# When is it required to give a Social Security Number to an institution? (USA) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087 "2014-09-10T16:58:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anita\_Dayoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Anita\_Dayoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anita_Dayoff)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/21 "2014-09-11T14:04:09Z")
If you do the math you’ll find that there are 999,999,999 possible SSNs. Given that part of the number info includes the geographical area that the card was issued from and given the overlap in years issued, there is no way for all of the 313 million US population to have unique numbers. Where the Social Security Administration runs into problems (and it happens) is when they coincidentally issue the same number to another person with the same name. You are required to provide your SSN to employers and other legitimate income sources and to the IRS. Beyond that, few entities have a legitimate right to request or use it so just say no. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/22 "2014-09-11T15:16:37Z")
My understanding is that most institutions cannot require SSN as an identifier. I think this has to do with the fact that illegal immigrants do not have SSNs but are entitled to receive services, go to school, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/23 "2014-09-11T15:30:49Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > As in the subject, I would like to know when it is required to give your SSN to an institution, and when you can legitimately refuse. There are restrictions on when a federal government agency is allowed to ask for your SSN (see Privacy Act of 1974). There are almost no restrictions on when a private company is allowed to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/24 "2014-09-11T15:59:06Z")
> [@Khendrask](#): > > Thank you for all of the responses. > > I really appreciate it, especially after finding out that some people for the people who DID take that test, their SSN # was assigned to be their login for the company sponsoring the exam. > > I’m glad that I refused, and today I found out that all testing throughout my company has now been suspended with that agency because of the SSN issue. > > You guys rock! That is excellent, good for your company suspending their work with the testing agency! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/25 "2014-09-11T18:09:11Z")
> [@Anita\_Dayoff](#): > > If you do the math you’ll find that there are 999,999,999 possible SSNs. Given that part of the number info includes the geographical area that the card was issued from and given the overlap in years issued, there is no way for all of the 313 million US population to have unique numbers. While it is true that some people share a SSN, it’s not very common, and it’s pretty much entirely due to error and fraud rather than some fundamental problem with the system. 999 million is more than 313 million, so there are plenty of numbers for everyone alive to have a unique one. It’s as simple as checking a number to see if someone else is currently living and has the number, then skipping that one. If your records of who is alive or who was assigned what number are screwed up, then you can end up issuing an in-use number. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/26 "2014-09-11T19:09:35Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > There are restrictions on when a federal government agency is allowed to ask for your SSN (see Privacy Act of 1974). There are almost no restrictions on when a private company is allowed to ask. But can they require it? Payroll? Probably. ID on a surveymonkey poll about the management? Probably no. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vegetable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Space\_Vegetable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vegetable)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087/27 "2014-09-12T08:55:25Z")
> [@Anita\_Dayoff](#): > > Given that part of the number info includes the geographical area that the card was issued from Not for SSNs issued since 2011, due to the [SSN Randomization](http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/randomizationfaqs.html#a0=0) program. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_number#Exhaustion_and_re-use) notes: [QUOTE=Wikipedia] The Social Security Administration does not reuse social security numbers. It has issued over 450 million since the start of the program, and at a use rate of about 5.5 million per year it says it has enough to last several generations without reuse or changing the number of digits. [/QUOTE] This is partly as a result of no longer encoding a geographic area into the number. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-required-to-give-a-social-security-number-to-an-institution-usa/698087.md?page=1)