ID & Vital Documents
Social Security Administration (Replacement Card)
Citywide
Replacement Social Security cards; online for eligible US citizens with a NYS ID, otherwise by phone or in person.
ID & Vital Documents in NYC
ID help covers replacing a birth certificate, Social Security card, state ID or driver's license, and getting an IDNYC card. You need ID for almost everything else in this directory, from jobs and benefits to housing and opening a bank account.
IDNYC is free for New York City residents age 10 and older, and a Social Security card replacement is also free. Tip: start with whichever document you can get fastest, because each ID you have makes the next one easier to get.
17 services across the five boroughs
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Board of Elections in New York City
Citywide
Handles voter registration for NYC residents, including people whose voting rights have been restored after parole, and provides voter registration forms, absentee ballots, and registration information by phone.
ID & Vital Documents
IDNYC
Citywide
City-issued photo ID for NYC residents age 10+. Immigration status and conviction history do not matter.
ID & Vital Documents
NYC Inmate Jail Release Services (Release Papers)
Citywide
Get copies of jail release papers, which can help prove eligibility for benefits and programs. People released from state facilities can write to that facility.
ID & Vital Documents
NYC Office of Vital Records (Birth Certificates)
Citywide
How to obtain a birth certificate for people born in the five boroughs.
ID & Vital Documents
NYS DMV (Non-Driver ID / License)
Citywide
Driver's licenses and non-driver ID cards, REAL ID information, forms and office locator.
ID & Vital Documents
Puerto Rico Vital Records (Demographic Registry)
Citywide
How to get birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates for people born in Puerto Rico.
ID & Vital Documents
NYC City Clerk - Marriage Bureau
Citywide
Marriage licenses and records in NYC; appointments through Project Cupid (nyc.gov/Cupid).
ID & Vital Documents
NYS Unified Court System - Name and Sex Designation Change
Citywide
Court process to change your legal name and/or sex designation in NYC Civil Court; forms online or from the clerk. Bring a birth certificate.
Benefits & Financial Help
Brooklyn DA - Community Resources & Re-Entry Program (ComALERT)
Brooklyn
Runs the Kings County Re-entry Task Force, ComALERT and GRASP: Medicaid/SNAP enrollment, clothing, HSE classes, resumes, treatment, counseling; pays for lost birth certificates and NYS ID.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Catholic Charities - Immigration Legal Services
Citywide
Offers information and referrals as well as direct service for immigration-related problems. Provides legal consultations, representation, and assistance to documented and undocumented immigrants.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS DCJS - Record Review (Get Your Rap Sheet)
Citywide
Request your own NYS criminal history record to check accuracy, see what sealing applies (including Clean Slate), and fix errors.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS DCJS - Record Review (Rap Sheet Request)
Citywide
Lets people get a copy of their own NY criminal history record to check for errors before job or housing applications.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Department of Labor - Division of Labor Standards
Citywide
Protects all workers, including those that are undocumented or paid off the books, and ensures employers are following State Labor Laws including minimum wage, hours of work, employment of minors, payment of wages, farm labor, nursing mothers in the workplace, and more.
ID & Vital Documents
Queens Public Library - Prison, Jails & Reentry Outreach
Queens
Connects justice-impacted people to resources, helps get a NYS ID through ID Assist, and publishes a Queens Reentry Resource Guide.
ID & Vital Documents
SWOP Behind Bars (SWBB)
Citywide
Support line, pen pals, and reentry kits for sex workers and trafficking survivors: smartphone with 90 days service, hygiene items, ID help, and referrals to vacate records.