electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (eCBSV) Service
Permitted Entity Registration Process
Recommended Technical Expertise
To Access Entity Registration and Enrollment
What is Written Consent in the eCBSV Context?
What is an Electronic Signature?
What are Acceptable Forms of Electronic Signatures?
How Do I Attach or Associate the Electronic Signature to the Written Consent?
Written Consent Incorporated into the Financial Institution’s Business Process
Written Consent Template Must Haves
Information About eCBSV
Section 215 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, (Pub. L. No. 115-174, referred to as the "Banking Bill") directs Social Security to modify or develop a database for accepting and comparing fraud protection data provided electronically by a permitted entity. In response to this statutory directive, Social Security created eCBSV, a fee-based Social Security number (SSN) verification service.
eCBSV allows permitted entities to verify if an individual’s SSN, name, and date of birth combination matches Social Security records. Social Security needs the number holder’s written consent with a wet or electronic signature in order to disclose the SSN verification.
eCBSV returns a match verification of “Yes” or “No.” If our records show that the SSN holder is deceased, eCBSV returns a death indicator. eCBSV does not verify an individual’s identity.
Social Security began development of eCBSV in 2019, provided an open application period from July 17, 2019, through July 31, 2019, and published an open application period in a Federal Register Notice (FRN). On Friday, January 14, 2022, SSA published in the Federal Register a Notice, “Notice of Open Enrollment and Fee Increase for Our electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification Service.” On February 21, 2022, SSA began the open enrollment period for Permitted Entities who wish to begin using eCBSV. Enrollment is now open indefinitely.
ELIGIBILITY
Qualified users for the eCBSV service must be a permitted entity (PE), as defined in the Banking Bill, and must possess an employer identification number (EIN). Each permitted entity will be required to submit a certification in accordance with the Banking Bill.
- Permitted Entity – A financial institution, as defined in as defined section 509 of the Gramm-Leach- Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6809), or service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee of a financial institution (section 215(b)(4)).
- EIN - An EIN, also known as an Employer Identification Number, identifies a business entity. If you need an EIN, contact the IRS. Social Security will require permitted entities to sign an EIN consent form to allow Social Security to verify the EIN with the IRS. The EIN Consent must be executed by a corporate officer of a C corporation, shareholder of an S corporation, or a member of a partnership with authority to execute the consent with respect to the entity’s EIN.
- Certification Statement - A signed declaration the permitted entity provides to Social Security at least every two years that includes the following four declarations:
- The entity is a permitted entity.
- The entity is in compliance with the Banking Bill.
- The entity is, and will remain, in compliance with its privacy and data security requirements, as described in Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801 et seq.), with respect to information the entity receives from the Commissioner pursuant to this section.
- The entity will retain sufficient records to demonstrate its compliance with its certification and this section for a period of not less than two years.
- You may view the Certification Statement template here.
FEES
Social Security is required to collect the full cost of eCBSV services. The public cost burden is dependent upon the number of PEs using the service and the annual transaction volume. Each permitted entity will be required to pay an annual tier-based subscription fee based on estimated transaction volume for the 365-day agreement period.
Beginning on July 10, 2023, the below Annual Tier-Based Subscription Fee Model took effect.
| Tier | Annual Transaction Volume | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Up to 10,000 (1–10,000) | $7,000 |
| 2 | Up to 200,000 (10,001–200,000) | $130,000 |
| 3 | Up to 1 million (200,001–1 million) | $630,000 |
| 4 | Up to 2.5 million (1,000,001–2.5 million) | $1,500,000 |
| 5 | Up to 5 million (2,500,001–5 million) | $3,000,000 |
| 6 | Up to 10 million (5,000,001–10 million) | $4,500,000 |
| 7 | Up to 15 million (10,000,001–15 million) | $5,000,000 |
| 8 | Up to 20 million (15,000,001–20 million) | $6,250,000 |
| 9 | Up to 25 million (20,000,001–25 million) | $7,250,000 |
| 10 | Up to 75 million (25,000,001–75 million) | $8,250,000 |
Fees are based on forecasted systems and operational expenses, agency oversight, overhead, and CPA audit contract costs. Section 215(h)(1)(A) of the Banking Bill requires that the Commissioner shall “periodically adjust” the price paid by users. On at least an annual basis, SSA will monitor costs incurred to provide eCBSV services and will revise the tier fee schedule accordingly. We will notify PEs of the tier fee schedule in effect at the renewal of eCBSV user agreements, and via notice in the Federal Register. At that time, PEs can cancel the agreement or renew service according to the new tier fee schedule.
ENROLLMENT & Methods to ACCESS eCBSV
- There are two ways to access eCBSV:
- Financial institutions may choose to apply with Social Security, or
- Financial institutions may choose to use a service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee to process transactions on their behalf.
If applying directly, the financial institution must complete all registration and enrollment requirements, including signing the user agreement.
If applying indirectly through a service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee, the financial institution must independently identify and contract with a service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee of their choice who becomes a permitted entity who signs the User Agreement. Then the service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee must complete all registration and enrollment requirements. Once the permitted entity has completed all registration and enrollment requirements, then the financial institution must complete an individual registration including submitting the certification.
Social Security is not a party to the contractual relationship between the financial institution and the service provider, subsidiary, affiliate, agent, subcontractor, or assignee.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Technical Support
The eCBSV Help Desk provides entities with technical support related to development, testing, and using the eCBSV Registration, Customer Connection, and Verification Services.
Hours of Operation:
- 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (excluding all Federal Holidays)
eCBSV Technical Support Contact Information
- Email address: eCBSVHelpDesk@ssa.gov
When to contact eCBSV Technical Support
- After your in-house technical team has reviewed the issue(s) and they are unable to resolve.
- If you have received an error response in Production or the External Testing Environment (ETE) which, while you can work around it, causes you to take extra step(s) that you shouldn’t have to.
What is needed when contacting eCBSV Technical Support
When you contact the eCBSV Help Desk, via email, please be prepare to provide the following information:
- Company’s Name and EIN
- Domain Name
- OIDC URL
- Exchange ID
- External Transaction ID (optional)
- Date and time of issue
- A description of the problem (Example: "I can’t successfully validate my OIDC Issuer URL")
- Please provide a point of contact (name, phone number, email and alternate contact person)
If the problem can be reproduced:
- List the steps you took to create it
- Provide screen shot(s) of any error message(s) that is displayed
- Include any additional supporting documentation such as sample reports or any other helpful information
If the problem cannot be reproduced, i.e., occurs sporadically or inconsistently:
- Describe the circumstances in which it occurred and the symptoms observed
- Provide screen shot(s) of any error message(s) that is displayed
- Include any additional supporting documentation such as sample reports or any other helpful information.
General Support
The eCBSV Project Team provides entities with general support related to the User Agreement, costs, eligibility and enrollment, Written Consent requirements, and reporting lost, compromised, or potentially compromised SSN Verifications or Written Consents.
Hours of Operation:
- 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (excluding all Federal Holidays)
eCBSV Project Team Contact Information
Email: eCBSV@ssa.gov
Billing and Payment Issues
The Office of Finance provides entities with general support related fees, billing, and payment issues, but does not troubleshoot technical issues related to submitting payments online through Pay.gov.
Hours of Operation:
- 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (excluding all Federal Holidays)
Office of Finance Contact Information
ATTN eCBSV
Email: OF.DRAC.eCBSV@SSA.GOV