Updated October 19, 2026. Quick answer: Form SSA-3 is the Marriage Certification. Social Security uses it when a worker has applied for benefits and a spouse’s claim depends on the marriage. It records who performed the current marriage and every earlier marriage: to whom, when, where and how it ended. The form carries a penalty-of-perjury statement and is sent or brought to your local Social Security office. A divorced-spouse claim turns on a marriage that lasted at least 10 years.
Quick reference
| Item | As printed on the form or in Social Security’s retirement booklet |
|---|---|
| What the form is | A certification of the current marriage and any earlier marriages |
| Triggered by | A worker who has applied for Title II insurance benefits |
| Questions | 2: who performed the marriage, and whether there were earlier marriages |
| Space for earlier marriages | 2 on the form, more under Remarks |
| Witnesses | Two, only if the form is signed with a mark (X) |
| Time to complete | About 60 minutes, per the form |
| Divorced spouse benefit test | The marriage lasted at least 10 years |
| Spouse eligibility | Spouses age 62 or older, or younger if caring for a child younger than age 16 or with a qualifying disability |
| Help | 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) |
What the form is for
Spouse’s and widow’s benefits depend on proving a marriage and on knowing whether any earlier marriage ended properly. The form opens with the statement “I am the spouse of the person named below, who has applied for insurance benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act, as presently amended.” The Privacy Act statement says the information is used “to determine the identity of your spouse”. The signature block is labelled for the wage earner or self-employed person, so if you are unsure who signs your copy, ask the office before you send it.
It is a support form. The application itself is the claim, for example the spouse application covered on our Form SSA-2 page.
What the questions ask
Question 1 asks whether the present marriage was performed by a clergyman or authorized public official, or by someone else, which you then explain. Question 2 asks “Were you married before your present marriage?” If yes, each previous marriage gets its own block.
For each earlier marriage you give the person you married, when and where the marriage took place, how it ended and when and where it ended, who performed it, that spouse’s date of birth or age (and date of death if deceased), and that spouse’s Social Security number, with the instruction that if none or unknown you should so indicate. A Remarks box is for further marriages: “Use this space of this form for information about any other previous marriages, if necessary”.
Why the ten-year line shows up
Social Security’s retirement booklet states the divorced spouse rule: “Your divorced spouse can receive benefits on your Social Security record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years.” The booklet lists who else qualifies: “Spouses age 62 or older” and “Spouses younger than 62, if they care for a child entitled on your record who is younger than age 16 or has a qualifying disability”. That is why the form wants dates and endings for every earlier marriage. A divorce date and a marriage date decide whether the 10 years was met. Read our pages on the divorced spouse ten year rule and remarriage rules before you rely on an old marriage.
Signing and sending
The declaration is made “under penalty of perjury” and covers the form and any accompanying statements. If the signature is a mark, the form says “Witnesses are required ONLY if this statement has been signed by mark (X) above.” Two witnesses who know the signer must give their full addresses.
Delivery is stated on the form: “SEND OR BRING THE COMPLETED FORM TO YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.” Keep a copy of what you send.
The edition read for this page is Form SSA-3 (08-2025) as the agency served it on 2026-10-19. Check the edition printed on the copy you use, because a later edition can change the questions, the mailing instructions and the evidence asked for.
Common mistakes
- Skipping an earlier marriage because it ended long ago. The form asks for every earlier marriage.
- Guessing a date. The ten-year rule for a divorced spouse turns on exact marriage and divorce dates, so use the records.
- Signing with an X and no witnesses. The form requires two witnesses for a signature by mark.
- Sending the form alone and assuming the claim is made. SSA-3 supports an application; it does not replace one.
Related: Form SSA-2, the divorced spouse ten year rule, and Social Security and Medicare forms.
Sources
- Form SSA-3 (08-2025), Marriage Certification: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-3.pdf
- SSA Publication 05-10035 (2026), Retirement Benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10035.pdf
Read from the Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services documents linked above on October 19, 2026. General information, not legal or benefits advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 is the right place to confirm anything consequential.