Your social security number: need to knows and how to apply

In Germany, each person must have a social security number in order to be able to pursue employment regardless of their employment status. This is issued by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (pension insurance), to which your employer must also pay contributions.

But what should you do if your ID card is lost or damaged – or if you do not yet have one? We have the answers to this and more in this blog post, and luckily for you the social security number application process is pretty straightforward. Let's get into it.

You will find your individual number on your social security card and on the Rentenversicherung certificates. However, if you don’t know your number even when you start working, you can give your personal data to the employer.

Since they are linked to your social security number, your manager can find out the number this way. You can also contact your health insurance company and ask for it.

Before January 2011 there existed a different social security card, which is no longer valid. Nowadays each person receives their “membership” or pension insurance number by letter from the responsible pension insurance institution. The legalities can be found here .

The social security card pre-2011 had different design to the current one, and citizens were obligated to carry it at all times. In 2009 however this obligation was removed. The card must still be presented to the employer when starting work, however.

The social security card supplies your employer with important information about you:

The card also includes the date of issue. This is all the information that serves to uniquely identify you and prove your membership in the social security system. It exists to prevent the unauthorised receipt of social benefits as well as illegal employment.

If you have a job which is subject to social security contributions, you will also need the corresponding identity card. This includes full-time and part-time jobs as well as mini-jobs and internships. Even if you are currently looking for a job, the social security number is important because it stores all the data you need for your future pension, such as your training period or years of employment.

As a rule, everyone who is not a civil servant receives the social security card when they first enter the job market. This is even the case for mini-jobs, which are legal employment opportunities the salaries of which are capped at €450.

For civil servants, judges and professional soldiers, the scheme is slightly different. They receive pensions from their employer and are not covered by the pension insurance institution. Thus, they do not have a social security number. They are only required to apply for one if they are interested in a supplementary pension.

However, if you belong to this professional group and already have a social security number, you must inform your employer. If you do not have this number, you must apply for an allowance number.

As a rule, you don’t have to worry too much about the first-time purchase of the ID card, because you will receive it automatically as soon as you start a job. Your future employer will automatically inform your health insurance company about the employment.

This also applies for the social security number at the pension insurance institution, whereupon the identity card will be sent to you.

Your social security card is an important document that you should handle with care and keep in a safe place. Losing your card isn't an irredeemable disaster, but, given the importance of the card's information, it is an inconvenience. 

The first step is to inform your health insurance company about the loss. Your health insurance company will contact the pension insurance company to request a replacement certificate. It is also possible that your employer will apply for a new social security card. If you have lost your identity card as well as a document with the corresponding number, a new social security number will be applied for.

You must bear in mind that it can take several weeks before the document is issued. Usually it can take four to six weeks until you receive your new identity card by post.

It is therefore important that if you lose your ID card, you get a replacement as soon as possible. Especially if you're looking for work or planning to change to a new job. Fortunately, the second issue of the identity card is also free of charge.

The obligation to carry your social security card hasn't existed since 2009. Nevertheless, employees of certain occupational groups are still required to carry identification. If you fit into one of these groups, you're required to carry a document for clear identification. In addition to the social security card, the identity card, passport, passport substitute or replacement of an identity card can also be used for this purpose.

This scheme applies to the following sectors:

Companies in these industries should inform their employees that they need to carry their social security cards, to clear up any confusion from the outset.

Each person has an individual insurance number, consisting of a combination of 12 numbers and letters, which the pension insurance company can use to identify the person in question:

The insurance number is only assigned once and does not change even if you change your name or place of residence.

If you notice right before you need it that you have lost your identity card or it is badly damaged, you should try to get a new document as soon as possible. However, as we have already mentioned, delivery can take several weeks. So what if you need one right away?

In this case, your first point of contact is the pension insurance or your health insurance company. They can issue you with a certificate informing your new employer that you have already applied for a new identity card. As soon as you receive the new card, you can hand it in to your employer.

Ideally however, you will know your social security number even without the corresponding ID and can give it to your employer. The number can be found, for example, on letters from your health insurance or pension insurance company.

If you change your name (as you may choose to do in marriage, for example), you will also require a new social security card. This process works in the same way as if you have lost your card: send the form to your health or pension insurance company and they'll do the rest.

Just remember to return your old social security card, as you are only allowed one at one time.

Whether you're employed already or looking for work, always keep your social security card in a safe place, protected from damages and somewhere you'll always remember.

Here are some tips on how to avoid the hassle that can be caused by your social security card:

Living and working in Germany means obtaining and keeping up to date your social security number. This also means protecting your physical card to avoid inconvenience in your daily life, while also understanding there are ways to get by in emergency situations. Hopefully, this blog has you appropriately informed about your social security number and card, so you can live and work in the country without worry.