How Long Does a Request for Reconsideration Take for SSDI?

If Social Security denied your SSDI claim, reconsideration is your first formal step to challenge that decision. It's also one of the most misunderstood stages of the appeals process — especially when it comes to timing. Here's what the reconsideration stage actually involves, how long it typically takes, and why the timeline varies so much from one claimant to the next.

What Is SSDI Reconsideration?

When SSA denies an initial SSDI application, claimants have 60 days (plus a 5-day mail grace period) to file a Request for Reconsideration. Missing this window generally means starting the application process over from scratch.

At the reconsideration stage, a different SSA examiner — not the one who handled your initial claim — reviews your file. This includes your original medical evidence, any new records you submit, and the reasoning behind the initial denial. The examiner works through the state Disability Determination Services (DDS) office, the same agency that processed your first application.

Reconsideration is a distinct review, not a rubber stamp. That said, statistically, it is the stage with some of the lowest approval rates in the SSDI appeals process. Many claimants who are ultimately approved receive that approval at the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing level — the next step if reconsideration is also denied.

How Long Does Reconsideration Typically Take?

SSA does not publish a guaranteed processing window for reconsideration decisions. Based on historical program data, most reconsideration decisions take between 3 and 6 months, though some claimants wait considerably longer.

The SSA tracks this internally, and wait times shift based on staffing levels, DDS office workloads, and national claim volumes. There is no fixed deadline SSA is required to meet at the reconsideration stage.

Key Factors That Affect Processing Time

Several variables shape how quickly — or slowly — your reconsideration moves:

🗓️ If SSA needs to schedule a consultative examination (CE) — an independent medical review paid for by SSA — that step alone can add four to eight weeks or more to the timeline.

What Happens After You File?

Once your Request for Reconsideration is submitted, the file is routed back to DDS. An examiner reviews everything on record, often in coordination with a medical consultant. You may receive a request for additional records or be asked to attend a CE.

You won't typically have a hearing at this stage. Reconsideration is a paper review — the examiner evaluates your file without meeting with you in person. This distinguishes it from the ALJ hearing stage, where you have the right to appear before a judge, present testimony, and respond to questions directly.

During the wait, SSA may send requests for updated information. Responding promptly to any correspondence is one of the few things claimants can control during this period.

Can You Speed Up the Process?

In most cases, no. However, certain situations may qualify for expedited processing:

• Terminal illness (TERI cases): SSA has a fast-track process for claimants with terminal diagnoses
• Compassionate Allowances (CAL): Specific conditions on SSA's CAL list are flagged for faster processing
• Military service members: Active-duty injuries may qualify for priority handling
• Critical financial hardship: SSA can consider urgent need in some circumstances, though this is not automatic

If your condition qualifies under one of these categories, it's worth noting that when you file — but there's no guarantee of a faster outcome.

What If Reconsideration Is Also Denied?

Most SSDI claimants who reach reconsideration are denied again. ⚠️ That's not the end of the road. After a reconsideration denial, you have another 60-day window (plus 5 days) to request an ALJ hearing. The ALJ stage is where approval rates historically improve and where claimants can present their case in person.

The full appeals path looks like this:

1. Initial Application → DDS review
2. Reconsideration → Different DDS examiner
3. ALJ Hearing → In-person before an Administrative Law Judge
4. Appeals Council → Internal SSA review body
5. Federal District Court → Judicial review

Each stage has its own timeline, and wait times generally increase as you move up the ladder. ALJ hearing waits, in particular, have historically stretched 12 to 24 months in many regions.

The Missing Piece

The reconsideration timeline for any individual claimant depends on where their case sits — which DDS office handles it, what's already in the file, whether SSA needs more evidence, and how their condition is classified. Two people filing on the same day in different states can wait very different lengths of time for the same stage.

Understanding the process gives you a clearer picture of what to expect. But how that picture applies to your specific claim — your medical history, your work record, the state you live in, the condition you're claiming — is something only your file can answer.