Social Security now charges $74 to manually verify a Social Security number for a third party and $151 for a copy of a paper folder. The new fees come from a Social Security Administration (SSA) notice that applies to requests received on or after October 1, 2026. General Counsel Mark Steffensen signed the notice, which was filed September 18 and published in the Federal Register on September 21.
The charges cover what SSA calls non-program information. That means records and services requested for reasons not tied to running Social Security benefits. The agency says it relies on Section 1106 of the Social Security Act, which lets it charge the full cost of such requests.
The fees matter most to people who ask SSA for paperwork rather than payments. Anyone who needs a copy of a paper file, a certified earnings record, a copy of an original Social Security card application, or a manual number check for an outside party now pays the new amounts. SSA says payment is due in advance and is not refundable.
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What each request costs
SSA’s fee notice lists eleven charges, each per request unless noted:
- Copying a paper folder: $151
- Copying an electronic folder: $75
- Third-party manual Social Security number verification: $74
- Field office, regional office or headquarters certification: $65
- Record extract processed in a field office: $46
- Central Processing certification: $30
- W-2 or W-3 request: $54 for each W-2 or W-3
- Detailed yearly earnings on Form SSA-7050: $49 per form
- Certification of those detailed earnings: $30 added to the SSA-7050 fee
- Copy of the original Social Security card application, Form SS-5: $23
- Copy of the Numident record, the computer extract of that application: $22
The $74 line is for manual checks by a third party. SSA also runs an online Social Security Number Verification Service that lets employers and third-party submitters match names and numbers for W-2 wage reports. That tool is a separate service from the manual check.
How the new fees compare with 2024
SSA’s 2024 notice, effective October 1, 2024, set the manual verification fee at $61 and the paper folder copy at $122. The new amounts are $13 and $29 higher. The notice puts the cost of those requests at the most recent cost analysis, and SSA must review the schedule at least every two years under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-25.
Not every charge went up. The 2024 notice listed electronic folder copies at $82, detailed earnings on Form SSA-7050 at $61, a copy of the original card application at $27 and a Numident copy at $26. Those are now $75, $49, $23 and $22. The record extract rose from $41 to $46.
Certified earnings now cost $79 in total, the $49 form fee plus the $30 certification. The 2024 notice put the same certified request at $96.
Where the earnings records are free
The notice says non-certified yearly earnings totals cost nothing. People can get them through Form SSA-7004 or through a my Social Security account, which also shows the earnings record, benefit information and tax forms. Online statements list yearly earnings but not employer names.
Detailed earnings with employer names and addresses are the part that costs money. SSA’s Form SSA-7050 says itemized earnings may be free for people who believe their record is wrong. They must list the years involved and explain why they need the information, or the fee is charged.
The notice lists no general exemptions. It does point to one route for Freedom of Information Act requests, a public interest fee waiver under 20 CFR 402.85. SSA’s records request page now shows the $23 and $22 card-application and Numident fees, and says claim file fees are set by the local field office.
How to pay without a returned form
SSA accepts a check, money order or credit card. It does not take cash. One form of payment must cover the full fee for each request, and fees cannot be split across payment methods.
The posted Form SSA-7050 still shows the older $61 itemized fee and a $35 certification charge. The form says requests without the correct fee are returned, and SSA must receive the form within 120 days of the date signed. The agency lists 1-800-772-1213, or TTY 1-800-325-0778, for questions.
A records fee is not a benefit fee
None of these charges touch monthly Social Security or Supplemental Security Income payments. They apply to records and verifications that the notice classes as non-program information. The notice adds that fees can vary with the work involved, such as redactions or special services, and that requests not on the list are priced case by case.
That leaves a practical question for anyone holding a request: does the paperwork have to be a paid certified copy, or will the free yearly totals do the job? Lenders, courts and estate lawyers sometimes ask for certified records, and SSA charges for those.
Need a paid copy of a Social Security file?
A request sent with the wrong fee comes back, and a letter about a record, an overpayment or a changed payment can carry a deadline of its own. People who lose track of those dates end up paying for copies and chasing payments by phone.
The Social Security Check Protection Kit puts the paper trail in one place. It includes the 2026 payment calendar, the three SSA forms that stop or pause collection (SSA-561, SSA-632, SSA-634), and an overpayment response worksheet.
Get the 2026 payment calendar and SSA notice checklist kit →
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
David M. Keller is a finance writer based in Columbus, Ohio, covering personal finance and consumer-focused economic topics. He earned his degree in journalism from Ohio University and began his career reporting on local business and economic trends for a regional media outlet. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of online publications, focusing on clear, practical coverage of topics such as cost of living, debt, and everyday financial decision-making.
