as proof of identity Social Security must see your

• • U.S. driver's license;
  • State-issued non-driver identification card; or
  • U.S. passport.

If you don’t have one of these specific documents, or you can’t get a replacement for one of them within 10 days, we’ll ask to see other documents, including

• • Employee identification card;
  • School identification card;
  • Health insurance card (not a Medicare card); or
  • U.S. military identification card.

• Gender

  We’ll need to see a

• • Full-validity, 10-year U.S. passport showing the new gender;
  • State-issued amended birth certificate showing the new gender;
  • Court order directing legal recognition of change of gender; or
  • Medical certification of appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition in the form of an original letter from a licensed physician.

The document must have enough biographical data (e.g., name and date of birth) to clearly identify you.

• U.S. citizenship

If you haven’t established your citizenship with us, and you were born in the US, we need to see proof of U.S citizenship. We can only accept certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These documents include

• • U.S. birth certificate; or
  • U.S. passport.

If you haven’t established your citizenship with us, and you are foreign-born, we need to see proof of U.S. citizenship. We can only accept certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These documents include:

• • U.S. passport
  • Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570)
  • Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561)
  • Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), CRBA 

• Immigration status (if you aren’t a U.S. citizen).

To prove your U.S. immigration status, you must show us your:

• • Current U.S. immigration document, such as Form I-551 (Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa) with your unexpired foreign passport;
  • I-766 (Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit); or
  • I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport.

If you’re an F-1 or M-1 student, you also must show us your I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status). 

If you’re a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor, you must show us your DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status). 

Step 2: Complete an Application for a Social Security Card. 

Step 3: Take or mail your completed application and documents to your local Social Security office or your local Social Security Card Center.  

All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency.