How to Get an SSS Number Online and Make It Permanent

Check this first

You only ever get one SS number. If you already had one, from a summer job, a past employer or a parent who registered you, use it instead of applying again.

Online application has been the required route for new SS numbers since July 15, 2020, and it is free. Source: SSS: Become an SSS member.

Fee: Freeonline application
Where: SSS websiteno branch visit to apply
You receive: SS numberplus E-1 form by email
For benefits: Permanent statusneeds birth cert or ID

Your Social Security System (SSS) number is your lifetime account for pensions, sickness and maternity benefits, and salary loans. Employers ask for it on your first day, and it is the first step toward the MySSS Card.

Which situation applies to you?

I am starting my first job

Get your number online before day one and give it to HR. Your employer reports you.

I am a freelancer, OFW or non-working spouse

Get your number online, then pay your first contribution to be covered.

My number says “temporary”

Submit a PSA birth certificate or a primary ID so you can claim benefits and loans.

I forgot my SS number

Do not apply again. Find it on old payslips or forms, or ask SSS.

Before you start

An email address you can open right away (the confirmation link is time-limited)
Your name, birth date and birthplace exactly as on your PSA birth certificate
Your parents’ full names, and your spouse’s and children’s details if you have them, for your beneficiaries
A scan or photo of your PSA birth certificate or a primary ID, under 3 MB, if you want to upload it now

Apply for your SS number online

Start the application
On the SSS website, open the online SS number application, read the instructions and click Start. Complete the record check and security check, then submit.
Click the link in your email
SSS emails a confirmation link that expires after five days. Check your spam folder.
Fill in your details
Basic information, contact details, address, civil status, birthplace and beneficiaries. Choose your My.SSS user ID.
Review carefully, then generate your number
Errors found after this step can only be corrected at an SSS branch, so check every spelling and date.
Upload a supporting document (optional)
A JPEG or PDF of your PSA birth certificate or primary ID, up to 3 MB.
Save the emailed files and activate My.SSS
You receive your SS number slip, a transaction number slip and your E-1 form. Activate My.SSS through the email link within 30 days; if it expires, register at My.SSS using the transaction number on your E-1.

Make your SS number permanent

A temporary number can receive contributions, but you need a permanent number for benefits and loans. Submit one of these to SSS:

Your PSA birth certificate, or
One primary ID: UMID, National ID (PhilID), passport, driver’s license, Postal ID, voter’s ID, NBI clearance, seafarer’s record book, ACR (for foreign nationals) or a firearms license
No primary ID? Two IDs with your signature, at least one with your photo

IDs must show your full name, a clear photo and a clear signature. If you did not upload a document during the application, bring the originals to an SSS branch and ask whether that branch needs an appointment. A representative needs your letter of authority or special power of attorney.

No PSA birth certificate yet? See how to get one. Registered for the National ID? Its paper or digital version counts as a primary ID.

When your coverage actually starts

You are	Covered once	Who pays
Employee	Your employer reports you and at least one contribution is paid	You 5%, employer 10%, deducted from salary
Self-employed or freelancer	You pay at least one contribution	You pay the full 15%
OFW	You pay at least one contribution	You, using the OFW payor type
Non-working spouse	You pay at least one contribution	You; your working spouse signs to acknowledge your membership

Do not pay as a voluntary member with a brand-new number. Voluntary membership is only for people who already have at least one month of contributions in another category; payments made otherwise are void and refunded.

How much you pay

Since January 1, 2025, contributions are 15% of your monthly salary credit, which runs from ₱5,000 to ₱35,000. Generate a Payment Reference Number in My.SSS and pay through the channels listed there. In February 2026, SSS said there would be no contribution increase until 2027.

Example: A fresh graduate with a job offer

Let’s say you start work on the 1st of next month. Apply online this week, upload a photo of your PSA birth certificate in step 5, and give HR the SS number from your slip. Your employer reports you and deducts 5% of your salary credit each month. If you earn ₱20,000 a month, your share is about ₱1,000 and your employer adds about ₱2,000; check the exact bracket in the SSS contribution table.

If you forgot your SS number

Check old payslips, your E-1 form or SS number slip, or ask a past employer’s HR.
Log in to My.SSS if you registered before; your number is on your member info.
Call the SSS hotline 1455 or email usssaptayo@sss.gov.ph, or visit a branch with a valid ID.

Never post your SS number, My.SSS password or one-time codes in a public comment or group. For the other first-job registrations, see the first-job ID roadmap and the Pag-IBIG MID number guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to get an SSS number?

Nothing. SSS lists no fee for the online SS number application or for My.SSS. Anyone charging you to “process” an SS number is not from SSS.

I had an SSS number from a summer job or my first employer. Should I get a new one?

No. SSS membership is for life and you should have only one SS number. Give your existing number to your new employer. If you cannot find it, call the SSS hotline 1455 or check an old payslip or E-1 form.

What is the difference between a temporary and a permanent SS number?

A temporary number can receive contributions but cannot be used for benefits or loans. It becomes permanent once SSS validates your PSA birth certificate or a primary ID such as a passport, National ID, driver’s license or UMID.

Am I already covered once I have an SS number?

Not yet. Employees are covered once the employer reports them and at least one contribution is paid. Self-employed members, OFWs and non-working spouses are covered once they pay at least one contribution.

Can I pay as a voluntary member right after getting my number?

No. Voluntary membership is for people who already have at least one month of contributions as an employee, self-employed member or OFW. Payments made as a voluntary member with a brand-new number are void and refundable. Register as self-employed instead if you have income of your own.

How much is the monthly contribution?

Since January 2025, the rate is 15% of your monthly salary credit, from ₱5,000 to ₱35,000. Employees pay 5% and employers 10%; self-employed members pay the whole 15%. In February 2026, SSS said there would be no contribution increase until 2027.

Official sources and further reading

These are the SSS pages and news reports checked for this guide. SSS forms and portal screens change, so follow the current screens on the SSS website.

Independent guide: PhilippineIDs.com is not affiliated with the Social Security System or any Philippine government agency. Information reviewed on October 30, 2026.