There is no single Disability Determination Services (DDS) fax number. DDS offices are state agencies that decide the medical side of Social Security disability claims, and each state runs its own. The fax number for your claim is printed on the DDS request letter, right next to a barcode, and that barcoded letter must be the first page of your fax. A few states publish their numbers: Florida's DDS administration office uses 850-617-4978 and Ohio's Division of Disability Determination uses 614-438-1504.

This guide explains how DDS faxing works, why the barcode matters more than the number, and which state fax lines we could verify on official sources.

  • The DDS letter is the source of truth. It carries both the fax number and the barcode for your claim.
  • The barcode page goes first, in front of every document set you send.
  • Verified numbers for Florida, Ohio, Washington, Montana, and North Carolina

Table of Contents

What DDS does and why it wants faxes

When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security field office takes the application and then sends the medical part of the claim to your state's DDS. A disability examiner there gathers medical evidence, may schedule a consultative exam, and decides whether your condition meets SSA's rules.

That evidence-gathering is why fax still matters. DDS mails requests to doctors, hospitals, and to you, asking for records, function reports, or forms. Many provider offices still answer by fax, and Social Security's Electronic Records Express (ERE) system is built so that a barcoded fax drops straight into the claimant's electronic folder.

For the earlier and later stages, such as the application itself or a hearing, see our guide to faxing Social Security.

The barcode cover sheet

Every DDS request letter for records or information includes a barcode. Social Security's ERE guidance explains its role: the barcode is what links your pages to the claimant's unique disability folder, and for providers, what triggers payment for the records.

The rules are short and strict:

  • The barcode letter must be page one. Without it as the first page, SSA warns that matching your pages to the claim can be significantly delayed.
  • One barcode per document set. If you send records from Dr. Jones and Dr. Henry, each set starts with its own barcode page.
  • Use the barcode for the right level. The barcode comes from the office handling the claim now. SSA notes that once a case is at the hearing level, you get the barcode from that hearing office, not from DDS.
  • Do not fax more than 200 pages in one transmission.
  • PC fax software and online fax services are fine, as long as the first page is the barcode. You may need to scan the letter to make that page.

Do not write over, crop, or shrink the barcode. Scan the letter at normal size and straight on, so the barcode is readable at fax resolution.

Verified state DDS fax numbers

Most states do not publish a general DDS fax number, because each letter carries the number for that case. The numbers below come from official state DDS sites or ssa.gov. Verified November 2026.

State Fax number What it is for Source
Florida 850-617-4978 Division of Disability Determinations, administration office floridahealth.gov
Florida 866-868-4105 (Jacksonville), 866-534-4018 (Miami), 407-895-5881 (Orlando), 850-484-5194 (Pensacola), 866-261-2398 (Tampa) Area offices; Central Areas I-III have their own lines on the same page floridahealth.gov area offices
Ohio 614-438-1504 Division of Disability Determination, Columbus ssa.gov Chicago Region DDS
Washington 1-866-324-3313 (Olympia), 1-866-625-3815 (Seattle), 1-866-478-0546 (Spokane) Barcoded records; bills go to 1-833-656-1246 only dshs.wa.gov
Montana 1-866-683-2367 Faxes with a barcode dphhs.mt.gov
Montana 406-444-3564 Faxes without a barcode dphhs.mt.gov
North Carolina 1-866-885-3235 Secure fax for consultative examination reports from exam providers NCDHHS provider packet

For other states, including Texas, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Georgia, we did not find a general DDS fax number on an official state site. That is normal: use the number on your letter, or call the DDS phone number on it and ask for the examiner's fax.

The number on your letter wins

A DDS case is assigned to an examiner, and the letter you receive is generated for that case. The fax number printed on it can route to a specific unit or branch office, and the barcode tells the system which folder the pages belong in.

So even in states listed above, use the number on your letter if it differs. If you have no letter, you have three options, in order of reliability:

  1. Call the DDS using the phone number on any earlier DDS letter, and ask for the fax number and a barcode for your claim.
  2. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or your local office, and ask which DDS has your claim.
  3. Check your state's official DDS site, as in the table above.

Avoid fax numbers from directory sites. Your records carry medical history and your Social Security number.

How to fax DDS, step by step

  1. Get the barcoded letter for the request you are answering.
  2. Gather what it asks for: medical records, a completed function report, a work history form, or other items listed.
  3. Order the pages: barcode letter first, then the documents. Repeat the barcode page before each separate provider's records.
  4. Scan cleanly in black and white, at normal resolution, and check that the barcode is sharp.
  5. Split large files so that no single fax is over 200 pages.
  6. Send to the number on the letter and keep the confirmation showing the page count.

You can send a fax online for $2.99 with no subscription and no account. The delivery confirmation records the time and pages, which is the proof SSA says to keep when you fax.

Why DDS faxes go astray

  • No barcode, or barcode not first. The pages arrive but cannot be tied to a claim automatically.
  • Reusing an old barcode. Once a case moves to a hearing office, evidence needs that office's barcode, not the one from an earlier DDS letter.
  • One barcode for several providers. Each document set needs its own barcode page in front.
  • A blurred or shrunken barcode. Photos of the letter at an angle, or "fit to page" scaling, can make it unreadable.
  • Oversized faxes. Anything over 200 pages risks failure partway through.
  • Missing the response date. If your DDS letter gives a date to respond by and you need more time to get records, call the examiner rather than letting it pass.

Faxing DDS comes down to the letter: use its number, put its barcode first, and keep your confirmation. Get those right and your evidence lands in the claim file without anyone having to search for it.

Fax your DDS documents now →

Frequently asked questions

What is the Disability Determination Services fax number?

There is no national one. Each state runs its own DDS, and the fax number for your claim is printed on the DDS request letter, next to the barcode. A few states publish fax numbers, such as Florida (850-617-4978, administration office) and Ohio (614-438-1504).

Why does the DDS barcode page have to be first?

Social Security says the barcode links what you send to the claimant's electronic disability folder. If the barcode letter is not the first page, matching the records to the claim can be significantly delayed.

Can I fax DDS without a barcode?

It is risky. Some states publish a separate line for faxes without a barcode, such as Montana's 406-444-3564, but most do not. If you lost the letter, call your state DDS or Social Security and ask for a new barcode before you send records.

Is DDS the same as Social Security?

No. DDS offices are state agencies that make the medical decision on Social Security disability claims for SSA, using SSA's rules. Your local Social Security office handles the application itself, and hearing offices handle later appeals.

How many pages can I fax to DDS?

Social Security's Electronic Records Express guidance says not to fax more than 200 pages. For larger records, send several faxes, each starting with the barcode page.

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