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Thursday Aug 07, 2008 10:39:29 Last updated August 6, 2008
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Social Security Online | FOIA

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Social Security Online

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FOIA | Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act

Regulations

The Freedom of Information Act allows
members of the public to request records from
various Federal government agencies. The
Annual Reports
FOIA was established to make the federal
Frequently Requested government accountable to the public for its
Documents
actions and prevents agencies from having
secret policies.
Manuals and
Instructions
The Guide to Freedom of Information Act
Requests explains how to request information
Privacy Impact
and records from the Social Security
Assessments
Administration, details information that we can
not disclose, and outlines the various fees that
are involved with a request.
In addition, you may find information on SSA's
implementation of Executive Order 13392 on
Improving Agency Disclosure of Information.
The links at the left are available to facilitate you
in your search for information.
Privacy Policy | Website Policies & Other Important Information | Site Map
Last reviewed or modified Monday Jan 14, 2008

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/

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Social Security Online | Guide to FOIA Requests

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Social Security Online

FOIA | Freedom of Information Act

FOIA Home

Public Information
Freedom of
Information Act
Requests
Records We Make
Available

Making a FOIA
Request

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Guide to FOIA Requests
The Freedom of Information Act allows members of the
public to request records from various Federal government
agencies. The FOIA was established to make the federal
government accountable to the public for its actions and
prevents agencies from having secret policies.
Public Information
SSA prepares many documents for public distribution - such
as leaflets about our benefits programs, press releases and
reports. Many of these documents are available on SSA's
Internet site at www.socialsecurity.gov. We encourage you
to browse the site for documents that interest you. We do
not process requests for public information materials as
Freedom of Information Act requests.

Frequently
Requested Records Freedom Of Information Act Requests
and Fees
Records We
Generally Can Not
Disclose

Members of the public can get documents from Federal
agencies based on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Records We Make Available

How the Privacy Act
Affects Your
Request

Administrative staff manuals of the Social Security
Administration and Instructions to staff personnel that
contain policies, procedures, or interpretations that affect
the public are available for inspection and copying.

How We Process
Your Request

You can inspect and copy the following SSA records
online, in any field office, at our headquarters in Baltimore,
and at SSA hearings offices nationwide.

Expedited Process

Program Operations Manual System (POMS)

Denials and Appeals Operating instructions for SSA personnel
State and Local Coverage Handbook for the Social
Security Administration and State Social Security
Administrators

Reference source for anyone who administers State
Social Security coverage agreements.
Available for inspection in SSA Regional Offices and
SSA offices in State capitols.

The Handbook is also available online at:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/slge/slch.htm

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SSA Organizational Chart
Shows reporting relationships within the Social Security
Administrationhttp://www.socialsecurity.gov/org/
Compilation of the Social Security Law
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/ssact/compssa.htm
Social Security Administration Regulations
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/cfrdoc.htm
Social Security Rulings and Acquiescence Rulings
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/rulings/rulings.html
Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law Manual
(HALLEX)
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/hallex/hallex.htm

MAKE YOUR REQUEST ONLINE
Social Security Electronic Freedom of Information
(eFOIA)
Now you can make a request online.
You can request a copy of the following online:

Social Security Number Application (Form SS-5) of a
deceased person. You can use online Form SSA711 .
A computer extract of the Social Security number
application. You can use online Form SSA-711 .

You can make payment online with a secure online
payment via pay.gov. You can use these credit cards:

MasterCard
Visa
Discover
American Express, and
Diner’s Club

Other Online FOIA Requests
If you would like to make an online FOIA request for
records other than a photocopy of an application for a
Social Security Card (SS-5) or a computer extract of a
Social Security Card Application, you may make your
request online using the eForm. However, there may be a
fee for the information you request. After we receive your

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm

Takes user directly to the
eFOIA request screen.

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request we will let you know if there is a fee. This type of
request cannot be paid for online.
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR REQUEST
How Do I Get This Information?
1. Complete the eForm request to tell us what
information you want. Please note that space is
limited to 2000 characters.
2. Complete the requester’s information.
Is There A Fee For This Information?

We will let you know if there is a fee for the
information that you request before we start a
search. The FOIA fees are based on the grade of
the employees doing the work and the amount of
time spent on your request, plus 10 cents per page
for photocopying.

Online service is available (Eastern time):
Our eFOIA service is available all the time, except for a
brief period from 10:00 p.m. Saturday – 4:30 a.m. every
Sunday.
Mail In Requests
It is easy to make a written FOIA request by mail. No form
is needed. We process FOIA requests in two locations,
depending on the type of request. Mark both the envelope
and its contents: “FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
REQUEST” or “INFORMATION REQUEST.” Be sure to
include your name and address on your request. It is a
good idea to include a daytime phone number or e-mail
address in case we need to contact you about your
request. Do not include a return envelope.
There is a form available to request copies of applications
for a Social Security Number (Form SS-5) for people who
are deceased. Form SSA-711 (Adobe reader required to
view) may be used for this purpose; however, you do not
need to use the form. Address your request to:
Social Security Administration
OEO FOIA Workgroup
300 N. Greene Street
P.O. Box 33022
Baltimore, Maryland 21290-3022
You can use Form SSA-714 (Adobe reader required) to
pay by credit card.

