Is there a Social Security Number reserved for testing/examples?

Question

Is there a canonical "test SSN" that is used by convention, so is understood by all who see it that it is not a real SSN?

Nakasuji

Here is the most recent data from the ssa.gov site which will help identify numbers that are invalid. – Gelatinous

Answer 1

To expand on the Wikipedia-based answers:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) explicitly states in this document that the having "000" in the first group of numbers "will NEVER be a valid SSN":

• http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/stateweb.htm

I'd consider that pretty definitive.

However, that the 2nd or 3rd groups of numbers won't be "00" or "0000" can be inferred from a FAQ that the SSA publishes which indicates that allocation of those groups starts at "01" or "0001":

• http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=87

But this is only a FAQ and it's never outright stated that "00" or "0000" will never be used.

In another FAQ they provide (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/randomizationfaqs.html#a0=6) that "00" or "0000" will never be used.

I can't find a reference to the 'advertisement' reserved SSNs on the SSA site, but it appears that no numbers starting with a 3 digit number higher than 772 (according to the document referenced above) have been assigned yet, but there's nothing I could find that states those numbers are reserved. Wikipedia's reference is a book that I don't have access to. The Wikipedia information on the advertisement reserved numbers is mentioned across the web, but many are clearly copied from Wikipedia. I think it would be nice to have a citation from the SSA, though I suspect that now that Wikipedia has made the idea popular that these number would now have to be reserved for advertisements even if they weren't initially.

The SSA has a page with a couple of stories about SSN's they've had to retire because they were used in advertisements/samples (maybe the SSA should post a link to whatever their current policy on this might be):

• http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/misused.html

Guayaquil

Excellent answer. Based on this, I'm going to adopt 000-11-1111 as the default example SSN. – Nakasuji

"no numbers starting with a 3 digit number higher than 772" - this is outdated information. My SSN starts with 8. – Derisible

Answer 2

There are multiple number groups and some particular numbers that will never be allocated:

• Numbers with all zeros in any digit group (000-xx-####, ###-00-####, ###-xx-0000).
• Numbers with an area group (first three digits) of 666 or any of 900-999.
• Numbers that have been misused in any way, such as the well known 078-05-1120.

Consider using one of these (the obviously invalid 000-00-0000 would be a good one IMO).

(Answer has been updated to provide source information beyond Wikipedia and remove information that is no longer accurate after the SSA made its randomization change in mid 2011.)

Chalybite

All other things being equal, choosing the first digit group to contain your "all zeros" is a good test of your code to make sure zeros aren't being dropped from the beginning of your SSNs (storing the SSN as a number is a common mistake). – Forta

I have not be able to find any information supporting this. The SSN office only states that area numbers 900-999 isn't used (ssa.gov/employer/randomization.html), but I believe they are used for ITIN (irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITIN-Information). – Meprobamate

@jimktrains Answer is updated with accurate and recent information and sources now. – Wunderlich

Answer 3

Numbers from 987-65-4320 to 987-65-4329 are reserved for use in advertisements.

Pneumoconiosis

I have not be able to find any information supporting this. The SSN office only states that area numbers 900-999 isn't used (ssa.gov/employer/randomization.html), but I believe they are used for ITIN (irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITIN-Information). – Meprobamate

Wikipedia stated this back in 2010, citing a book called "How to be invisible" by J. J. Luna. This information is no longer accurate, see my answer for a current update. – Wunderlich

Answer 4

Please look at this document

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/randomization.html

The SSA is instituting a new policy the where all previously unused sequences are will be available for use.

Goes into affect June 25, 2011.

Taken from the new FAQ:

What changes will result from randomization?

The SSA will eliminate the geographical significance of the first three digits of the SSN, currently referred to as the area number, by no longer allocating the area numbers for assignment to individuals in specific states. The significance of the highest group number (the fourth and fifth digits of the SSN) for validation purposes will be eliminated. Randomization will also introduce previously unassigned area numbers for assignment excluding area numbers 000, 666 and 900-999. Top

Will SSN randomization assign group number (the fourth and fifth digits of the SSN) 00 or serial number (the last four digits of the SSN) 0000?

SSN randomization will not assign group number 00 or serial number 0000. SSNs containing group number 00 or serial number 0000 will continue to be invalid.

Ropeway

Answer 5

I used this 457-55-5462 as testing SSN and it worked for me. I used it at paypal sandbox account. Hope it helps somebody

Giaour

Do you have any information about this, otherwise you just posted some random person's number. – Meprobamate

@jimktrains I can see why you might be aghast by this but think about it, without any OTHER info (name, date of birth, etc) anyone could have randomly chosen that number. There is nothing "magical" about an SSN by itself. – Lallans

Not some random person, but Todd Davis, founder and former CEO of LifeLock. He famously included that number, his own SSN, in an ad campaign. – Herzig

Further reading: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/457-55-5462. Also see: 078-05-1120 and 219-09-9999 – Suwannee

Answer 6

all zeros would probably be the most obvious that it wasn't a real SSN.

Tosspot

@Robusto: That works unless he has some validation for numeric values. – Lotta

I will now use all those invalid--but numeric!--ranges on random websites. You'd be surprised how many accept [phone] (after you remove the punctuation, of course, because they're "validating"). – Impel

Answer 7

If your testing requires pulling quasi-real credit reports from the bureaus, the inactive SSNs of other answers won't work and you'll need designated test numbers.

I found this site Which appears to contain test social security numbers with associated test names and credit card numbers.

Transunion has a test environment you can link and send data to, including associated dummy credit reports. Sending a SSN to them with certain numbers in certain positions will automatically route the inquiry to their test environment Other credit bureaus will have similar systems in place.

Erny