How do I apply for SSDI?
You can apply for SSDI three ways: online at ssa.gov/apply, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or in person at a local Social Security field office (appointments recommended).
You can apply for SSDI three ways: online at ssa.gov/apply, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or in person at a local Social Security field office (appointments recommended). You will need your Social Security number, proof of age, names/dosages/dates for your medical treatment (doctors, hospitals, clinics, medications, test results), a work history for roughly the last 15 years, and your most recent W-2 or self-employment tax return; SSA's Adult Disability Starter Kit lists the full checklist. SSA will help you obtain missing documents, so you should not delay filing while gathering paperwork.
What the government has said, on the record
"People may apply for disability benefits online, by telephone, or in person at a Social Security field office."
— Linda Kerr-Davis, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Social Security Administration (career SSA executive; also Regional Commissioner). Testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security, October 26, 2023.
Editor's note: Quote supports the three application channels; the documents-needed detail in the answer comes from SSA''s Adult Disability Starter Kit, not this quote.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
You can apply for SSDI three ways: online at ssa.gov/apply, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or in person at a local Social Security field office (appointments recommended).
How do I apply for SSDI?
You will need your Social Security number, proof of age, names/dosages/dates for your medical treatment (doctors, hospitals, clinics, medications, test results), a work history for roughly the last 15 years, and your most recent W-2 or self-employment tax return; SSA's Adult Disability Starter Kit lists the full checklist. SSA will help you obtain missing documents, so you should not delay filing while gathering paperwork.
Where to verify
See the official source cited in the quote block above, and SSA's own program pages at ssa.gov/disability. Program dollar amounts change annually with the cost-of-living adjustment.
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.