Reconsideration timelines depend on your state and the Social Security office handling your case

Social Security must issue a reconsideration decision within 60 calendar days of receiving your request. In practice, most cases take between 4 to 6 weeks. However, the clock does not start on the day you file — it starts when Social Security's local office receives and logs your paperwork. Mail delays, incomplete forms, and backlogs at your state's processing center can all push the actual wait longer.

The 60-day rule is a federal requirement, but Social Security does not always meet it. If your state's Disability information Services (DDS) office is backlogged, your case may sit in queue for weeks before a reviewer even opens your file. Some states consistently finish in 45 days; others regularly exceed 60 days and face no penalty for doing so.

You have no control over speed once you submit, but you do control whether your case moves forward at all. A missing document or an unclear address on your form can stall everything. The single biggest delay is an incomplete medical record — if Social Security requests records from your doctor and the office is slow to respond, your timeline extends by weeks or months.

Key Takeaways

  • Social Security has 60 calendar days to send you a reconsideration decision, but most cases take 4 to 6 weeks in states with normal processing times.
  • The 60-day clock starts when your local Social Security office receives and records your request, not when you mail it or file it online.
  • Missing documents, incomplete medical records, or unclear contact information can delay your case by weeks or months beyond the 60-day window.
  • You can call your local Social Security office to confirm your case was received and ask whether they are waiting for any documents from you or your doctors.
  • If Social Security does not send a decision within 60 days, you can file an appeal to the Appeals Council without waiting any longer.

When the 60-day clock actually starts

Social Security's 60-day timeline begins the day your local Social Security office receives your reconsideration request and enters it into their system. If you mail your request, add 5 to 10 business days for postal delivery before the clock starts. If you file online through your my Social Security account, the clock starts when ready.

The date Social Security receives your request is not the same as the date you sent it. If you mail your reconsideration form on a Monday, it may not arrive at the office until Thursday or Friday. If it arrives on a Friday afternoon, it may not be logged into the system until Monday morning. This gap — between when you send it and when they record it — is invisible to you but real in terms of timing.

You can reduce this uncertainty by filing online through my Social Security or by hand-delivering your request to your local office in person. Both methods create a same-day record. If you must mail your request, send it certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of the delivery date.

What happens during those 4 to 6 weeks

Once your case is logged, a reviewer at your state's Disability information Services office pulls your file. They read your original denial, review any new medical evidence you submitted, and decide whether to overturn the denial or uphold it. This review typically takes 2 to 3 weeks if all documents are present.

If Social Security needs medical records from your doctor, they send a request to the office. The doctor's office then has to locate your chart, copy the relevant pages, and mail them back. This step alone can take 2 to 4 weeks depending on how organized the medical office is and how busy they are. If the office does not respond, Social Security sends a second request, adding another week or two.

After the reviewer finishes, a supervisor or quality assurance person may spot-check the decision before it is mailed to you. This step is supposed to take a few days but sometimes adds a week if the office is understaffed.

Why some cases take longer than 60 days

Social Security misses the 60-day important date in roughly 10 to 15 percent of reconsideration cases, though the rate varies by state. The most common reasons are medical records delays, incomplete applications, and backlogs at the state DDS office.

If you did not include all required documents with your reconsideration request, Social Security will contact you to ask for them. You then have 10 business days to respond. If you miss that important date, your case may be denied for incompleteness, or it may be held in suspension while they wait. Either way, the 60-day clock keeps running.

Some states' DDS offices are chronically backlogged. If your state processes 500 reconsiderations per month but receives 600, cases queue up. Social Security does not add extra time to the 60-day rule when this happens — they straightforward miss the important date and move on to the next case.

How to track your reconsideration status

Log into your my Social Security account online and check the status of your case. The account will show whether your reconsideration is pending, whether Social Security is waiting for documents, and sometimes an estimated decision date. This is the most current information available to you.

If you do not have a my Social Security account, call your local Social Security office directly. Have your Social Security number ready and ask them to confirm that your reconsideration request was received, what date it was logged, and whether they are waiting for any documents from you or your doctors. Write down the name of the person you spoke with and the date of the call.

Do not wait passively. Call after 3 weeks if you have not heard anything. Call again after 5 weeks. If you reach the 60-day mark with no decision, call and ask whether you can file an appeal to the Appeals Council without waiting any longer.

What to do if you hit 60 days with no decision

If Social Security does not send you a written decision within 60 calendar days, you have the right to file an appeal to the Appeals Council. You do not have to wait for Social Security to finish their reconsideration. You can file the appeal when ready after day 60 passes.

To file this appeal, complete form HA-520 (Request for Appeals Council Review) and mail it to the address on your reconsideration denial notice, or to your local Social Security office. Include a statement that you are filing because Social Security missed the 60-day important date. Keep a copy for your records.

Filing this appeal does not hurt your case. It straightforward moves your case to the next level of review. The Appeals Council will either send your case back to the DDS office to finish the reconsideration, or they will review it themselves. Either way, you are no longer waiting at the reconsideration stage.

Speeding up your reconsideration: what you can control

Submit all required documents with your initial reconsideration request. Do not wait for Social Security to ask for them. Include your medical records, treatment notes, test results, and any new evidence since your original denial. The more complete your file is on day one, the faster the reviewer can make a decision.

If you are submitting medical records, call your doctor's office first and ask them to prioritize your request. Explain that you are in a 60-day review window and need the records quickly. Some offices will fax records instead of mailing them, which saves a week.

Use your my Social Security account to file your reconsideration if you can. Online filing is logged when ready, whereas mail can take days to arrive and be processed. If you file online, you also get when ready confirmation that your request was received.

Keep your contact information current with Social Security. If they need to reach you and your phone number or address is wrong, they may send a notice you never receive, which can delay your case or result in a dismissal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Social Security take longer than 60 days to send a reconsideration decision?

Yes. The 60-day rule is a requirement, but Social Security does not always meet it. If they miss the important date, you can file an appeal to the Appeals Council without waiting any longer. Missing the important date does not automatically mean your case will be approved — it straightforward means you can move forward to the next level of review.

Does the 60 days include weekends and holidays?

Yes. The 60-day timeline is calendar days, not business days. Weekends and federal holidays count toward the 60 days. If day 60 falls on a weekend, Social Security must send the decision by the end of that calendar day, though in practice they may send it the following Monday.

What if my doctor is slow to send medical records?

Call your doctor's office and ask them to send records directly to Social Security as soon as possible. If they are very slow, ask whether you can pick up copies and deliver them to Social Security yourself. You can also ask Social Security to send a second request to the doctor's office if the first one has not been answered after two weeks.

Will my reconsideration take longer if I submit new medical evidence?

Not necessarily. New evidence does not automatically extend the timeline — Social Security still has 60 days. However, if the new evidence requires Social Security to request additional records from your doctors, that request-and-response cycle can add weeks to your case.

What happens if I move during my reconsideration?

Contact Social Security when ready and provide your new address. If they send a decision notice to your old address and you do not receive it, you may miss a important date to appeal. Update your address in your my Social Security account online, or call your local office to report the change in person.