Social Security Numbering System Change

From: baja Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Subject: Social Security Numbering System Change

     In the past, law enforcement officers were aware that the first three digits of a person's Social Security Number corresponded to the state where that card was originally issued.  When inconsistencies in this numbering scheme were recognized by the officer, that officer alertly suspected some sort of validity issue with the card and often took additional action.  Many counterfeit cards, often leading to other criminal activity, have been discovered using this technique.  Most agencies even have charts provided by the Social Security Administration that show which states issued which prefixes.  For instance, cards issued in Arkansas started with 429 through 432, etc.

     Because of constrictions on the quantity of numbers available,  the Social Security Administration has announced that they will no longer follow this numbering scheme.  Instead, effective in June of 2011, they plan to issue cards based on a random assignment of numbers.  Obviously, this change will likely adversely impact the ability to spot an invalid card based solely on the number, as in the previous paragraph.  Here is a link to the SSA's website that provides additional information about this change:  http://www.ssa.gov/employer/stateweb.htm

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article source: http://www.ssa.gov/employer/stateweb.htm

Social Security Number Allocations

Attention All Users

On June 25, 2011, SSA will change the SSN assignment process. Numbers issued after this date will not adhere to the rules outlined on this page. Please see SSN Randomization for more information on SSA's new assignment process and how it may affect you.

Since 1973, social security numbers have been issued by our central office. The first three (3) digits of a person's social security number are determined by the ZIP Code of the mailing address shown on the application for a social security number. Prior to 1973, social security numbers were assigned by our field offices. The number merely established that his/her card was issued by one of our offices in that State.  See also High Group List of SSN's.

THIS DATA IS STRICTLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

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The chart below shows the first 3 digits of the social security numbers assigned throughout the United States and its possessions. See "Note" at bottom of page.

001-003	New Hampshire		261-267	Florida		449-467	Texas		531-539	Washington
004-007	Maine		589-595			627-645			540-544	Oregon
008-009	Vermont		766-772			468-477	Minnesota		545-573	California
010-034	Massachusetts		268-302	Ohio		478-485	Iowa		602-626
035-039	Rhode Island		303-317	Indiana		486-500	Missouri		574	Alaska
040-049	Connecticut		318-361	Illinois		501-502	North Dakota		575-576	Hawaii
050-134	New York		362-386	Michigan		503-504	South Dakota		750-751
135-158	New Jersey		387-399	Wisconsin		505-508	Nebraska		577-579	District of Columbia
159-211	Pennsylvania		400-407	Kentucky		509-515	Kansas		580	Virgin Islands
212-220	Maryland		408-415	Tennessee		516-517	Montana		580-584	Puerto Rico
221-222	Delaware		756-763			518-519	Idaho		596-599
223-231	Virginia		416-424	Alabama		520	Wyoming		586	Guam
691-699			425-428	Mississippi		521-524	Colorado		586	American Samoa
232-236	West Virginia		587-588			650-653			586	Philippine Islands
232	North Carolina		752-755			525,585	New Mexico		700-728	Railroad Board**
237-246			429-432	Arkansas		648-649			729-733	Enumeration at Entry
681-690			676-679			526-527	Arizona
247-251	South Carolina		433-439	Louisiana		600-601
654-658			659-665			764-765
252-260	Georgia		440-448	Oklahoma		528-529	Utah
667-675			530,680	Nevada		646-647

NOTE: The same area, when shown more than once, means that certain numbers have been transferred from one State to another, or that an area has been divided for use among certain geographic locations.

Any number beginning with 000 will NEVER be a valid SSN.

The information in our records about an individual is confidential by law and cannot be disclosed except in certain very restricted cases permitted by regulations.

** 700-728 Issuance of these numbers to railroad employees was discontinued July 1, 1963.

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article source: http://www.ssa.gov/employer/randomization.html

Social Security Number Randomization

     The Social Security Administration (SSA) is changing the way Social Security Numbers (SSNs) are issued. This change is referred to as "randomization." The SSA is developing this new method to help protect the integrity of the SSN. SSN Randomization will also extend the longevity of the nine-digit SSN nationwide.
The SSA began assigning the nine-digit SSN in 1936 for the purpose of tracking workers' earnings over the course of their lifetimes to pay benefits. Since its inception, the SSN has always been comprised of the three-digit area number, followed by the two-digit group number, and ending with the four-digit serial number. Since 1972, the SSA has issued Social Security cards centrally and the area number reflects the state, as determined by the ZIP code in the mailing address of the application.
     There are currently 435 million numbers available for assignment. However, the current SSN assignment process limits the number of SSNs that are available for issuance to individuals by each state. Changing the assignment methodology will extend the longevity of the nine digit SSN in all states. On July 3, 2007, the SSA published its intent to randomize the nine-digit SSN in the Federal Register Notice, Protecting the Integrity of Social Security Numbers [Docket No. SSA 2007-0046].

SSN randomization will affect the SSN assignment process in the following ways:

• It will eliminate the geographical significance of the first three digits of the SSN, currently referred to as the area number, by no longer allocating the area numbers for assignment to individuals in specific states.
  
• It will eliminate the significance of the highest group number and, as a result, the High Group List will be frozen in time and can be used for validation of SSNs issued prior to the randomization implementation date.
  
• Previously unassigned area numbers will be introduced for assignment excluding area numbers 000, 666 and 900-999.

     These changes to the SSN may require systems and/or business process updates to accommodate SSN randomization.
     If you have any questions regarding SSN randomization or its possible effects to your organization, please see the related Frequently Asked Questions or email your question(s) to ssn.randomization@ssa.gov.

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