Updated October 18, 2026. Quick answer: Form SSA-827 is the Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration. It lets medical, educational and other sources release records to Social Security and the state agency that decides disability claims. The authorization is good for 12 months from the date signed and you can revoke it in writing at any time.
Quick reference
| Item | As printed on the form |
|---|---|
| What the form is | A signed release of records to Social Security and state agencies |
| Covers | Medical records, education records and information about your ability to perform tasks |
| Good for | 12 months from the date signed |
| Forward-looking records | Information created within 12 months after the date signed, plus past information |
| After 12 months | The authorization expires |
| Revoke | A written statement to any Social Security office |
| Who can sign | You, or a parent of a minor, guardian or other personal representative |
What you are authorizing
The form says “I voluntarily authorize and request disclosure (including paper, oral, and electronic interchange):” It names the information: all medical records, also education records and other information related to your ability to perform tasks. It specifically includes treatment and hospitalization records, and lists categories such as mental impairments, substance abuse treatment, sickle cell anemia, communicable disease and HIV tests, and gene-related impairments. Psychotherapy notes as defined in 45 CFR 164.501 are excluded.
It also reaches forward and back: “Information created within 12 months after the date this authorization is signed, as well as past information.”
Who the records come from and go to
The sources are broad. The form lists medical sources such as hospitals, clinics, labs and physicians, educational sources, social workers and rehabilitation counselors, consulting examiners used by Social Security, employers, insurance companies, workers’ compensation programs, and “Others who may know about my condition (family, neighbors, friends, public officials)”.
The recipients are Social Security and the state agency, usually called the disability determination services, plus contract copy services and doctors or other professionals consulted during the process.
Where it fits in a disability claim
Social Security’s disability booklet describes the role: “The SSA-827 gives doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals who have treated you, permission to send us information about your medical condition.” It also says “Don’t delay applying for benefits if you can’t get all this information together quickly.” Our page on SSI versus Social Security explains the two programs that use this form.
Purpose and how long it lasts
The purpose line reads “Determining my eligibility for benefits, including looking at the combined effect of any impairments that by themselves would not meet SSA’s definition of disability; and whether I can manage such benefits.” A separate box limits it to “Determining whether I am capable of managing benefits ONLY”.
On duration the form says “This authorization is good for 12 months from the date signed (below my signature).”
Revoking, copies and who signs
The form says “I may write to SSA and my sources to revoke this authorization at any time (see page 2 for details).” Page 2 explains how: “To revoke, send a written statement to any Social Security Office.” It also says Social Security may still use “information disclosed prior to revocation to decide your claim”.
A signer who is not the subject of the records must state the basis for authority. The form lists parent of a minor, guardian or other personal representative. A protection for patients is stated on page 2: “A covered entity (that is, a source of medical information about you) may not condition treatment, payment, enrollment, or eligibility for benefits on whether you sign this authorization form.”
The edition read for this page is Form SSA-827 (06-2024) as the agency served it on 2026-10-18. Check the edition printed on the copy you send, because a later edition can change the questions, the mailing instructions and the evidence asked for.
Common mistakes
- Reading only page 1. The form’s header tells you to read both pages before signing, and page 2 holds the revocation and redisclosure terms.
- Letting the 12 months lapse mid-claim. The authorization is good for 12 months from the date signed.
- Signing for someone else without naming your authority. The form asks parents, guardians and other representatives to state the basis.
- Assuming a provider can refuse care over the signature. The form says a covered entity may not condition treatment or payment on it.
Related: SSI versus Social Security, power of attorney and representative payees, and Social Security and Medicare forms.
Sources
- Form SSA-827 (06-2024), Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-827.pdf
- SSA Publication 05-10029, Disability Benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10029.pdf
Read from the Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services documents linked above on October 18, 2026. General information, not legal or benefits advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 is the right place to confirm anything consequential.