How to Decipher a Social Security Number

1. * = 700-728 issuance of these numbers to railroad employees was discontinued July 1, 1963.
   
   
2. If the same area number appears above more than once, it is because certain numbers were transferred from one State to another or that the area number was divided for use amongst certain geographical locations.
   
   
3. Any number beginning with "000", "666", "900-999", has a middle "00", or ends in "0000" will never be a valid SSN.
   
   
4. Originally, the first three digits were assigned by the geographical region in which the person was residing at the time the number was assigned. "Generally, numbers were assigned beginning in the northeast and moved westward. So people on the east coast had the lowest numbers and those on the west coast had the highest numbers".
   
   
5. Since 1972/1973, when SSA started assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the Area Number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of birth or residence. Prior to 1972/1973, social security numbers were assigned by field offices. Therefore, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the State of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972/1973 or since.
   
   
6. People born in the United States since 1987 may have had their SSN applied for them by the hospital at birth. This policy varies by State.
   
   
7. Effective June 25, 2011, the SSA began a new randomized assignment methodology, called "SSN Randomization", in an effort to extend the longevity of the nine-digit SSN nationwide as well as for security since randomization makes the newly assigned SSN's more difficult to reconstruct using public information. Unused area numbers previously assigned to states, as well as previously unassigned area numbers, will now be available in the new randomization system.
   
   
8. Numbers in red were originally assigned to these states but were subsequently unassigned come June 2011 and used in the new randomized assignment. Numbers in these "officially" unissued series may still have been issued for applicants in these states prior to randomization.
   
   
9. Social Security Numbers are never reassigned after someone dies. Despite issuing over 450 million SSN's since 1936, and assigning about 5.5 million new numbers a year, they can still issue new numbers for several generations.
   
   

Information is from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. The information presented is solely intended to assist site visitors in better understanding Social Security Numbers.

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