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Make checks or money orders payable to the Social
Security Administration.
DO NOT SEND CASH
Frequently Requested Records and Fees
Requests for records of Social Security number (SSN)
holders, claimants and wage earners, are covered by the
fee schedule below.
Many numident records of older individuals, primarily those
born in 1910 or earlier, are abbreviated records that do not
contain the names of the individual’s parents and may not
contain the place of birth.
The Social Security Administration did not begin keeping
records until November 1936.
We can not search for the SSN of anyone born before
1865.
Fees For Processing Requests For
Individual’s
Social Security Record
Request for copy of Original Application
for Social Security Card (Form SS-5),
SSN Provided
(Printout from microfilm)
Request for copy of Original Application
for Social Security Card (Form SS-5),
SSN Not Provided
(Printout from microfilm)
Request for Computer Extract of Social
Security Number Application, SSN
Provided
(*Numident only requested)
Request for Computer Extract of Social
Security Number Application, SSN Not
Provided
(*Numident only requested)
Search for Information about Death of an
Individual, SSN Provided (SSA does not
usually have place of death, burial, or
cause of death)
Search for Information about Death of an
Individual, SSN Not Provided (SSA does
not usually have place of death, burial, or
cause of death)
Forward a letter to inform a person about

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm

$27

$29

$16

$18

$16

$18

$25

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entitlement to money
We can not search for the SSN of anyone born before
1865.
*The Numident record is a computer extract of information
from the original application for a Social Security card.
Send all other FOIA requests to:
Social Security Administration
Office of Public Disclosure
3-A-6 Operations Building
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21235
If you want to request a record which we don't publish or
which we don't make available in one of our offices, mark
your envelope and its contents “FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION REQUEST” and include the following:

Information you are requesting (include as many
details as possible, for example: dates, subject
matter, location)
Your name
Your address and
Daytime phone number or e-mail address.

DO NOT INCLUDE A RETURN ENVELOPE
You can also write or give your written request to any
Social Security field office.
There may be a fee for information you requested. We will
let you know if your request will cost more than $250 before
we start a search. The FOIA fees are based on the grade
of employees doing the work and the amount of time spent
on your request, plus 10 cents per page for photocopying.
The Hourly Fees for Search and Review Are:
Search by Grade:
GS-1 through GS-8 $16.00
GS-9 through GS-14 $33.00
GS-15 or above $59.00
Records We Generally Can Not Disclose
The FOIA does not require agencies to disclose all records.
Some examples of records we may not disclose are:

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Classified records;
Internal personnel rules;
Confidential by law;
Trade secrets or confidential financial information;
Personal information about living people, or
Records of investigations.

How The Privacy Act Affects Your Request

Your Own Record

If you are requesting your own record(s), we will process
your request under the Privacy Act first, instead of under
the FOIA.

Someone Else’s Records

If you are requesting another living person’s record, you
need the person’s written consent to disclose the record to
you. In these cases, send your request, with the signed
consent, to your local Social Security office .

Records Needed for a Social Security Benefit
Application

If you need your records in connection with your claim for
Social Security benefits, or if you are a representative of
someone pursuing a claim for Social Security benefits;
send your request to your local Social Security office.

How We Process Your Request
We try to handle your request within 20 days from the date
we receive it. Sometimes it may take us longer depending
on the difficulty of finding the record and how much other
work we have. We process requests under a “first in” “first
out” basis using the following categories:
Normal
Simple requests where the receiving office has all the
information it needs for the answer. These requests will
take the least amount of time to process.
Longer
These requests often require the receiving office to obtain
more information from another SSA office(s).
Longest
Requests that require:

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More information or records from another SSA office
or another government office(s);
a voluminous amount of records, or
Additional decisions on releasing records from these
offices.

These requests take the longest to answer.
Expedited Process
We provide expedited handling when the request:

Involves an imminent threat to a person’s life or
physical safety, or
Is made by a member of the media to obtain
information that the public has an urgent need to
know. The records would cover actual or alleged
Federal Government activity.

If you think your request should be expedited, please
explain your reasons fully in your request. Within 10 days
from the date of your request, we will decide whether we
will expedite it and notify you of our decision.

Denials And Appeals
Sometimes we cannot disclose some or all of the records
you requested. When we cannot disclose some or all of the
records you requested, we will send you a written denial,
explaining our reason(s) and your appeal rights.

Privacy Policy | Website Policies & Other Important Information | Site Map
Last reviewed or modified Friday Feb 01, 2008

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm

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General Request for Social Security Records

Request Description

Requester's Information
Name:

First

Middle

Last

<>

Street address
State

City
Telephone
number

Fax
number

Alabama

Zip code

E-Mail
address

PAPERWORK/PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: This information collection meets the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. §3507, as amended
by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You are not required to answer these questions unless we display a valid Office of
Management and Budget control number. We estimate that it will take you about 3 minutes to read the instructions, gather the necessary facts, and
answer the question. You may send comments on our time estimate above to: SSA, 1338 Annex Building, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. Send only
comments relating to our time estimate to this address, not the completed form. READ THIS SECTION, BEFORE COMPLETING THE FORM.
PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Social Security Administration (SSA) has the authority to collect the information requested on this form under
5 U.S.C. § 552 and the applicable regulations at 20 CFR § 402.130. The information you provide will be used to respond to your request for
information or records maintained by SSA. You do not have to give us this information. However, without the information we will be unable to
respond to your request.
Although the information we obtain with this form is almost never used for any purpose other than the one stated above, the information may be
disclosed by SSA without your consent if authorized by Federal laws such as the Privacy Act and the Social Security Act. For example, SSA may
disclose to a Congressional office requesting information on your behalf; to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for use in representing the Federal
Government; and to the General Services Administration and the National Archives and Records Administration to conduct studies. Disclosure of
any information defined as “returns or return information” under 26 U.S.C. § 6103 of the IRC will not be disclosed unless authorized by a statute, the
IRS, or IRS regulations.
Explanations about these and other reasons why information you provide may be used or given out are available in Social Security offices. If you
want to learn more about this, you may contact any Social Security office.