Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office.
Many services, including applying for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up for direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining a proof of income letter or informing us of a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ or by dialing The Social Security toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Many of our online services are available in Spanish with online information in other languages.
You can also create a personal my Social Security account to obtain your Social Security Statement. If receiving SSA benefits, with a my Social Security account you can change your address and obtain a letter verifying your benefit amount.
Many people visit local SSA offices about Social Security number cards, either to request a replacement or to change their name. While these cannot be completed online, much of the time they can be completed by mail, with instructions explaining the evidence needed and a downloadable application online.
If you prefer to visit your local office, be aware that effective January 2013, Social Security offices began closing to the public at noon every Wednesday.
Most local Social Security offices are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and 9 a.m. to Noon on Wednesday. A few small offices have different hours. View local office hours online at www.socialsecurity.gov.
Quoting from a November 2012 Social Security press release announcing the new hours, “While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime. The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past.”