SIN confirmation letter: find or request your Canadian record
View and print your existing SIN through My Service Canada Account, or use Service Canada’s application route when you need a Confirmation of SIN. A lost plastic card does not mean you need a new number, and a SIN is not general-purpose identity evidence.
Finding the number and obtaining a confirmation record are related tasks, but neither requires you to invent a replacement document. Service Canada no longer issues plastic SIN cards.
Choose the appropriate route
| What you need | Starting point |
|---|---|
| View or print an existing SIN | My Service Canada Account (MSCA) |
| Find a forgotten number | MSCA or an existing tax slip, return, Record of Employment or RRSP receipt |
| Confirmation for yourself or your child | Service Canada’s application selector |
| Corrected details or updated temporary status | The relevant SIN update route |
- Open MSCA from the official SIN page, then follow its registration or sign-in instructions.
- If requesting confirmation, use the application selector. Choose your status and submission method to obtain the correct evidence list.
- Prepare the documents for that selected route. Do not borrow another status category’s checklist.
- Review the record you receive and use the official correction route if something is wrong.
Limit the confirmation’s use
Service Canada’s protection guidance says to keep SIN records securely and avoid carrying the letter or card in a wallet. An employer needs the number after hiring and upon earning income; a request during an unrelated enquiry deserves questions.
Confirm why the recipient needs the number, whether it is legally required and how it will be protected. Do not send a whole tax return merely because you used it to find the digits. The Canadian ID-sharing guide discusses separate identity requests.
Keep the unchanged confirmation as the source. Do not redact the very number an authorised recipient needs to verify, or assume that a marked copy will be accepted. A stored copy is for retrieval, not a new Service Canada credential.
Questions about SIN confirmation
Will Service Canada send a replacement plastic card?
Service Canada no longer issues plastic SIN cards. Its current services provide access to the number and confirmation records.
Do I need to apply if I already know my SIN?
You can view and print your SIN through MSCA. Use the appropriate application route when you require confirmation or an update.
Should I carry the confirmation letter every day?
Service Canada advises keeping SIN records secure and not carrying the confirmation letter or card in a wallet or bag.