Finding an Office

Is the Social Security Office Closed Due to a Government Shutdown?

No. During a government shutdown, local Social Security offices stay open to the public, but they offer fewer services. In the 2026 shutdown, SSA said offices would still take benefit applications, appeals, address and direct deposit changes and Social Security card requests, but would not provide proof of benefits letters or correct earnings records. Hearing offices stayed open, and payments arrived on their usual dates. Check SSA's office closings list before you go.

By SS Office Location Editorial Team · Published November 2, 2026

The U.S. Capitol dome and Senate wing in Washington, DC, behind green trees on an overcast day — Photo: Ramaz Bluashvili / Pexels

A government shutdown does not close your Social Security office. The office stays open, but it does less. Some tasks go ahead as usual, a few stop until funding returns, and the line may be longer. This post sets out what SSA said offices would and would not do in the two most recent shutdowns, so you can decide whether your trip is worth making.

Yes. When Congress missed its funding deadline and the federal government shut down on January 31, 2026, SSA said its local offices “will remain open to the public but will provide reduced services.” It said the same in the October 2025 shutdown, when it told advocates that only some in-person services were unavailable.

A shutdown, also called a lapse in appropriations, happens when Congress hasn’t passed the yearly funding that pays for an agency’s staff and operations. Social Security payments kept going through both recent shutdowns while some office work paused.

While a shutdown is in effect, SSA puts a notice at the top of its Office Closings and Emergencies page saying offices are open for some services. That page also lists, by state and ZIP code, the few offices that are closed or serving by phone only for other reasons, such as building repairs. Our guide to closed or moved Social Security offices shows how to read that list.

What You Can Still Do at the Office During a Shutdown

SSA’s February 2026 shutdown notice listed the services local offices kept providing. Here they are, with what each means for your visit.

Service	Available in the office during the 2026 shutdown
Apply for benefits	Yes
Request an appeal	Yes
Change your address or direct deposit	Yes
Report a death	Yes
Verify or change your citizenship status	Yes
Replace a lost or missing payment	Yes
Get a critical payment	Yes
Change a representative payee	Yes
Report a change in living arrangement or income (SSI only)	Yes
Get a new or replacement Social Security card	Yes
Get a proof of benefits letter	No
Update or correct your earnings record	No

If your task is on the “Yes” list, the shutdown alone is no reason to cancel. Keep your Social Security appointment if you have one. Booking ahead still matters, because fewer services doesn’t mean shorter lines. SSA has said it won’t turn away people who walk in without an appointment, but a walk-in visit during a shutdown can mean a long wait.

What Stops Until the Shutdown Ends

Two services stopped in offices during the 2026 shutdown: proof of benefits letters (also called benefit verification letters) and updates or corrections to your earnings record. SSA said these in-person services “will resume when the federal government is operating normally.”

The October 2025 shutdown stopped a slightly different set. SSA told advocates that offices temporarily could not process in-person requests for benefit verification letters or replacement Medicare cards. Each shutdown runs under the plan SSA issues for it, so the exact list can change from one shutdown to the next.

If the thing you need is on the stopped list, don’t make the trip. Wait for the shutdown to end, or use the online route below.

No. In the 2026 shutdown, SSA said payments to everyone already getting Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) would continue “with no change in payment dates.” The October 2025 shutdown worked the same way. A Senate office’s shutdown guidance from that month said SSDI, SSI and retirement checks would be paid without interruption.

If a payment is missing, offices could still replace a lost or missing payment and issue a critical payment during the 2026 shutdown. Those are on the “Yes” list above.

Yes. SSA said its hearing offices “remain open to conduct hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)” during the 2026 shutdown. If you have a hearing scheduled, plan to attend on the date and time in your notice. Our Social Security hearing office guide explains how hearings work, and the hearing office directory lists every office with its address.

Appeal deadlines don’t pause for a shutdown. You generally have 60 days after you receive a decision to ask for a hearing, and requesting an appeal was on the list of services offices kept handling. You can also file the request online.

Disability claims also pass through state Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices. In the October 2025 shutdown, a Senate office’s guidance said SSA would direct DDS offices to keep providing limited services and would repay them once funding returned, so disability decisions may move more slowly during a shutdown.

What You Can Do Online Instead of Visiting

A personal my Social Security account covers most of what a shutdown takes off the office menu. During the October 2025 shutdown, SSA pointed people there to:

print a benefit verification letter;
request a replacement Medicare card;
request a replacement Social Security card (in most states);
view your earnings history and future benefit estimates;
apply for retirement or disability benefits;
change your direct deposit or address.

Not sure your task needs an office at all? The Do I Need to Visit an Office? check takes about a minute. If it does, the Which Office Serves My ZIP? tool shows the office assigned to your address.

Other Reasons Your Office Might Be Closed

If you find the doors locked during a shutdown, the shutdown probably isn’t the reason. The usual causes are:

A federal holiday. All Social Security offices close on federal holidays. The rest of 2026 brings Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, and Christmas on Friday, December 25.
An emergency or building closing. SSA’s closings page names the few offices that are temporarily closed, appointment-only or phone-only, often for construction or weather.
A move. Offices sometimes relocate or merge. The closed or moved office guide shows how to find the office that serves you now.

Card centers in large cities are SSA offices too, so the same rules apply. New and replacement cards stayed on the list of services offices provided in the 2026 shutdown. The Social Security card center guide explains which cities have one.

How to Check Before You Go

Before you leave home during a shutdown:

Check SSA’s Office Closings and Emergencies page for your state and ZIP code.
Compare your task with the “Yes” and “No” lists above.
If you aren’t sure, call your local office or SSA’s national number, 1-800-772-1213. SSA says it can often help by phone and save you the trip.
Bring your appointment confirmation, if you have one.

SSA said it would announce the end of a shutdown on its official Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts. Once that happens, the stopped services start again and offices return to their full list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will My Social Security Payments Stop During a Government Shutdown?

No. In the 2026 shutdown, SSA said payments to everyone already getting Social Security or SSI would continue with no change in payment dates. A shutdown pauses some office services, not benefit payments.

Can I Get a Replacement Social Security Card During a Shutdown?

Yes. SSA listed new and replacement Social Security cards among the services local offices kept providing during the 2026 shutdown. In most states you can also request a replacement card online through a my Social Security account. The card center guide explains which office handles cards in large cities.

Are Social Security Disability Hearings Canceled During a Shutdown?

No. SSA said its hearing offices stayed open to hold hearings before an administrative law judge during the 2026 shutdown. Go to your hearing at the date and time on your notice unless the hearing office tells you otherwise.

Can I Apply for Social Security at the Office During a Shutdown?

Yes. Applying for benefits was the first service on SSA's list of what local offices still handled during the 2026 shutdown. You can also apply for retirement or disability benefits online.

What Social Security Services Stop During a Government Shutdown?

In the 2026 shutdown, offices stopped providing proof of benefits letters and stopped updating or correcting earnings records. In the October 2025 shutdown, offices also stopped in-person requests for replacement Medicare cards. SSA said these services resume when the government is operating normally.

How Do I Know if a Shutdown Has Ended?

SSA said it would post updates on its official social media accounts on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram when the shutdown ends. Its Office Closings and Emergencies page also carries a shutdown notice while one is in effect.

Is the Social Security Office Closed Due to a Government Shutdown?