You’ll need to walk into a Social Security Office and visit in person if you need to physically show your Social Security card or if you need to sign papers in-person that need to be witnessed by a Social Security representative. To find out if the service you need must be an in-person appointment, call the primary Social Security Office at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) between 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

While you can walk-in to a Social Security Office, you’ll want to make an appointment online. The wait can very long if you don’t have an appointment. You may wind up spending much of your day at your local Social Security office if you don’t have an appointment ahead of time!

Before coming to an office in-person, you’ll want to visit the government’s Emergency page to check the status of your local Social Security Office. This website will give you information on emergency closures and other information on closures in offices near you. 

Be aware that Social Security Offices are busiest first thing in the morning and early in the week. In addition, avoid taking a trip to the office during the first week of the month. Instead, visit your local Social Security office later in the day and later in the week, such as on a Thursday or Friday. Keep that in mind when making your appointments, so you don’t have to wait in long lines if you walk in or sit for a while waiting for your appointment.