If Worker Shows Social Security Card With an Expiration Date, Is It Valid for I-9 Purposes?

Figuring out what an acceptable List C document for a worker in the U.S. might include.

By , J.D. University of Virginia School of Law
Updated 10/25/2024

If you work in a management position for a U.S. company that involves completing I-9s for new employee hires, you have probably seen several types of identity and work documents come your way; from U.S. passports to foreign nationals' work permits to official-looking pieces of paper from the U.S. government. This article will address one specific but not entirely unusual situation: being shown a Social Security card that has what looks like an expiration date on the front, which date has already passed. Can you accept the card for the employee's I-9?

What the Date on the Front of a Social Security Card Actually Means

Interestingly enough, this seemingly expired Social Security card is likely a valid one. Beginning in April 2007, the Social Security Administration (SSA) began printing the date of issuance on the face of Social Security cards. The date appears beneath the signature line. The date is not an expiration date (and, in fact, it should always be a date in the past).

So long as the card otherwise appears to be genuine, you can accept it as a List C document when completing the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification.

If your company doesn't have an in-house attorney, you might want to retain an outside, private attorney for questions about recruiting and hiring workers. Some of your hires might be foreign-born and thus possess documents that you aren't familiar with, or be at some stage of an immigration process that involves more complex situations than simply possessing a green card. If you'd like to learn more about such issues, check out Hiring Foreign Workers in the U.S.: First Things to Know.

Further Reading
How Long Is the Wait for an Immigrant's Priority Date to Become Current?
Can Employers Accept a Receipt for a Replacement Document for I-9 Purposes?
Can I Change Employers While My Green Card Application Is Pending?

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