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Social Security
Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA)
Your Access To Social Security Administration Information
SPECIAL NOTICE (as of 11/24/2020)
The Office of Privacy and Disclosure at Social Security Administration (SSA) continues
to process Privacy Act (PA) requests and complex Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requests for agency records during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, due to
limitations imposed by the current pandemic, we are experiencing operational
challenges that impact the processing of certain workloads. The agency is continuing
to process FOIA and PA requests; however, portions of our operations are doing so
with limited resources. Please view the agency’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates page
for additional information about field office operations and SSA’s online services.
Requests for a Copy of Deceased Persons’ Applications for a Social Security Card
(SS-5) and Numident Records:
Due to the pandemic, the time associated with processing physical mail and personal
checks has increased; therefore, we strongly encourage requesters to submit their
requests for a deceased person’s SS-5 and Numident record electronically via
FOIAonline.
Guide to FOIA at SSA
The FOIA allows members of the public to request records from Federal agencies. The
Federal government established FOIA to promote transparency and prevent agencies from
having secret policies.
This guide explains how to request information and records from us, information we
cannot disclose, and fees involved with a request.
How to Request Your Own Record
https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
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Your Own Record
To request information from your own file, please visit your local Social Security office.
Your local office has jurisdiction over the records necessary to process your request.
When you visit the office, please bring proper identification.
Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5)/Numident Record (computer
extract of the SS-5) – If you are seeking a copy of your original SS-5 or Numident, we
need you to provide the following information: Name; Address; Signature; Social
Security number; and a signed statement that you are the individual to whom the record
pertains and you understand there are criminal penalties for making a knowing and
willful request for access to records concerning another individual under false pretenses.
You may submit your request using Form SSA-L996 . Please submit your request with
payment to: Social Security Administration (SSA), OEIO, FOIA Workgroup, 6100 Wabash
Ave, P.O. Box 33022, Baltimore, MD 21290-3022. The fee for a copy of the SS-5 is $21.00.
The fee for a copy of the Numident is $20.00. We will not process your request without
exact payment. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and Diner’s
Club. To pay by credit card, complete and sign the SSA-714 . Be sure to include your
credit card number and expiration date. We also accept checks or money orders payable
to SSA.
Request for Someone Else’s Records
The Social Security Act prohibits the disclosure of any file, record, report, or other
information concerning a person obtained by SSA employees in the course of their
duties, except as otherwise provided by Federal law and regulations. 42 U.S.C. § 1306.
If you are seeking SSA program records about a living individual, you must have the
individual complete the Form SSA-3288 available at https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa3288.pdf
or complete a consent that complies with our regulation at 20 C.F.R. §
401.100 to request the individual’s records. If you obtain proper authorization, you may
request this information from the individual’s local Social Security office. Please visit our
website at www.socialsecurity.gov/locator to locate the individual’s local office.
Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5)/Numident Record (computer
extract of the SS-5) – If you are seeking a copy of a living individuals’ original SS-5 or
Numident, we need you to provide proper authorization. Please have the number holder
complete the SSA-3288 . Please send your request with payment and proper
authorization to Social Security Administration (SSA), OEIO, FOIA Workgroup, 6100
Wabash Ave, P.O. Box 33022, Baltimore, MD 21290-3022.
https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
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The fee for a copy of the SS-5 is $21.00. The fee for a copy of the Numident is $20.00.
We will not process your request without exact payment. We accept Visa, MasterCard,
Discover, American Express, and Diner’s Club. To pay by credit card, complete and sign
the SSA-714 . Be sure to include your credit card number and expiration date. We also
accept checks or money orders payable to SSA.
SSA Employee Records
If you are seeking the records of a current SSA employee (regarding payroll,
performance, leave, etc.), you should have the employee complete Form SSA-3465
and advise the employee to submit the form to his or her supervisor. When an
employee resigns, retires, transfers, or otherwise terminates employment with SSA,
Form SSA-3465 should be mailed to SSA’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of
Privacy and Disclosure at 6401 Security Boulevard, West High Rise, Room G-401,
Baltimore, Maryland 21235.
Earnings Records - If you are seeking a living or deceased individual’s earnings
records, please follow the instructions to complete Form SSA-7050-F4 available at:
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-7050.pdf
and mail it to the address on the form
along with the applicable fee and other evidentiary documents, as required.
Records Needed for a Social Security Benefit Application
If you need your records regarding 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.
