This article aims to help you understand how Social Security Numbers are assigned. It includes an overview of the history of the Social Security Administration (SSA), a federal government agency. It also explains how new numbers are assigned using “randomization.” In addition, we’ll provide an overview of the previous process for numbers issued before 2011.
Social Security numbers (SSNs) are integral to the United States’ system of identifying individuals for various governmental and financial purposes. The Social Security Administration (SSA) manages the assignment of these numbers an agency with a rich history and a crucial role in American society.
The SSA’s origins date back to the Great Depression, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935. This groundbreaking legislation was designed to alleviate poverty among the elderly by providing financial assistance through a national retirement program. The SSA was officially established in 1935 as an independent agency and tasked with implementing this monumental social insurance program.
Over the decades, the SSA’s responsibilities expanded beyond retirement benefits to encompass disability insurance, survivor benefits, and the issuance of SSNs. Today, the SSA remains a vital agency that administers social programs affecting millions of Americans.
Social Security numbers serve as unique identifiers for individuals within the United States. Since its introduction, the SSN has become the primary national identification number, even though it was not originally intended to be used as a form of identification. They are used mainly for tracking earnings and benefits within the Social Security system, but they have also become essential for other purposes, including taxation, credit reporting, and identity verification.
An SSN is a nine-digit number issued in a specific format: XXX-XX-XXXX. The first three digits, the area number, were initially assigned based on geographic region. However, this practice was later randomized to prevent fraud and improve security. The middle two digits, known as the group number, have no specific geographic or demographic significance and were also randomized for similar reasons. The last four digits are the serial number sequentially assigned within each group number.
The assignment of SSNs is crucially managed to ensure accuracy and prevent duplication. SSNs are typically issued at birth for U.S. citizens and permanent residents through a process coordinated with state vital statistics agencies issuing birth certificates. Non-citizens authorized to work in the United States can also obtain SSNs for employment.
When an individual applies for an SSN, whether at birth or later in life, they must provide certain documents to verify their identity, citizenship or immigration status, and age. These documents may include a birth certificate, passport, or other forms of identification deemed acceptable by the SSA.
Once verified, the SSA assigns the applicant a unique SSN and issues a Social Security card bearing that number. The card is physical proof of the assigned SSN and is an important document that individuals must safeguard.
Before 1972, SSA field offices assigned social security numbers, which merely established that an individual’s card was issued by one of the SSA offices in that State. Beginning in 1972, the central Social Security Administration Office began issuing numbers.
The Social Security number consists of nine (9) digits, usually written in the format 123-45-6789. The first three digits of a social security number denote the area (or State) where the original Social Security number application was filed.
The first three (3) digits of a person’s social security number are determined by the ZIP Code of the mailing address shown on the application for a social security number.
Each area’s group number (middle two (2) digits) ranges from 01 to 99 but is not assigned in consecutive order. For administrative reasons, group numbers issued first consist of the ODD numbers from 01 through 09 and then EVEN numbers from 10 through 98, within each area number allocated to a State.
After all numbers in group 98 of a particular area have been issued, the EVEN Groups 02 through 08 are used, followed by ODD Groups 11 through 99.
Within each group, the serial numbers (last four (4) digits) run consecutively from 0001 through 9999.
The chart below shows how Group numbers were assigned before randomization:
Following is a list of social security number prefixes for each state. The listing is organized in ascending order based on the SSN prefix, with the corresponding issuing state listed. Remember, these apply only to numbers issued before 2011 under the old system.
SSN Prefix = Issuing State
001-003 = New Hampshire
004-007 = Maine
008-009 = Vermont
010-034 = Massachusetts
035-039 = Rhode Island
040-049 = Connecticut
050-134 = New York
135-158 = New Jersey
159-211 = Pennsylvania
212-220 = Maryland
211-222 = Delaware
223-231 = Virginia
232 = North Carolina
232 = West Virginia
233-236 = West Virginia
237-246 = North Carolina
247-251 = South Carolina
252-260 = Georgia
261-267 = Florida (Also 589-595)
268-302 = Ohio
303-317 = Indiana
318-361 = Illinois
362-386 = Michigan
387-399 = Wisconsin
400-407 = Kentucky
408-415 = Tennessee
416-424 = Alabama
425-428 = Mississippi
429-432 = Arkansas
433-439 = Louisiana
440-448 =Oklahoma
449-467 = Texas
468-477 = Minnesota
478 – 485 = Iowa
486 – 500 = Missouri
501 – 502 = North Dakota
503 – 504 = South Dakota
505 – 508 = Nebraska
509 – 515 = Kansas
516 – 517 = Montana
518 – 519 = Idaho
520 = Wyoming
521 – 524 = Colorado
525 = New Mexico
526 = Arizona
526 = New Mexico
527 = Arizona
528 – 529 = Utah
530 = Nevada
531 – 539 = Washington
540 – 544 = Oregon
545-573 = California
574 = Alaska
575-576 = Hawaii
577-579 = District of Columbia
580 = Virgin Islands
580-584 = Puerto Rico
585 = New Mexico
586 = Guam & American Samoa
586 = All Other Pacific Territories
587-588 = Mississippi
589-595 = Florida (also 261-267)
600-601 = Arizona (designated)
602-626 = California (designated)
700-728 = Railroad Retirement
729-999 = Not used until randomization was introduced.
Note: The number 666 has never been used and will not be used in the future.
Please post a comment below if you are aware of any new number ranges.
No law directly requires a natural-born United States citizen to apply for a Social Security number to live or work in the United States. However, some people still live without a number because they view it as a voluntary government program. Those who don’t get a number find it difficult to engage in ordinary acts of commerce or banking activities because they can’t provide an SSN.
To learn more about the process, visit the Social Security Administration website. On the website, you can:
The Social Security Administration plays a pivotal role in Americans’ lives by administering SSNs and managing social benefit programs. Understanding the history and structure of SSNs and their assignment process is essential for navigating various aspects of public and private life in the United States. As the SSA continues to evolve to meet the needs of a changing society, SSNs remain a fundamental component of national identity and security.
In summary, SSNs are not merely numbers but identifiers that link individuals to critical services and benefits, reflecting the enduring legacy of the Social Security Administration’s commitment to social welfare and national stability.
If you have any questions, please post a comment below.
