Is it against the law to laminate a Social Security card?
Asked by: Mr. Arnoldo Hegmann Jr. | Last update: June 21, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (64 votes)
What happens if I laminate my Social Security card?
If you laminate the card, most government agencies will consider it invalid, and make you get a replacement before they'll accept it for identification.
Will the DMV accept a laminated Social Security card?
However, the acceptance of a laminated Social Security card can depend on the policies and practices of your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or licensing agency. To ensure that your laminated Social Security card will be accepted, I recommend contacting your local DMV or licensing agency directly.
Can an employer accept a laminated Social Security card?
Documents that Establish Employment Authorization
Social Security account number card that is unrestricted. A laminated card is acceptable. A card that includes any of the following restrictive wording is not an acceptable List C document: NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT.
What makes a SS card invalid?
Invalid Social Security Cards
If the back of the Social Security Card states that the card is invalid if laminated or unsigned, and is laminated or unsigned then that card is invalid and cannot be accepted.
Is It Illegal To Laminate Your Social Security Card? - CountyOffice.org
What makes a SSN invalid?
No valid SSN has 9 identical digits or has the 9 digits running consecutively from 1-9. For example, all of the following SSNs are invalid: 111-11-1111. 999-99-9999.
What should a valid Social Security card look like?
The current Social Security card consists of specially designed pre-printed banknote paper bearing the words, "Social Security," and the official seal of SSA. The statement, "This number has been established for" is printed across the official seal, in the middle of the card.
What Cannot be laminated?
Items printed on thermal paper, like concert and movie tickets are not suitable to be laminated because they will turn black when laminated. We also generally recommend that collectible or valuable items not be laminated, because laminating is permanent and once something is laminated, it cannot be undone.
Are you allowed to use a copy or laminated version of your Social Security card for identification purposes in PA?
Social Security Card
Social security cards be laminated or unlaminated but must be original – no photocopies will be accepted. *Please note that the name on your social security card MUST match the name on your proof of identity document.
Is it illegal to laminate your birth certificate?
Laminating a Birth Certificate May Invalidate It
Different states may use different paper, polymers, or other material for their official documents, and some may add a raised embossed stamp or other marks. In some cases, you may have to obtain an apostille birth certificate, for example, for immigration purposes.
How do I remove lamination from my Social Security card?
Place the card on a solid surface and put a piece of cloth over it. Heat your iron and press the iron over the cloth for several seconds. The heat loosens the plastic from the card. Peel it away using a razor to lift the plastic and a slow hand to work the lamination off the card.
Can I laminate my ID card?
Laminating your ID cards will make them last longer.
Adding durability to ID credentials is essentially the purpose of using lamination. Laminated credentials have been proven to last longer than non-laminated credentials in standard use.
Why aren't Social Security cards plastic?
Not only do paper Social Security cards lessen the chances that someone will find an intact card on the street, but the SSA noted that other security features are more appropriate to a paper card format, such as: A blue tint marbleized random pattern. Attempts to erase or remove data are easily detectable.
Is it legal to laminate your Medicare card?
The Medicare card is a sensitive document, but it's important enough that you should keep it nearby. While you are technically allowed to laminate your Medicare card, the Social Security Administration does not recommend it. Laminating your card can compromise some of the security features of the Medicare card.
Can my employer photocopy my Social Security card?
The tax guide states that after an employee is hired, you should ask to see his or her Social Security card. The employee may show the card if it is available. You may, but are not required to, photocopy the card.
Can you laminate your marriage license?
If you ever need to make a change to the certificate, such as a name change, it can be difficult to do so if the certificate is laminated. This can be especially true if the lamination is thick, as it may be difficult to remove. For all of these reasons, it is best to avoid laminating your marriage certificate.
Does laminating a Social Security card invalidate it?
Policy on laminating an SSN card. Instruct holders not to laminate their SSN card because lamination can prevent detection of security features on the card. When possible, tell SSN applicants in advance that SSA cannot guarantee the validity of a card that has been laminated.
Can a picture of ID be accepted?
Legally, you are required to have the original document. A picture is not “ID”.
What kind of paper are Social Security cards printed on?
The current Social Security card is made of banknote paper and serves only as an official verification of the SSN assigned by SSA to the person whose name is on the card. The card is neither proof of the bearer's identity nor citizenship/noncitizen status and has no transaction value or data storage capability.
Which document must not be laminated?
Government Documents
Since these are unique, they should not be laminated and simply kept in a plastic pouch. For example, a laminated birth certificate may not be permissible in court, so look into the government documents you are thinking about putting clear covers on.
Why not to laminate?
Furthermore, the adhesives used in lamination are typically acidic and can thus adversely affected inks, causing them to bleed beyond their edges ("halo" effect) in printed and written material. Each of these factors cause and/or accelerate the deterioration of paper documents.
What are you not allowed to laminate?
Medicare and the Social Security Administration (SSA) advise against laminating a Medicare card or other official document, such as a Social Security card. This is because lamination may interfere with the card's security features, such as the ability to scan certain details or detect tampering.
What is a restricted Social Security card?
A RESTRICTED Social Security card (as pictured below) is not an acceptable List C document. Restricted Social Security cards are stamped with one of the following restrictions: “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION” “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION” “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT”
How do I make sure my SSN is valid?
Request Online SSN Verification. The SSN Verification web page enables you to submit up to 10 names and SSNs for verification and obtain immediate results. There is no limit to the number of times the SSN Verification web page may be used within a session.
What does the G on my Social Security card mean?
The group number (G), or second set of digits, refers to the specific order in which SSNs are distributed within a geographical area from 01 to 99. First, odd numbers are assigned from 01 to 09 followed by even numbers from 10 to 98.