Guide

Social Security Phone Numbers: How to Reach SSA

What Is the Social Security Phone Number?

The main Social Security office phone number is 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), answered 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, with automated services 24 hours a day. Every local office also has its own number, listed on its page in the office finder. Waits are usually shorter in the morning, later in the week and later in the month. For Medicare coverage questions, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

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The Main Social Security Phone Number

SSA’s National 800 Number is 1-800-772-1213. Live agents answer from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. your local time, Monday through Friday. If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, the TTY number is 1-800-325-0778, and SSA also takes relay service calls on the main line.

The same line has automated services that run 24 hours a day, so some tasks never need a person. SSA’s website is still its first choice for help, but it says a phone call can often save you a trip to an office.

This site is an independent office finder, not SSA. Calling these numbers reaches SSA directly.

Social Security Office Phone Number for Your Local Office

Every one of the 1,231 offices in SSA’s data has its own local line, and each office page here lists it next to the address and hours. A few examples:

Local numbers are worth using when you’re asking about an appointment at that office, a case it’s handling, or a day when it’s offering phone service only. Search yours by ZIP code with the office finder, or browse a city such as Los Angeles, Chicago or Houston.

Every SSA Phone Line in One Place

Line Number Hours Use it for
National 800 Number 1-800-772-1213 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, weekdays Most questions, appointments, claims
Automated services 1-800-772-1213 24 hours a day Letters, forms, Medicare card, claim status
TTY 1-800-325-0778 Same as the 800 Number Deaf or hard of hearing callers
my Social Security help 1-800-772-1213, say “Help Desk” 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, weekdays Problems creating or using an account
Local office On each office page That office’s hours Your appointment or local case
1-800-MEDICARE 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays Medicare coverage questions
FTC scam reporting (877) 382-4357, press 3 for an interpreter Reporting a scam in other languages

What You Can Do on the Automated Line

You don’t need to wait for an agent for these. The automated system handles them around the clock:

  • Request a benefit verification letter, which shows the benefits you get.
  • Request a replacement SSA-1099, the Social Security benefit statement for taxes.
  • Request a replacement Medicare card, if you have Medicare.
  • Ask for form SSA-1020 to apply for help with Medicare prescription drug costs.
  • Check the status of a claim you’ve filed.
  • Find the address of your local office.
  • Request form SS-5, the application for a Social Security card.
  • Change your address or phone number, if you get Social Security benefits.

The line also plays recorded messages on payment dates, direct deposit, SSI, cost-of-living adjustments, taxes and what to do if a payment doesn’t arrive. The payment schedule guide and the lost or stolen check guide cover those in detail.

Best Times to Call Social Security

SSA says wait times are typically shorter:

  • In the morning, soon after the 8:00 a.m. opening.
  • Later in the week, so Thursday and Friday rather than Monday.
  • Later in the month, after the early-month rush.

Before you dial, check whether the answer is online. If you’re calling about a disability application, SSA’s average processing time is 200 to 230 days, and the decision comes by mail. For a retirement or Medicare application, SSA sends a letter within 30 days with a decision or a request for more information.

Have These Ready Before You Call

A call goes faster with your details in front of you:

  • Your Social Security number, or the number of the person you’re calling about.
  • Any letter or notice SSA sent you, with its date.
  • For an application, your work history for the last 5 years, marriage dates and your bank’s routing and account numbers.
  • A pen, to write down the representative’s name and the date. SSA suggests keeping track of the dates you talk to it and the name of the employee you spoke with.

If you’re calling to book an appointment, say whether you want a phone or in-person appointment. Then check the what to bring guide and the office hours guide.

What to Do if You Can’t Get Through

Long holds happen, and SSA has posted notices about higher than normal wait times. If the main line is backed up, you have other routes:

  • Call your local office. Its number is on its page here, and SSA says it can help by phone through local offices too.
  • Use the automated menu. Letters, tax forms, Medicare cards and claim status don’t need an agent.
  • Book online. SSA’s appointment scheduler asks a few questions and sets up a phone or in-person appointment, so you talk with SSA at a set time instead of waiting on hold.
  • Check status online. A my Social Security account shows where an application or appeal stands.

If your local office is closed for the day, SSA’s office closings page says whether it is still answering phones.

Calling in Another Language or for Someone Else

SSA offers free interpreter services. Its appointment line takes calls in English, Spanish and other languages, so say which language you need when you’re connected.

Caregivers often call on behalf of a parent, spouse or child. For some tasks, SSA may ask for papers showing you’re responsible for them, such as court custody documents. For SSI, the applicant can appoint a representative who can help with the application and join appointments.

How to Protect Your Social Security Number

People often call SSA asking to “freeze” their number after a scam or data breach. SSA’s own advice if someone has stolen your personal information:

  1. Sign in to or create a my Social Security account. SSA says this stops identity thieves from opening an account in your name, and you get an alert right away if anyone tries to change your address or direct deposit.
  2. Ask one of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, to add a fraud alert to your credit report.
  3. Report the theft and get a recovery plan at identitytheft.gov.
  4. Change any password the scammer may have.

Medicare Phone Numbers

Medicare questions split between two agencies. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for coverage, claims and plan questions. Medicare.gov says live help is there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. TTY users call 1-877-486-2048.

Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to sign up for Medicare Part A or Part B, change your address, apply for Extra Help with drug costs, or confirm you meet Medicare’s citizenship or residency rules. A lost Medicare card can be replaced through SSA’s automated line or online. See the replacement Medicare card guide.

How to Spot a Fake Social Security Call

Scammers copy SSA’s name and even its phone numbers. SSA’s warning signs:

  • The caller spoofs a real government or police number on your caller ID.
  • They claim another company or agency is transferring you to SSA. SSA warned on July 29, 2026, that legitimate companies can’t do that.
  • They threaten arrest or say your Social Security number will be suspended.
  • They demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, gold or cash, or say you must pay to get a cost-of-living increase.

SSA never asks for sensitive information by social media, email or text. If a call worries you, hang up and call 1-800-772-1213 or your local office yourself. Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov/report. To lock down your record, open a my Social Security account, which alerts you if someone tries to change your address or direct deposit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 1-800-772-1213 a Free Call?

Yes. It is SSA's toll-free National 800 Number. SSA's help itself is also free, and SSA warns that anyone charging for free forms, such as a replacement card, is an imposter.

Should I Call My Local Office or the 800 Number?

Either works. SSA says it can help by phone when you call your local office or the National 800 Number. A local office is useful for questions about an appointment or a case it handles, or when it is offering phone-only service.

Can I Call Social Security on the Weekend?

Live agents answer only Monday through Friday. The automated line works 24 hours a day, every day, for tasks such as a benefit verification letter or a replacement Medicare card.

Can Someone Transfer My Call to Social Security?

No legitimate company or other agency can transfer your call directly to SSA or its Inspector General. SSA warned in July 2026 that a caller who claims to do this is running a scam.

How Do I Get Help Creating a My Social Security Account by Phone?

Call 1-800-772-1213 and say "Help Desk" for priority service, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday.

Is There a Phone Number for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Callers?

Yes. SSA's TTY number is 1-800-325-0778, and SSA also takes telecommunications relay service calls at 1-800-772-1213.

Keep Reading

Sources

  1. SSA: Contact Social Security by phone
  2. SSA: Online services
  3. SSA: Make or change an appointment
  4. SSA: Protect yourself from scams
  5. Medicare.gov: Talk to someone

Independent site, not affiliated with the Social Security Administration. Office addresses, phone numbers and hours come from SSA's public office data. To apply for benefits or manage your record, go to SSA directly at ssa.gov.