---
title: SSA-827 Customer-Assembly Preparation Kit
description: Prepare SSA-827 online and receive an unsigned printed kit for your own final review, hand-signing, assembly, and submission.
seotitle: SSA-827 Customer-Assembly Preparation Kit
seo-description: Prepare SSA-827 online and receive an unsigned printed kit for your own final review, hand-signing, assembly, and submission.
group: resources
indexable: true
llms: false
schema: webpage
og-image: /forms/ssa-827/thumbnail
og-image-alt: SSA-827 — Authorization to Disclose Information to SSA generated form preview
published: 2026-07-12
updated: 2026-07-12
tags:
  - social security
  - ssa
  - disability
  - medical records
path: /forms/ssa-827
---
# SSA-827 Customer-Assembly Preparation Kit

Prepare SSA-827 online and receive an unsigned printed kit for your own final review, hand-signing, assembly, and submission.

## How it works
1. **Answer the guided questions and review the prepared form information.** - 
2. **PostalForm prints the official form with signature areas left blank and sends the customer-assembly kit only to your verified address.** - 
3. **After delivery, follow the cover instructions, hand-sign where required, and add every original, certified record, payment, witness, certification, companion form, or other physical item.** - 
4. **Verify the current deadline and destination, then personally complete final submission through the official channel.** -


## Form summary
This workflow helps you prepare an SSA-827 authorization used in a Social Security disability claim. PostalForm prepares the official form and delivers the unsigned preparation kit only to your verified address. PostalForm does not file, serve, or submit it. Read both pages, hand-sign and date the authorization in blue or black ink, obtain any required additional signer or witnesses, and return it through the SSA or disability examiner channel that requested it.

## What you need
- Name, Social Security number, and date of birth of the person whose records SSA will collect
- Who is signing — the person themselves, a parent of a minor, a guardian, or another representative
- Signature and date (the authorization runs 12 months from this date)
- Mailing address and daytime phone number
- Hand-sign the printed form after the preparation kit is delivered

## Data collected
- Name, SSN, and date of birth of the person whose records SSA will collect
- Whether the authorization is limited to capability-of-managing-benefits
- Who signs and their authority (self, parent of minor, guardian, other representative)
- Mailing address and daytime phone; signatures, date, and any X-mark witness fields remain blank

## Where it gets mailed
PostalForm mails the unsigned preparation kit only to the customer or authorized signer at the verified delivery address entered during checkout.

Final submission: Read both pages, hand-sign and date the authorization in blue or black ink, obtain any required additional signer or witnesses, and return it through the SSA or disability examiner channel that requested it.

## Packet order
- Customer assembly instruction cover (remove and keep before final submission)
- Prepared unsigned form (signature and reserved third-party fields blank)

## Common mistakes
- Leaving the form unsigned or undated — sources cannot release records without it, and the claim stalls.
- Sending an expired authorization: the SSA-827 is only good for 12 months from the date signed.
- Using an outdated edition — SSA’s current version is Form SSA-827 (06-2024), which says to discontinue prior editions.
- Checking the “managing benefits ONLY” box on a normal disability claim, which limits what SSA can collect.
- Mailing it somewhere generic instead of returning it to the office or DDS examiner who asked for it.

## Agent summary
Customer-assembly workflow for SSA-827. It prepares the form and sends an unsigned kit only to the customer. It must never be represented as direct filing, service, or agency submission. Final customer action: Read both pages, hand-sign and date the authorization in blue or black ink, obtain any required additional signer or witnesses, and return it through the SSA or disability examiner channel that requested it.

## For assistants
This is a human-only customer-assembly workflow and is not available for automated or machine ordering.

- PostalForm delivers an unsigned preparation kit only to the customer or authorized signer.
- The customer must remove and keep the PostalForm cover, complete every physical signature, enclosure, certification, and final-submission step, and verify the current deadline and destination.

