Appendix A: Additional Verification Options

The following instructions are for employers and third-party submitters who wish to submit Social Security Number (SSN) verification requests to the Social Security Administration (SSA) via paper or telephone.

Small Paper Requests (1 to 50 Name/SSNs)

  • Submit on paper to your local SSA office. Your local office will provide you with format and submission instructions. Some offices accept faxed listings. Go to Local Office Search to find your local SSA Office.
  • This listing may be formatted across the page in a columnar format, such as:
    Social Security Number Last Name First Name Middle Initial Date of Birth

Telephone Requests for Registered SSNVS Users

SSA recognizes registered SSNVS users may occasionally need to perform verifications when the user has no online access. In those instances, registered users can call the employer 800 number (800-772-6270) and, once the user authentication with a valid UserID with an active SSNVS role is complete, an agent will provide name/SSN verification over the phone. Following are the scenarios when SSA will perform these occasional verifications.

  • Scenario 1: The user is registered and has a telephone but does not have immediate access to a computer SSNVS and has a dire need to put a new hire to work; i.e. farmer, day worker, etc.
    Agent interaction: The agent can verify SSNs.
  • Scenario 2: The user is registered but locked out of the Integrated Registration Services (IRES) system and an agent is unable to unlock them because of a systems problem.
    Agent interaction: If an agent is able to unlock the user's account, then the agent will not verify SSNs. The agent will advise the user to use SSNVS to verify the SSN. If the agent is unable to unlock employer, then the agent will verify SSNs until the unlock issue has been resolved.
  • Scenario 3: The user is registered and has requested a new Business Services Online (BSO) temporary password and has not yet received it.
    Agent interaction: An agent will verify the SSN if the user is registered and had requested a temporary password. If the employer did not request a temporary password, then the agent will not verify the SSN.
  • Scenario 4: SSA's electronic verification systems are down and unavailable to the public.
    Agent interaction: An agent will advise the user of an estimated time for when the system will be back up, if known. The user will need to use the verification system later. Agents will not verify any SSNs in this situation unless there is an immediate need to verify an SSN.

In the above scenarios, agents will ensure users are properly authenticated (e.g. valid user, employer EIN, other pertinent information) before verifying an employee's SSN over the telephone. If the user has an active SSNVS role in the IRES system, the agent will verify SSNs. However, if the user does not have an active SSNVS role in IRES, or has a pending role in IRES, the agent will not verify SSNs since SSA has not received the positive confirmation, through the IRES role activation process, that the employer authorizes the user to perform the verifications.

What To Do If an SSA Fails To Verify

Each SSN sent in the file will be returned to you with a verification code. If the verification code is blank, the record agrees with SSA's data file. Please annotate your records that this SSN has been verified.

If the verification code is not blank, follow these steps:

  1. Ask to see the employee's Social Security card to ensure that the SSN and name were correctly shown on the file.
  2. Check to see whether you made a typographical error. If so, correct the data and resend to SSA in a subsequent file. Please resend only the corrected data.
  3. If the SSN shown on the card and the file match, ask the employee to check with any SSA Office or call 1-800-772-1213 to determine and correct the problem. Ask the employee to give you the corrected name for your payroll records.