Learn more about SSA's commitment to Privacy
How to Request a Deceased Person’s Records
Earnings Records - If you are seeking a deceased person’s earnings records, please
follow the instructions to complete Form SSA-7050-F4 available at:
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-7050.pdf
and mail it to the address on the form along
with the applicable fee and other evidentiary documents, as required.
Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5) and/or Numident – Please view the
instructions available at “Request a copy of Deceased Person’s Original Application for a
Social Security Card (SS-5) or Numident Record”
https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
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Claim File - To request a copy of a deceased person’s claim file, please visit your local
office. Please be aware that we ordinarily destroy claim files several years after the final
decision on the claim. Sometimes we can recall a claim file from our program service
center or a Federal Records Center. Documents in a claim file may include applications
for benefits, military records, marriage records, and birth and death records. However,
information about living individuals found in the claim file will be deleted. The field
office will determine the applicable fees.
Information that is Already Publicly Available
We prepare many documents for public distribution through our website. We provide:
•
•
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Leaflets about our benefits programs
Press releases
Reports
Answers to frequently asked questions.
Please visit our Electronic FOIA Reading Room for information that might be responsive
to your request.
Our Open Government portal helps point the public to our datasets and information to
help answer your questions about our programs and operations.
PLEASE NOTE
Check these sources prior to making a FOIA request because we do not process
requests for public information materials as Freedom of Information Act requests.
Records We May Not Release
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;
Information that is confidential by law;
Internal personnel rules;
Personal information about living people;
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• Records of investigations; or
• Trade secrets or confidential financial information.
The FOIA Process at SSA
Tab 1
We try to handle your request within 20 days from the date we receive it. It may take
longer depending on the difficulty of finding the record and how much other work we
have. We process requests on a “first in, first out” basis using the following categories:
Normal
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
Requests that often require the receiving office to obtain more information from
another SSA office.
Longest
Requests that require:
• More information or records from another SSA office or another government
office;
• A voluminous number of records, or
• Additional decisions on releasing records from these offices.
These requests take the longest to answer.
• Learn more about how we process your requests
Tab 2
We provide expedited handling when the request:
https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
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• 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 and the records would cover actual or alleged Federal
Government activity.
If you think we should expedite your request, 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.
Tab 3
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.
If you would like further assistance with your request, you may contact our FOIA Public
Liaison by email at [email protected]; by phone at 410-965-1727, by
choosing Option 2; or facsimile at 410-965-0869. Additionally, you may contact the
Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records
Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. The contact
information for OGIS is as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National
Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road – OGIS, College Park, MD
20740-6001; email at [email protected]; telephone at 202-741-5770; toll-free at 1-877684-6448; or facsimile at 202-741-5769.
If you disagree with this decision, you may file a written appeal with the Executive
Director for the Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Social Security Administration, 617
Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235. Your appeal
must be postmarked or electronically transmitted to [email protected] within
90 days of the date of our response to your initial request. Please mark the envelope or
subject line with “Freedom of Information Ap0eal".
https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
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Make a FOIA Request
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/request
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Make a FOIA Request
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New Request
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that gives the public the right to make requests for
federal agency records. Agencies may withhold information according to nine exemptions contained in the
statute. The FOIA applies only to federal agencies. It does not apply to records held by Congress, the courts, or
by state or local government agencies. Each state has its own public access laws that should be consulted for
access to state and local records.
*
indicates a required field.
Agency Selection
* Agency
Select an agency
Request Type
Request Type
FOIA
Contact Information
Salutation
--
United States/US Territories
--
* First Name
Middle Initial
* Last Name
Email Address
Organization
Phone Number
Fax Number
Mailing Address Location
* Address Line 1
Address Line 2
* City
* State/Province
* Zip Code/Postal Code
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/request
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Make a FOIA Request
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Processing Fees
Why are fees required?
* Will Pay Up To
Description
* 0/2000
Request Expedited Processing
Under certain conditions, you may be entitled to have your request processed on an expedited basis.
Please see agency specific regulations for the criteria that the agency uses to grant a request for
expedited processing.
Make Request?
No
Request a Fee Waiver
Any FOIA requester may request that all fees associated with the request be waived. Note: some agencies
require that fee waiver requests be submitted with the FOIA request. Please see agency-specific
regulations for instructions.
Make Request?
No
Attach Supporting Files
No supporting files have been uploaded.
Drag files here
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/request
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Make a FOIA Request
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Attach Supporting Files
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/request
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | 177717 |
| File Modified | 2021-09-10 |
| File Created | 2021-09-10 |