SSA-827: Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration
Form SSA-827 is the medical release that powers a Social Security disability claim. Signing it lets your doctors, hospitals, schools, and other sources send records to SSA and the state agency deciding your case.
This is the genuine SSA PDF, unmodified. Source: SSA official page.
What is SSA-827?
SSA-827, Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration, is a HIPAA-compliant authorization signed by anyone applying for disability benefits. It permits medical providers, mental health professionals, hospitals, schools, employers, and other sources to release records about your conditions to SSA and to the Disability Determination Services examiners who develop your claim.
The authorization is broad by design, covering all of your sources rather than one provider at a time, and it includes sensitive categories such as mental health, substance use treatment, and HIV information. Without a signed SSA-827 the agency generally cannot collect the medical evidence it needs, which stalls or sinks the claim. The form explains its expiration terms, and you can revoke the authorization in writing at any time.
Who files SSA-827?
- Adults applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or SSI based on disability
- Parents or guardians signing for a child's disability claim
- Beneficiaries going through a continuing disability review who are asked to sign a new authorization
- Legal guardians or representatives signing on behalf of an adult who cannot sign
How to fill out SSA-827
- Verify the claimant's name, Social Security number, and date of birth at the top of the form.
- Read the description of what can be disclosed, including the sensitive categories, so you know what you are authorizing.
- Sign and date the form; a parent, guardian, or authorized representative signs for a claimant who cannot.
- Have the witness section completed if you signed by mark or the office asks for a witness.
- Return the form to SSA with your application, or to the DDS examiner who requested it, using the envelope or address they provided.
Quick fill SSA-827 on this page
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sign SSA-827 to get disability benefits?
As a practical matter, yes. SSA and DDS need medical evidence to decide the claim, and the SSA-827 is how they get it from your providers. Refusing to sign usually means the claim is decided without your medical records, which almost always leads to a denial.
Can I limit what my providers release?
The form is designed as a broad, standardized authorization, and crossing out or altering its scope can make it unusable, requiring records to be gathered another way. If you have concerns about specific records, talk with the SSA or DDS representative handling your claim before changing anything on the form.
How long does the authorization last, and can I cancel it?
The form states its own expiration terms, generally tied to a period after you sign or to the life of the claim, and you can revoke it at any time by writing to SSA. Revoking it does not undo disclosures already made, and it can stop SSA from finishing your claim.