How to Verify a Social Security Number (2025)

Learn why the SSN verification is crucial for businesses and individuals alike.

The Social Security Number (SSN) is a unique nine-digit number given by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to US citizens and its residents. The administration uses SSNs to keep track of an individual’s lifetime earnings and working history, track Social Security benefits and for other identification purposes. While SSNs are mainly used to verify current or former employees for wage reporting purposes, companies can also collect them to verify new users. 

Here we give you a detailed analysis of when and how businesses should or shouldn’t use an SSN check.

What is Social Security Number verification?

Social Security Number verification is the process of confirming someone’s identity by validating their SSN. This involves matching the individual’s name and date of birth against trusted sources, such as SSA records. Businesses have multiple methods to verify SSNs, including document-based and electronic approaches. Let’s explore these methods in detail.

Methods of Social Security Number verification

Document verification

This method involves reviewing physical documents displaying a person’s SSN and comparing an individual’s provided SSN with an official document. Common documents with the social security number include:

• Social Security Card: Official card issued by the Social Security Administration.
• W-2 Form: Wage and Tax Statement provided by employers.
• SSA-1099 Form: Social Security Benefit Statement.
• Pay Stubs: Employee earnings statements that include the SSN.

For additional data security and fraud prevention, it’s recommended that companies store SSNs in a secure environment with access restricted only to authorized personnel.

Non-documentary verification

Non-document verification involves electronic methods to confirm an SSN without relying on physical documents. Services like the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS) allow employers to verify employee names and SSNs against Social Security records online. This approach minimizes errors, improves wage reporting accuracy, and reduces fraud risks.

Suggested read: Documentary vs Non-Documentary Verification

Database checks 

Database checks involve cross-referencing the provided SSN with authorized databases to confirm its validity. Services like the Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (CBSV) enable businesses to verify if the SSN, name, and date of birth combination matches SSA records. This method is commonly used by financial institutions and background check agencies.

electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service (eCBSV)

The eCBSV is an electronic service that allows entities such as banks and financial institutions to verify if a person’s SSN, name, and date of birth match Social Security records. With the individual’s consent, it provides a simple “Yes” or “No” response to indicate whether the SSN matches SSA records.

Is it legal to use SSNs for identification purposes?

According to the guidelines issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen) in 2018, financial institutions must collect and verify the following information from their customers:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Identifying number.

Identifying numbers are usually represented by the SSN, but it can also mean any other identification number accepted by the Customer Identification Program (CIP).

While the identification number is necessary for the onboarding process, the issue appears when customers get registered online, where there is no secure way to check if a user is the actual owner of the given SSN. The number is assigned by collecting written data and a signature on a paper form, which can easily be falsified.

As such, an SSN is neither informative nor secure enough to verify one’s identity. Additional checks (e.g., liveness check) should be conducted to ensure that the provided information matches the owner. 

Is SSN verification enough to verify a person’s identity?

While verifying SSN is a crucial step in confirming someone’s identity, it should not be the only method relied upon. SSNs were originally designed for tracking earnings and benefits, not as universal identifiers. Over time, their widespread use has led to increased risks of fraud and identity theft. Therefore, relying exclusively on SSN verification may not provide a comprehensive assessment of a person’s identity—it does not provide information about any additional or alternative identities that person may have. In addition, not all individuals have an SSN, particularly those who may be new to the country, minors, or individuals who do not qualify for an SSN. In these cases, alternative methods of identity verification would be necessary.

For reliable verification, businesses should combine SSN checks with methods such as government-issued photo identification or biometric verification.

This way, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of fraud and ensure greater security in financial transactions, employment, and other sensitive operations.

How to verify SSN online?

If you want to use the SSN for wage reporting purposes and find it sufficient for your needs, the easiest way to verify the number is by using the Social Security Number Identifier Service, a free online service offered by the SSA that allows registered users to conduct basic checks manually. During the verification, the SSN immediately matches an individual’s name and date of birth. 

You can find more detailed information in the Official SSA Handbook, as well as in the administration’s tutorials on SSN verification.

How to verify large amounts of SSN data: the solution

Even though SSN verification via SSA is a free option, it is inefficient with large amounts of data. In cases when a company needs to verify a substantial number of SSNs, a proper verification solution provider is needed. Verification providers operating in the US are constantly adopting new technologies to quickly check the SSNs and conduct additional biometric checks. Sumsub is among such providers. 

Our solution allows companies operating in the US to conduct SSN checks to verify users through Social Security records by cross-referencing the SSN with authorized sources such as SSA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or third-party databases. Our SSN verification also enables background checks, which can immediately spot red flag customers, including bankruptcies, liens, criminal records, and more.

Notably, this approach to verification allows companies to not only match a full name, date of birth, and address to an individual, but also confirm that these are indeed the person’s full name, date of birth, and address.

Overall, SSNs should primarily be used for wage reporting purposes. As for identity verification, use a solution that combines and uses raw data, image authenticity analysis, database checks, fraudulent patterns analysis, biometric check, and other similar means.

• How can businesses verify a person’s Social Security Number?

  Businesses can verify a person’s Social Security Number using the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS), Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (CBSV), or verification software solutions (such as Sumsub’s Non-Doc and Database Validation solutions) that make the process faster and easier.

• Does SSN verify identity?

  Not entirely—SSN verification only confirms that the SSN matches the provided name and date of birth. Additional methods like biometric verification are needed for full identity confirmation.

• Is SSN required for KYC?

  SSN verification is not always mandatory, but it is commonly used in the US to verify identity and comply with regulations. Federal laws in the US mandate employers to verify the SSNs of their employees to comply with the relevant laws. Not complying with this mandate can result in significant fines and sanctions. Alternative forms of identification may also be acceptable depending on the jurisdiction and purpose of the check.

• How does Social Security Number verification support AML compliance?

  SSN verification helps detect and prevent identity fraud, ensuring accurate customer identification, which is a key requirement for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance.