Social Security Office

WORSE THAN DMV!!! Get ready! Got there at 9a over the holiday period to see if getting a replacement SS card would go quickly. NO LUCK! Expect a full search on your way in and then it took me 90 minutes (had to refresh my meter) to do something that took 5 minutes.
You would think in this day and age we could figure this out…

Really easy name change. In and out in 40 minutes over my lunch break on a Friday. Friendly guy at the counter. Clean and pleasant waiting area.

Wow, Unilocal really is taking over the world… the Social Security Office has a page?! LOL
Anyways, I came to this location on a Friday afternoon. Staff was friendly and I was there for an hour total. Most of that time was the wait. Friday afternoons must be the busiest time to go but an hour is not bad.
Parking was very easy at the meters on the street.

I arrived 20min before it opened, very smart idea since there was already 20 people there waiting.
I was there for about 10min TOPS! Very satisfied. They are well organized and very professional.
Advice :Try to go there as early as you can!

I can’t Believe I was actually in and out of there within one hour. Very nice personnel didn’t feel like I was at the government building at all.

In and out in less than 10 minutes. I live 3 blocks away so I walked there yesterday and didn’t have to deal with parking. It was a Friday after 2pm when I left my place. After being searched and all that I checked in the kiosk. I didn’t have an appt because I did a name change and they don’t make appts for that apparently. So as soon as I sat down my number was called. I missed the first call as I wasn’t expecting to be called up so soon. The waiting room was pretty empty though. Only about 6 people waiting. The gentleman in window 1 took my application and documents and told me to have a seat while he took care of it. In a couple minutes he called me back and told me I’d receive my new card within a couple weeks! What a dream day. I felt so lucky! So I treated myself to an almond latte down the street on the way home.

Nice people, very helpful.
Prepare to be searched at the entrance, no big deal to me because I’m used to that from where I come from.
The wait time was long. I ran out of coins and got a ticket while waiting. Better get an appointment before you go.
It’s still faster and smoother than the DMV for sure.

Came here with the wife on a Thurday at 10AM before the Labor Day weekend. Put 1 hour into the meter in the front, because that was the max, walked in and walked out by 10:40. They were calling the S numbers quickly this day. My wife was getting a new SS card, never had one before, and they called us up, took about 1 minute and took her green card and employment card and told us they would call her back. We went back to our seats and noticed they would not call anyone else to that window again. About 10 minutes pass and they called us back up and told us that she would have her social security card in 3 weeks.
Quite efficient, I think the timing of the holiday weekend helped. Some people were issued these Y and C waiting numbers and they were slow to call those. If it had taken 30 minutes I would have given it 5 stars, but 4 stars was a good experience.

It’s not the wait that bothered me, or how freezing it was inside this location. It was the fact that they lost my passport during a routine update/​receive a new SS card. I mailed these items in along with my birth cert, marriage license, app and passport. I sent via certified mail. I received all my documents back, minus my passport, with a letter that states they can’t issue me a new card since I did not send in my passport. I most certainly did, 100%, without a doubt, mailed that in. I called the location, they did not see it, I had to leave a message for the service area, no one called me back. I went into the office, waited almost 2 hours (I didn’t have an appointment), and while waiting I called them again and a lady did try to assist me. She kept telling me they don’t hold onto the passports. I told her I understand that, I did receive all my other original documents, but they misplaced my passport. She said I had to speak with a supervisor. When my number was finally called, I received the same information. No supervisor was available, they were all in a meeting. Instead I’m forced to fill out a statement and have to mail that in. It’s been two months and I haven’t heard a peep from them. Instead of having the option to mail in my passport to update my name, I had to go into an acceptance facility and wait a month for an appointment. So brides, I advise you not to mail in your documents and make an appointment instead if you want to avoid bigger headaches down the road.

This office will have limited reception space until September due to renovations. You may want to look into what can be done on-​line.

Wait time is 2 HOURS MINIMUM.
I came here in the morning to update/​change info on my ss card, waited for about an hr and left because I had to go back to work.
Came back the next day during lunch, waited for about an hr, noticed the wait time will last easily 2 hours, went out to grab lunch, came back after an hr, still waited for about 30 more mins before I got my things taken care of.
Wasted about 4 hours in total during my 2 days of visit.
I really recommend that you use their online services instead. (I had to take care of my things in person because of important documents)
And you will meet the weirdest people in there.

Pleasant experience. Wait wasn’t too bad. As expected… Maybe slightly over an hour to get my name changes on my SS card. Lots of immigrants and old people though. No drinks allowed. Parking is metered. Body searched/​scanned when you walk in. Have your paperwork ready and bring a good book.

I was in the area and checked out reviews for this one and the one near my home. This one had better reviews then my local office so I gave it a shot.
Coin parking.
After security go to the machine to get a number and if you are getting a replacement card grab an application form before grabbing a seat.
I arrived a little after 10 am and I had a 45 minute wait.
I had no problems with this office I would come back again instead of my local office. Thank you Unilocal!
P.s to be clear it’s for the office on Olympic not in Glendale. Unilocal won’t update the address.

From their site:
«LOCATED IN THE CITY NATIONAL BANK BLDG ON OLYMPIC AND COLBY AVE WEST OF THE 405 FREEWAY BETWEEN SAWTELLE AND BARRINGTON ON THIRD FLOOR»
This is the smoothest run Social Security office I’ve ever been to. I’ve had to visit SS a few times a year for many years now, and this office’s only let down is that you either have to pay for parking or search the neighborhood across Olympic. It’s several floors up from a secure and clean business lobby, and I think this may intimidate some of the more interesting folks you find at the other offices.
There is no sign out front, so it seems most of the people visiting this location have been referred here by other offices or found it online.
I do not know if you can schedule visits here through their site, but that’s always worth a try.
Do not bring anything that might spill or any food at all, as they will make you go outside with it, and, of course, that always happens right when your number is called, and no amount of being pretentious or complaining is going to keep you from having to start over again at the end of the cue. Sorry, even if you’re a magic person who «took the day off and drove all the way from Santa Monica» you will still have to wait.
Bring a book, and a backup battery for your phone, and a buddy if you can.
Here’s the full address, phone numbers, and hours:
Address:
SUITE 300
11 500 W OLYMPIC BLVD
LOS ANGELES, CA 90 064
Phone:
1−800−772−1213
TTY: 1−800−325−0778
Hours:
Monday 9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM — 12:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

2 hour wait! I arrived on a Monday at 8:50; got through security at 9:25 and went to refill my meter; finally saw someone at 10:40; finished and got back to my car barely in time (the max parking on Olympic is 2 hours for $ 2).
I will hand it to them though, they are very nice. The very sweet woman at the counter smiled the whole time and even told me my new name is very pretty and that it fits me! Almost everyone from the security guards, to the people calling numbers and making sure sure that the person wasn’t in the room before moving on, to the person who helped issue me a new SS card is very nice. If you have to leave (like I did to refill the meter) they let you back in at the front of the line (have to re-​search and re-​metal detect) to enter the room again. I would say the not-​nice people there aren’t even mean; they’re just stern and straightforward.

I had to replace a lost social security card and I was prepared for the worst: long lines, inefficiency and bad attitude. I walked in without an appointment at about noon and was fully prepared to be treated like less than human being, as one is habitually treated at such institutions. I put two hours in my meter and had extra quarters on hand to fill the meter should it run out, which I presumed it would. However, I was amazed that I was in and out in about half an hour! Perhaps this was an anomaly but I was very pleased with the efficiency and service I received at this location. When you check in at the kiosk, you are assigned a number and categorized into a group. Certain categories, like lost/​stolen card replacement, seem to be called at a much faster pace than others. Be sure to fill out your forms PRIOR to being called. Your fellow detainees will appreciate the effort.
Park at the meters on the street and be prepared to be searched upon entering the suite. Of course I would recommend making an appointment ahead of time or arriving first thing in the morning, but if you are unable to do either, don’t fret, this place isn’t as bad as say, the DMV.

If you want to read the clipnote of my review, GO EARLY and STREET PARK (2hr)! If you want to read about my experience, see below:
First Attempt Sep 2, 2014 @2pm
Security searched my bag and found a portable stun gun in my bag. (Yes, I’m such an idiot. Why would you bring that with you?) He asked me to take it out and do whatever I want with it. I did and hid it inside the trash can when no one was around. I then got a ticket and waited in the waiting area. The line was NOT moving and no one was being called for a while. Security guy told me the wait was at least 2−3hours that day. I got up, left and searched my stun gun. Guess what? it was GONE! I’m 90% sure the security guy was messing with me and took it! ARGHHHH!
Second Attempt Sep 4, 2014 @ 8:30am
Got there before the office was open and there was already a line! (Full of elderly people.) They told me they got there at 7am. As soon as the office opened, we each got our ticket and waited to get called. 10min later, I was already speaking to the officer. It took longer because the officer was training someone else next to him and had to go thru EVERY step. But they took care of my business. I left the building by 9:40 am and made it to my 10am meeting. :D
I’m not a fan of this place but it’s definitely better than the DMV.

Park with meters! Do not park in the parking lot (it’ll cost you $ 10 – 14)!
Extremely quick and effective service. I am very pleased.

The reveiw here made me expect the best out of the social security office.
However when i went there. it was pretty bad because the machine was down and the place was packed with people.
However, it took me 5 mins. to get my name changed… it took others 3 hours to be helped…
Besides the quality of people that get in there, the people behind the counter is just a-​ok.
Street parking is abundant and it is for 2 hours only. but beware of the signs… also, parking here is too expensive that is why i rather walk a block or so. Also, street parking around that area can be diff. to find.

Hallelujah, we’ve got a winner folks!!! All the reviews posted about this being a very efficient and in-​and-​out ss office were spot on!
I have been dreading having to change my name after getting married for the very reason of dealing with all the lines I knew I’d encounter at the SS office and DMV. So imagine my surprise when Unilocalers raved about this office! Instead of choosing the office that was within 10 minutes of me (and had horrible reviews about the wait/​staff) I decided to go the extra 15 minute drive banking on the help from my fellow Unilocalers.
I am SO SO glad I did. From the moment I left my car and returned, I was in and out within 30 minutes!
You can find metered street parking or park in the building which you can get validation for 30% off the rate. So if you go that route, don’t forget your parking stub!
The SS office is located on the 3^rd floor of the City National bank building. You’ll go through security and then head to the kiosk to check in and receive your ticket number. Depending on what you need to do at the office, numbers are alpha numeric. **note: they DO NOT call numbers in order!!!
For example, you have number S80. You can see S79 appear on the screen to be helped, and they also call out S79 and then all of the sudden the next number helped is S81. This is what happened to me. I was looking down at my phone, didn’t hear my number called yet so kept doodlee doo’ing on the phone. I glance up and I see my number skipped. After some panic thinking that I’m supposed to stare at the screen the whole time to find out when it’s my turn, I ask the security guard nearby and he said numbers aren’t called in order. It’s just based on what paperwork you have to get done and that they WILL call your number out loud as well.
Which is exactly what happened. Though my number was skipped twice, I did get called (after waiting only 20mins!!) and showed all my paperwork. Have ALL your paperwork filled out before arriving at the window! The nice staff worker processed all my info, and voila… name changed and I was outta there! Hope this helps all of you who feared the office wait as much as I did! Just a note, I did go during a weekday and in the morning hours.