Frequently Asked Questions
We must comply with Social Security Administration requirements and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act standards. Because we must follow those standards, we cannot guarantee that the Electronic Records Express website will be compatible with all internet browsers. We tested the Electronic Records Express website with commonly used browsers such as Internet Explorer for Windows, Firefox for Windows and Mac, Safari for Windows and Mac, and Chrome for Windows and Mac. To get the best results, we highly recommend that your browser have JavaScript enabled in your browser's preferences.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties, you should first check the security or preference settings for your browser. If further assistance is needed, please call the Social Security Electronic Records Express Help Desk at 1-866-691-3061.
Depending on which service you are using, the Electronic Records Express website will accept at least one of the following file formats: .doc, .wpd, .zip, .jpg, .bmp, .txt, .xls, .pdf, .tiff, .tif, .docx, .mdi, .rtf, and .xlsx.
Yes. The total file size of both individual and group submissions cannot exceed 50 megabytes. (i.e., The aggregate size for all files in any one upload sessions may not exceed 50MB.)
You will be prompted to change your password once every 90 days.
You may contact the Social Security Electronic Records Express Help Desk at 1-866-691-3061 or send them an email at electronic-records-express@ssa.gov. You may also contact your Professional Relations Officer or your local hearing office for assistance.
Some internet browsers provide an option for you to save your password for future access. If you saved your password through your browser, the browser will continue to use the expired password when you log into the Electronic Records Express website. We do not recommend that you store your password on your browser because the compromise of these passwords is more possible than when they are not stored.
Online instructions are available by clicking on the "User Instructions" link in the upper right hand corner of Electronic Records Express website pages. Additional written instructions are available on Electronic Records Express page (https://www.ssa.gov/ere) available on https://www.ssa.gov. To learn about using the secure website, please view the Secure website interactive demonstration - a full-featured exploration of Social Security’s Electronic Records Express secure website. We recommend you explore the site with the help of your Professional Relations Officer or your local hearing office.
You may call the Social Security Electronic Records Express Help Desk at 1-866-691-3061 or send them an email at electronic-records-express@ssa.gov, or you should contact the office where you are sending the document or the office that requested the information.
To receive notification of scheduled ERE outages, you may subscribe to ERE GovDelivery services on the Social Security Administration’s ERE internet website: Social Security Online: Electronic Records Express. You may also subscribe by clicking on the red envelope found on the Bulletin Board of the ERE website's homepage.
The tracking information page means that your document(s) was successfully uploaded to the Social Security web server. Once it is uploaded it must go through a virus scan and a file conversion process (converted to a Tagged Image Format file in order to conform to our storage format). Occasionally an uploaded document will not process. You should allow up to 24 hours before resending a document, although website submissions will be processed in a few hours under normal circumstances.
The website supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) / TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption to protect records submitted from your PC to Social Security and the Disability Determination Services. Your account is protected by your confidential user ID and password combination.
After 25 minutes of website inactivity, you will be asked to indicate that you want to continue using the website. If you do not respond within 5 minutes, you will be logged off the Electronic Records Express Website. All users are logged out of the website 2 hours after logging in. If you want to continue using the website and have been logged out, you will need to go to the login page and reenter your User ID and Password.
You may choose to amend your reports by sending new information; however, the original reports you sent will remain part of the electronic file. If you sent a file in error, please contact the office where you sent the file to have it removed.
Social Security complies with all laws and regulations regarding release of medical and school records. Form SSA-827 “Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration,” which accompanies every request for health and school records from Social Security, contains language that specifically permits electronic processing.
If you are unsure of the process to request payment for providing medical records, please contact the specific office that sent you the request. Use this link Professional Relations Officer if you would like contact information for a State Disability Determination Service or this link local hearing office to obtain contact information for a hearing office.
You must contact the DDS to obtain a DDS barcode before sending any information to DDS.
You must have a barcode from the ODAR office you are dealing with before sending any information via the ERE website.
If you are an appointed representative who has claims pending at the Hearing or Appeals Council levels and you want to enroll for online access to your client's eFolders, please contact a hearing office and ask them to place you on the list of representatives who would like to receive an invitation to enroll.
General information for claimant representatives can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/representation/. You can also contact Social Security by telephone, 1-800-772-1213 or the toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.