Request Social Security Number exemption

Professional licensing statutes (AS 08.01.060(b) and AS 08.01.100(e)) require an applicant for an initial or renewed professional license to provide a United States Social Security Number. A foreign citizen who is unable to obtain a United States Social Security Number may apply for exemption from the statutory requirement by completing a form provided by the department for this purpose. The federal Privacy Act of 1974 informs states on the use of Social Security Numbers; federal case law provides exemptions for foreign citizens who are unable to obtain a U.S. Social Security Number.

Applicants who do not provide a U.S. Social Security Number must request an exemption to complete their application for licensure. Please submit the following completed documents with the initial or renewal application for any professional license:

• Request for SSN Exemption Form (#08-4372)
• Proof of citizenship in a foreign nation
• A letter from the Social Security Administration issued in the preceding 12 months demonstrating legal ineligibility for a U.S. Social Security Number. (Letters denying a Social Security Number on the basis of an error or incompleteness are not considered adequate to establish ineligibility.)

Social Security Numbers are considered confidential information and will not be publicly disclosed. They may be used internally to verify inter-state licensure. Social Security Numbers are not required for business licenses issued under AS 43.70.

Applicants who do not provide their Social Security Numbers and who are not deemed legally ineligible to hold one may be denied licensure and will be notified of their appeal rights under the Alaska Administrative Procedures Act.