The Social Security Administration now charges $74 to verify a Social Security number by hand for a third party and $151 to copy a paper folder. The new schedule applies to every request the agency receives on or after Oct. 1, 2026, and covers eleven line items that run from $22 to $151. SSA’s General Counsel, Mark Steffensen, signed the notice that sets the amounts.
The fees apply to information requests that are not part of a Social Security claim, such as a record copy, a certification or a verification someone else asked for. People who need an earnings record, a card application or a folder from SSA should expect to pay in advance, and the price depends on which record they request and where it is processed. The schedule below shows every amount, so a requester can find the exact line before sending a payment.
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Which records cost what under the new SSA schedule?
The fees appear in a Federal Register notice titled “Charging Standard Administrative Fees for Non-Program Information,” filed Sept. 18 and scheduled for publication Sept. 21, 2026. Every figure is a flat per-request charge in SSA’s schedule, not a cap or an average.
- Third-party manual SSN verification: $74
- Copying a paper folder: $151
- Copying an electronic folder: $75
- Field Operations headquarters certification: $65
- Record extract processed in a field office: $46
- Central Processing certification: $30
- W-2 or W-3 copy: $54 for each one requested
- Detailed yearly earnings on Form SSA-7050: $49 per form, plus $30 to certify
- Copy of the original Social Security card application, Form SS-5: $23
- Copy of a Numident record, the computer extract of that application: $22
The paper-folder copy at $151 is the highest line on the list, and the electronic-folder copy costs about half as much at $75.
Why is SSA charging for these requests at all?
The notice cites Section 1106 of the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act. Under Section 1106(c), the agency may require payment of the full cost when a request is made for purposes not directly related to running Social Security programs. SSA says it reviews the schedule at least every two years, and the previous update took effect after a notice dated Aug. 23, 2024.
The date that matters is the one the request arrives, not the publication date. A request received on Sept. 30 falls under the old schedule, while one received on Oct. 1 or later falls under the new one. The notice says the changes apply to “requests we receive on or after October 1, 2026.”
How must the money reach SSA, and when can the price change?
SSA requires what it calls “nonrefundable advance payment.” It accepts a check, a money order or a credit card, and it does not accept cash. One form of payment must cover the full fee, so a requester cannot split the charge across two.
The listed amounts are not always final. A footnote states that “fees may differ for processing of records depending on applicable fee authorities and actions needed,” and the notice says that can depend on whether redactions are required or special services are requested. A request the schedule does not cover is priced case by case.
The notice lists no general exemption. Its one stated route to relief is for requests made under the Freedom of Information Act, where a requester may seek a public-interest fee waiver under 20 CFR 402.85.
What can be verified or retrieved without a fee?
Two things in SSA’s own materials stay free. Non-certified yearly earnings totals are available at no charge through a Social Security Statement or the my Social Security online account, according to the notice, though those totals show no employer information. Anyone who needs employer detail on a form SSA-7050 pays the $49 line, and a certified copy adds $30.
Employers have a separate route for checking numbers. SSA’s number verification page describes the Social Security Number Verification Service as a free online tool for registered users to confirm that names and numbers match its records for hired employees, for wage reporting only. A second service for enrolled companies and state and local agencies, Consent Based SSN Verification, is built for large volumes, and that page gives no price for it.
Questions about the fee schedule go to SSA at 1-800-772-1213, or TTY 1-800-325-0778. The notice also lists an accounting contact, Stephen Hull, at 6401 Security Boulevard in Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, phone (410) 966-1890.
What should anyone who gets an SSA fee notice check first?
The first check is the record itself. A requester should match it to a line in the schedule, confirm the amount and the payment method, and note that the request date falls on or after Oct. 1. Because the notice says fees can differ when redactions or special services are involved, the figure SSA quotes for a specific request is the one that counts.
Is an SSA letter about a record, a fee or a payment waiting on a reply?
A records fee is one kind of SSA paper that can arrive with a deadline or a bill attached. Beneficiaries who miss a notice, or misread one, can end up with a late, short or wrong payment and no plan for the first day.
“The Social Security Check Protection Kit” is a 75-page guide that includes the 2026 payment calendar, so a beneficiary can see when money is due to arrive and spot a payment that is off. Part 5 covers overpayment notices, with a response worksheet and the three SSA forms that stop or pause collection: SSA-561, SSA-632 and SSA-634.
Get the 2026 payment calendar and the overpayment worksheet in the Check Protection Kit →
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.
