SSDI Topic
The SSA Blue Book (Listing of Impairments)
The SSA Blue Book, formally the Listing of Impairments, is the official SSA publication that lists medical conditions and the specific clinical findings that qualify an adult or child as disabled for SSDI or SSI purposes.
The Blue Book is organized by body system — musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, mental, neurological, immune, cancer, and others — and each listing sets objective medical criteria that a claim must meet or medically equal. If a condition does not meet a listing, the SSA still evaluates whether the person's residual functional capacity rules out all substantial gainful work.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
What is the Blue Book?
The Blue Book is the Listing of Impairments — the SSA's medical rulebook that describes conditions and the clinical findings required to be considered "disabling" at Step 3 of the five-step evaluation.
What if my condition isn't listed?
If your condition doesn't meet or medically equal a listing, the SSA assesses your residual functional capacity (RFC) and decides whether any past or other work exists that you can still do.
Where can I read it?
The Blue Book is available free at ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook.
Topics
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — Listing of Impairments (Blue Book) (ssa.gov)