Do you have to pay to activate your social security card?

The activation of the social security card is generally free of charge. The cardholder can bring his identity card, social security card and other materials, directly to the local social security agency or its designated bank to activate the social security card, and does not need to pay the relevant activation fee.

Legal basis

Article 15 of the Notice on the Issuance of Measures for the Administration of Social Security Cards of the People's Republic of China

Human resources and social security departments at all levels shall guarantee the right of cardholders to inquire about and handle human resources and social security business. The human resources and social security departments at all levels shall guarantee the rights of cardholders to inquire about and conduct human resources and social security business, adopt technical means and management measures to protect the privacy of cardholders, use the information related to social security cards in accordance with the law, and ensure the safe use of social security cards.

Article 16

Provincial and prefectural and municipal human resources and social security departments approved to issue social security cards shall formulate clear application and management regulations for social security cards, and release them to the public by means of expressly stating them in service venues and publicizing them on government websites. The application and management regulations of social security cards shall include the following contents:

(1) functions and uses of social security cards;

(2) targets of issuance of social security cards, conditions for applying for social security cards, and procedures for applying for social security cards;

(3) scope of use of social security cards (including limitations on their use), period of use, and methods of use;

(4) social security cards (d) the procedures for loss and reissuance of damaged or lost social security cards;

(e) the rights and obligations of the card-issuing organization, the cardholder and other relevant parties.