Delaware has three Social Security Administration field offices — in New Castle, Dover, and Lewes — and since January 6, 2025, all in-person services require an appointment booked in advance.1Social Security Administration. Changes to Accessing Our In-Person Services Most routine tasks, including address changes, benefit letters, and replacement Medicare cards, can be handled online or through the national phone line without going to an office at all.
The Three Delaware Field Office Locations
- New Castle (Wilmington area): 920 W. Basin Rd, Suite 200, New Castle, DE 19720
- Dover: 655 S. Bay Rd, Suite 3J, Dover, DE 19901
- Lewes: 12001 Old Vine Blvd, Suite 101, Lewes, DE 19958
Offices have historically been open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with shorter Wednesday hours ending around noon. The SSA has been going through operational changes nationwide, and while none of Delaware’s three offices appear on the current closure list, hours can shift. Call 1-800-772-1213 or use the office locator on ssa.gov to confirm before you drive out.
How to Book an Appointment
Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to schedule a visit at any of the three offices.2Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security By Phone The appointment rule now applies to everything done in person, including Social Security card requests.1Social Security Administration. Changes to Accessing Our In-Person Services
The SSA says it will not turn away people who show up without an appointment, particularly vulnerable populations, military personnel, people with terminal illnesses, and anyone with an urgent situation.1Social Security Administration. Changes to Accessing Our In-Person Services Walking in still means a longer wait, and during busy periods you may be asked to come back on another day. If you need an interpreter, mention it when you call; the SSA provides them free of charge and will have one present at your appointment.3Social Security Administration. How to Request an Interpreter
What Actually Requires an Office Visit
Most of what a field office does involves transactions that are hard to complete remotely or that need document verification in person. Common reasons to book an appointment:
- Starting a retirement, SSDI, or SSI claim where you want staff to walk you through the paperwork
- Getting a new or replacement Social Security card, or changing the name on your record
- Submitting original documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, or immigration paperwork that the SSA has to see and return
- Interviews, eligibility reviews, and certain appeal matters
- Survivor benefit claims, which cannot be filed online and must be started by phone or in person4Social Security Administration. Information You Need to Apply for Widows, Widowers or Surviving Divorced Spouses Benefits
- Medicare enrollment, if you aren’t signing up online. Your Initial Enrollment Period runs seven months — three months before the month you turn 65 through three months after — and missing it can mean a Part B late enrollment penalty that stays with you for as long as you carry the coverage.5Medicare.gov. When Does Medicare Coverage Start
What to Bring
The document rule catches people off guard: the SSA does not accept photocopies or notarized copies for most records. Bring originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, and make sure nothing is expired.6Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
For a replacement Social Security card, bring at least one proof of identity — a U.S. driver’s license, state ID, or passport. If you haven’t already established U.S. citizenship with the SSA, bring proof of that too, such as a birth certificate or passport.6Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card Federal law limits you to three replacement cards per year and ten over a lifetime, so hold onto the one you get.
For survivor benefits, bring proof of the worker’s death, your birth certificate, your marriage certificate (or final divorce decree if you’re a surviving former spouse), and bank information for direct deposit. The SSA tells applicants not to delay filing just because a document is missing; staff can help track it down.4Social Security Administration. Information You Need to Apply for Widows, Widowers or Surviving Divorced Spouses Benefits
What You Can Do Without Visiting an Office
A my Social Security account at ssa.gov covers most of the routine business people used to come in for. You sign in with Login.gov or ID.me,7Social Security Administration. Sign In or Create an Account and from there you can change your address, set up or change direct deposit, view your earnings history, estimate future benefits, and download a benefit verification letter as a PDF the same minute you need it.8Social Security Administration. Get Benefit Verification Letter Applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare can be filed entirely online, and depending on your situation you may be able to request a replacement card online as well.9Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card
The 1-800-772-1213 line runs 24/7 automated services in English and Spanish. You can order a replacement Medicare card, request a Form SSA-1099 tax summary, or get a benefit verification letter without waiting on a representative. Say “ten ninety-nine” for the tax summary and “proof of income” for the benefit letter.8Social Security Administration. Get Benefit Verification Letter If you do need a live person, hold times tend to be shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month.2Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security By Phone
When Your Payment Should Arrive
Monthly Social Security payments go out on a Wednesday schedule tied to your birth date:10Social Security Administration. Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments
- Born 1st–10th: second Wednesday of the month
- Born 11th–20th: third Wednesday
- Born 21st–31st: fourth Wednesday
If you began receiving benefits before May 1997, or you get both Social Security and SSI, your Social Security payment arrives on the 3rd of the month and your SSI payment on the 1st.10Social Security Administration. Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments Wait three mailing days past the expected date before calling the SSA about a missing payment.
If You Got a Denial Letter, Watch the Clock
You have 60 days from the date you receive a decision notice to appeal, and the SSA assumes you received it five days after the date printed on it. That gives you roughly 65 days from the notice date to act, and missing the window can mean starting over.11Social Security Administration. Understanding Supplemental Security Income Appeals Process Both disability and non-disability reconsiderations — the first step in the appeals process — can be started online.12Social Security Administration. Request Reconsideration A Delaware field office can help you understand what additional evidence to submit, especially if your case is heading to a hearing before an administrative law judge.13Social Security Administration. The Appeals Process