How to Schedule a Social Security Office Appointment
As of January 6, 2025, most Social Security field offices require a scheduled appointment before they can help you in person — including for a new or replacement card. You can request one online in a few minutes or by calling 1-800-772-1213, and a lot of tasks can be finished entirely by phone at your scheduled time, no office visit required. A handful of situations still let you walk in without booking anything.
Start Your Appointment Request Now
- 1 Answer a few quick questions
- 2 Get routed to online help, or a phone/in-person time
- 3 Get your confirmation by email or text
How Will You Schedule?
- Works for most tasks, including card requests and personal record changes
- Takes a few minutes to answer questions about what you need
- Tells you whether your task can be finished online, or routes you to a phone or in-person time
It's a guided questionnaire, not a live calendar — SSA uses your answers to match you with the right service.
Confirmation arrives by email or text once your appointment is set.
- Works if you'd rather talk to someone, or the online questionnaire doesn't fit your situation
- Available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. local time
- TTY: 1-800-325-0778
Tell the representative you want to schedule, change, or cancel a phone or in-person appointment.
Same email or text confirmation as booking online.
Step by step
- 1 Figure out if you actually need an appointment Many tasks — checking a claim status, getting a benefit verification letter, updating direct deposit — can be done through your my Social Security account with no appointment at all. If you just need someone on the phone, check our Social Security phone shortcuts guide.
- 2 Start the online questionnaire, or call to schedule Go to SSA's appointment questionnaire and answer a few questions about what you need, or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. local time, and ask a representative to schedule you instead.
- 3 Take the phone appointment if you're offered one For many tasks, SSA completes your request entirely by phone at your scheduled time — no office visit needed. In-person is reserved for tasks that genuinely require it, like certain identity-document situations.
- 4 Save your confirmation email or text It has the link you'll need to change or cancel later. If a representative booked it for you instead of the online tool, they'll also give you a code — save that too.
- 5 If it's in person, bring your confirmation and ID Arrive with the confirmation and a form of identification. If you scheduled a phone appointment instead, just make sure you're reachable at the number you gave.
Vulnerable Populations & Military
SSA's policy names these groups specifically — you can still walk in without an appointment.
Terminal Illness
Also named as a walk-in exception in SSA's November 2024 policy announcement.
Urgent or Specialized Situations
SSA's own wording: "individuals with other situations requiring immediate or specialized attention."
Why appointments became the default in 2025
SSA phased in appointment-based service nationwide between November 2024 and January 6, 2025, after nearly 400 field offices that piloted the change saw shorter wait times and more people finishing tasks online instead of in a lobby. The agency has said it won't turn away someone who can't or won't schedule ahead, and some offices with short enough wait times still serve walk-ins generally. If you're not sure which category your local office falls into, calling ahead is the safest way to find out before you make a trip.
SSA will never charge you to schedule, confirm, or attend an appointment. If a site asks you to pay to "book" or "expedite" one, it isn't affiliated with Social Security.
As of 2025, SSA generally requires in-person identity verification for benefit claims and direct deposit changes if you can't use your online my Social Security account — worth knowing before you assume a phone appointment will fully cover one of those tasks.
SSA's own materials don't spell out what happens if you simply miss your appointment. Rather than assume you'll be automatically rebooked, use the link in your confirmation to reschedule as soon as you know you can't make it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an appointment to visit a Social Security office now?
In most cases, yes. As of January 6, 2025, SSA generally requires a scheduled appointment for in-person field office service, including requests for a new or replacement card. A few named exceptions still allow walk-ins, and some offices with short wait times keep serving walk-in visitors.
How do I schedule a Social Security appointment?
Use SSA's online appointment questionnaire, or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, and ask a representative to schedule you.
Can my appointment be done entirely by phone?
Often, yes. SSA says many services can be completed by phone with a scheduled appointment, no office visit required — the online questionnaire or a phone representative will tell you which option fits your task.
How do I change or cancel my appointment?
Use the link in the confirmation email or text SSA sent you when you booked. If a representative scheduled it for you instead, you'll also need the code they gave you. Call 1-800-772-1213 if you're missing either one.
What if I can't get an appointment or don't want one?
SSA says it won't turn people away for this. Vulnerable populations, military personnel, people with terminal illnesses, and situations needing immediate or specialized attention can still walk in, and some offices with minimal wait times continue serving walk-in visitors generally.
Reviewed against official SSA guidance. Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4
Ready to visit in person? Find your local SSA field office and check live hours