## LLM field schema
```json
[
  {
    "id": "subject_name",
    "label": "Name of the person whose records SSA will collect (first, middle, last)",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "name",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-1-subject",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "subject_ssn",
    "label": "Their Social Security number",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "ssn",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-1-subject",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "subject_dob",
    "label": "Their date of birth",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "date",
    "ui_width": "half",
    "group_id": "step-1-subject",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "manage_benefits_only",
    "label": "This authorization is ONLY about whether I can manage my own benefits",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "plain_checkbox",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-2-authorization",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "signed_by_representative",
    "label": "Is someone signing on this person’s behalf?",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "yes_no",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "authority_parent",
    "label": "Parent of a minor child",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "radio",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": {
      "fieldId": "signed_by_representative",
      "operator": "truthy"
    },
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "authority_guardian",
    "label": "Court-appointed legal guardian",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "radio",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": {
      "fieldId": "signed_by_representative",
      "operator": "truthy"
    },
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "authority_other",
    "label": "Other personal representative (explain below)",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "radio",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": {
      "fieldId": "signed_by_representative",
      "operator": "truthy"
    },
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "authority_other_explain",
    "label": "Explain the representative relationship",
    "type": "text",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": {
      "fieldId": "authority_other",
      "operator": "truthy"
    },
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "claimant_signature_drawn",
    "label": "Signature of the person authorizing disclosure",
    "type": "signature",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "subject_signature",
    "label": "Individual authorizing disclosure - signature",
    "type": "signature",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "representative_signature_drawn",
    "label": "Second signature — parent, guardian, or representative (only if your state requires two signatures)",
    "type": "signature",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": {
      "fieldId": "signed_by_representative",
      "operator": "truthy"
    },
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "representative_signature",
    "label": "Parent/guardian/personal representative signature (if required by state law)",
    "type": "signature",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "signature_date",
    "label": "Date signed",
    "type": "text",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "date",
    "ui_width": "half",
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "street_address",
    "label": "Signer's street address",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "address",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "city",
    "label": "City",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "city",
    "ui_width": "half",
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "state",
    "label": "State",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "state",
    "ui_width": "quarter",
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "zip",
    "label": "ZIP code",
    "type": "text",
    "required": true,
    "meta_class": "zip",
    "ui_width": "quarter",
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "phone",
    "label": "Daytime phone number",
    "type": "text",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "phone",
    "ui_width": "half",
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "signed_by_mark",
    "label": "The signer can only make an X mark instead of a signature",
    "type": "checkbox",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": "plain_checkbox",
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-3-signature",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "witness_1_signature",
    "label": "Witness 1 signature",
    "type": "text",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-4-witnesses",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "witness_1_contact",
    "label": "Witness 1 — phone number or address",
    "type": "textarea",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-4-witnesses",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "witness_2_signature",
    "label": "Witness 2 signature",
    "type": "text",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-4-witnesses",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  },
  {
    "id": "witness_2_contact",
    "label": "Witness 2 — phone number or address",
    "type": "textarea",
    "required": false,
    "meta_class": null,
    "ui_width": null,
    "group_id": "step-4-witnesses",
    "choice_group": null,
    "choice_label": null,
    "visibility": null,
    "compound_subfields": null
  }
]
```

## Sources
- [SSA POMS DI 11005.056 — Signature Requirements for Form SSA-827](https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0411005056)
- [SSA — Alternative signature processes for Form SSA-827](https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/eAuthorization.htm)
- [SSA — Instructions for completing the SSA-827](https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-827-inst.pdf)
- [Official instructions](https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/ssa827_informationpage.htm)
- [Official PDF](https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-827.pdf)

## Last verified
2026-07-12


## FAQs
- **What is Form SSA-827?** It’s the authorization SSA and your state disability determination service (DDS) use to request medical, educational, and other records that prove a disability claim. Doctors, hospitals, and schools can’t release records to SSA without it.
- **Do I mail the SSA-827 by itself?** Usually not — it’s signed as part of your disability application. If SSA or the DDS asked for a new one mid-claim, return it to the address in their letter (they often include a prepaid envelope).
- **How long is the SSA-827 valid?** Twelve months from the date you sign it. Sources can also release records created up to 12 months after that date.
- **Can I sign the SSA-827 electronically?** Yes — through SSA’s own processes: click-and-sign during an online disability filing, or attestation during a phone or in-office interview. For a mailed paper form, SSA policy asks for a pen-and-ink signature in blue or black ink.
- **Does a witness need to sign?** Federal law doesn’t require one for a normal signature. If the signer can only make an X mark, a witness who knows them must sign in ink — that situation is better handled at your local Social Security office.


## Related
- [SSA-1696 — Appointment of Representative (Social Security)](/forms/ssa-1696)
- [SSA-795 — Statement of Claimant or Other Person](/forms/ssa-795)
- [Form SS-5 — Application for a Social Security Card](/forms/ss-5)
- [SSA-3288 — Consent for Release of Information](/forms/ssa-3288)
- [Form SSA-44 — Medicare IRMAA Reduction Request (Life-Changing Event)](/forms/ssa-44)
- [SSA-7008 — Request for Correction of Earnings Record](/forms/ssa-7008)