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The Personal Identification Number (PIN) gives users (students and/or parents) the ability to sign federal documents electronically and to access personal data from various U.S. Department of Education (ED) online sites. A PIN is a 4-digit number that is used in combination with your Social Security Number, name, and date of birth to identify you as someone who has the right to access personal information on Federal Student Aid Web sites.
The student (and/or parent) does not need to apply for a new PIN from one year to the next. Parents and students may not share a PIN; each will need to apply for their own. Parents can, however, use the same PIN for processes involving different children.
The PIN can be issued in real-time before a successful match with the Social Security Administration (SSA) occurs so the applicant or parent can immediately sign the application. If the SSA match is unsuccessful, the PIN is disabled and the applicant is sent a paper SAR requesting all required signatures. A comment will appear on the student's SAR (and ISIR) indicating the specific result of the SSA match. Until a positive match is received from the SSA, the PIN cannot be used to sign any documents or access Web sites that require a PIN.
Obtaining a PIN
A PIN can be requested by students and parents through the PIN Web site and received via email or through the U.S. Postal Service. Several options for obtaining a PIN are available:
- request that Federal Student Aid (FSA) generate a PIN that will display on the screen in real-time;
- request the PIN in real-time and that it be e-mailed; or
- request the PIN be sent through the postal mail.
For all options except a PIN sent through the U.S. Postal Service mail, the PIN is issued in real-time so the student or parent can immediately use it to electronically sign the application. Applicants who provide an e-mail address will be able to retrieve their PIN online. It will take approximately 1 - 3 business days, after the request, for an e-mail notification with instructions on how to retrieve the PIN electronically is received, or 7 - 10 days through the mail via the U.S. Postal Service.
After completing a FAFSA on the Web application, it must be signed by the applicant (and the parents if the applicant is a dependent student). The FAFSA cannot be processed until signature(s) are received. Using a PIN to sign the application electronically is by far the fastest and most reliable way to sign the application. However, the applicant can print, sign and mail in a signature page, or provide signature(s) on the paper Student Aid Report (SAR).
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