BASIC SSN SEARCH DESCRIPTION

This database is privately owned and compiled from various public record sources and input from participating members. While much of the information here is derived from published data by the social security administration, the database does not "tap into" or otherwise link into the governments database.

DISCLAIMER

Information contained herein is derived from records that may not always be 100 percent accurate or complete. Social security numbers are issued regularly and a number may be valid and NOT contained in our database. Therefore, U.S. Info Search cannot & does not guarantee the accuracy of the results. Negative verification might only indicate further inquiry is warranted. Users should consult state and federal laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act before using this information in making decisions on extending credit or hiring/firing of employees. Because misidentifications can and do occur when trying to identify a particular person based solely upon the social security number or other identifiers, extreme care must be used in the review and use of this information.

To report a possible error, please fax Name, SSN & DOB to account services @ 614-386-2064 along with supporting documentation and it will be promptly investigated free of charge.

Social Security Numbering Scheme Explained

In the United States a Social Security Number (SSN) is considered the standard identifier and is used by many government and private institutions. Each SSN is a unique identifier assigned to only one individual. When that individual dies their SSN is not reassigned, but rather, is used to administer benefits to their dependents and survivors, and becomes part of the Social Security Death Index.

The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts

1 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 8 9

The first set of three digits is called the Area Number
The second set of two digits is called the Group Number
The final set of four digits is the Serial Number

Area Number

The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to 1972, cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the State in which the card was issued. This did not necessarily have to be the State where the applicant lived, since a person could apply for their card in any Social Security office. Since 1972, when SSA began assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the area number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence. Thus, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the State of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972 or since.

Generally, numbers were assigned beginning in the northeast and moving westward. So people on the east coast have the lowest numbers and those on the west coast have the highest numbers.

Note. One should not make too much of the "geographical code." It is not meant to be any kind of useable geographical information. The numbering scheme was designed in 1936 (before computers) to make it easier for SSA to store the applications in Social Security Administration files in Baltimore since the files were organized by regions as well as alphabetically. It was really just a bookkeeping device for Social Security Administration internal use and was never intended to be anything more than that.

Group Number

Within each area, the group number (middle two (2) digits) range from 01 to 99 but are not assigned in consecutive order. For administrative reasons, group numbers issued first consist of the ODD numbers from 01 through 09 and then EVEN numbers from 10 through 98, within each area number allocated to a State. After all numbers in group 98 of a particular area have been issued, the EVEN Groups 02 through 08 are used, followed by ODD Groups 11 through 99.

Here is a summary of how Group Numbers are assigned:

ODD, 01 to 09 (01, 03, ... 09)
EVEN, 10 to 98 (10, 12, ... 98)
EVEN, 02 to 08 (02, 04, ... 08)
ODD, 11 to 99 (11, 13, ... 99)

Check the latest Social Security Number Monthly Issuance Table for the highest group number assigned for each SSN Area.

Group Number Myth
Apparently due to the fact that the middle digits of the SSN are referred to as the "group number," some people have misconstrued this to mean that the "group number" refers to racial groupings. So a myth goes around from time-to-time that encoded in a person's SSN is a key to their race. This simply is not true.

As should be clear from the explanation of the SSN numbering scheme, the "group number" refers only to the numerical groups 01-99. For filing purposes, the "area numbers" are broken down into these numerical subgroups. So, for example, for area numbers starting with 527 there would be 98 subgroups, one for every number starting with 527-01, and one for every number starting with 527-02, and so on. This was done back in 1936 because in that era there were no computers and all the records were stored in filing cabinets. The early program administrators needed some way to organize the filing cabinets into sub-groups, to make them more manageable, and this is the scheme they came up with.

So the "group number" has nothing whatever to do with race.

Serial Number

Serial numbers (last four (4) digits) are assigned consecutively from 0001 through 9999 within each area and group number as the applications are processed. Serial number "0000" is never used. Before 1965, when number assignment was transferred from field offices to the central office, serial numbers may have been assigned in a strange order. (Some sources claim that 2000 and 7000 series numbers were assigned out of order. That no longer seems to be the case.) Currently, the serial numbers are assigned in strictly increasing order with each area and group combination.