<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-03-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001063761</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SIMON PROPERTY GROUP INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SPG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001628779</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>McDade Brian J.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>225 W. WASHINGTON ST.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>INDIANAPOLIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>46204</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, CFO and Treasurer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>LTIP Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1264</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1264</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1264</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents long-term incentive performance (&quot;LTIP&quot;) units of Simon Property Group, L.P. (the &quot;Operating Partnership&quot;), of which Simon Property Group, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;) is the general partner, issued as long-term incentive compensation pursuant to the Operating Partnership's 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, in compliance with Rule 16b-3. When earned and vested, each LTIP unit may be converted into a unit of limited partnership interest (&quot;Partnership Unit&quot;). Each Partnership Unit may be exchanged for a share of the Company's common stock, or cash, as selected by the Company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On February 28, 2018, the reporting person was awarded a maximum of 3,887 LTIP units, subject to certain performance conditions. On March 9, 2020, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company determined that the extent to which the performance measures had been achieved during the performance period resulted in 32.52%, or 1,264 of the LTIP units becoming earned LTIP units. The earned LTIP units vest in two equal installments on January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022, subject to a continued service requirement.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Brian J. McDade by his attorney-in-fact, Alexander L.W. Snyder</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-03-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
