The work history requirement for SSDI
To receive SSDI, you need to have worked long enough and recently enough to have earned enough work credits. The Social Security Administration does not count years of work directly — it counts credits, which you earn by paying Social Security taxes on your wages.
For most people under 62, you need 40 work credits total, with at least 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years before you became disabled. This means you could have worked steadily for about 10 years, or you could have worked on and off over a longer period, as long as you hit those numbers.
The exact requirement depends on your age when your disability began. Younger workers need fewer total credits but still need recent work history. Someone who became disabled at 24 might need only 12 credits, but still needs 8 of them from the past two years.
Key Takeaways
- Most people need 40 work credits total, with at least 20 earned in the 10 years before disability began.
- You earn one work credit for every $1,550 in wages you pay Social Security taxes on in a year (the dollar amount changes yearly).
- You can earn a maximum of four work credits per year, no matter how much you earn.
- Younger workers have lower credit requirements but must have more recent work history relative to their age.
- Self-employed people and people who worked under the table do not have work credits and cannot receive SSDI.
How work credits are earned
You earn work credits by paying Social Security taxes on your wages. Each year, you earn one credit for every $1,550 you earn (this dollar amount increases each year with inflation). You can earn a maximum of four credits per year — so if you earn $6,200 in a year, you still only get four credits for that year, not more.
The amount needed to earn one credit changes every January. In 2024, you needed $1,550 in earnings to earn one credit. In 2025, that amount is $1,630. The Social Security Administration publishes the current year's amount on its website.
Only wages you pay Social Security taxes on count toward work credits. This includes W-2 wages from an employer and net self-employment income. Tips, gifts, inheritances, unemployment benefits, and other income do not count.
Work history requirements by age
The younger you are when you become disabled, the fewer work credits you need, but you also need to have worked more recently. Here is how the requirement breaks down:
| Age when disabled | Total credits needed | Recent work requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 31 or older | 40 | 20 credits in the past 10 years |
| 24 to 30 | 20 to 39 | Credits earned in the past 2 years equal half the credits needed |
| 22 to 23 | 12 | 8 credits in the past 2 years |
| 21 to 22 | 8 | 6 credits in the past 2 years |
| 20 or younger | 6 | 6 credits in the past 3 years |
These requirements exist because Social Security assumes that younger workers have had less time to build a work history. The "recent work" requirement ensures that you have been in the workforce recently enough that you were paying into the system when your disability began.
What counts as recent work
Recent work means work that happened within a certain time frame before your disability began. The Social Security Administration uses your date of disability to calculate this window — not the date you filed for SSDI, but the date your condition actually made you unable to work.
If you stopped working before you filed for SSDI, the agency will look back from the date you stopped working, not from today. This matters because it means you do not have to keep working while you wait for a decision. You can stop working when your condition makes it impossible, and the clock for "recent work" starts from that date.
Work you did before your disability date counts toward your total of 40 credits, even if it was many years ago. Only the "recent work" portion has a time limit.
If you do not have enough work history
If you do not have enough work credits, you cannot receive SSDI. There is no exception for people who worked but did not earn enough credits, and there is no way to make up credits after the fact.
However, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead. SSI is a different program that does not require work history. It is based on financial need and disability, and the monthly payment is usually lower than SSDI. To receive SSI, your income and assets must fall below certain limits, and you must be a U.S. citizen or certain categories of non-citizen.
If you are close to having enough credits but not quite there, you might also consider whether you can work a bit longer. Each year you work and earn enough to get four credits moves you closer to the requirement. This is only possible if your condition allows you to work, and only if working will not make your condition worse.
How to check your work credits
You can see how many work credits you have earned by creating an account on ssa.gov and viewing your Social Security Statement. This statement shows your earnings history year by year and the number of credits you earned each year.
You can also request a paper copy of your statement by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visiting a local Social Security office. The statement is free and takes about two weeks to arrive by mail.
Checking your statement before you file for SSDI is useful because it lets you know whether you meet the work history requirement. If you see errors in your earnings history, you can correct them before you file. If your statement shows you do not have enough credits, you will know that SSDI is not an option and you should look into SSI instead.
Work history for people who became disabled young
If you became disabled before age 22, you may have very few work credits or none at all. In this case, you cannot receive SSDI based on your own work history. However, you may be able to receive benefits as a disabled adult child if one of your parents is retired, disabled, or deceased and has enough work credits.
Disabled adult child benefits are based on your parent's work record, not your own. You must have become disabled before age 22, and you must remain disabled. The monthly payment is usually about half of what your parent receives (or would receive if they were receiving benefits).
If neither of your parents has enough work credits, or if you do not meet the disabled adult child rules, you may be able to receive SSI based on your family's income and assets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get SSDI if I worked under the table or was paid in cash?
No. SSDI requires work credits, which you only earn when Social Security taxes are withheld from your pay. Cash work, under-the-table work, and informal jobs do not generate work credits. Self-employed people can earn credits if they report their income and pay self-employment tax, but unreported income does not count.
Do military service years count as work credits?
Military service before 1968 may count as work credits under certain conditions. If you served on active duty before 1968, you may receive credits for that service even if you did not pay Social Security taxes. After 1968, military service counts only if you paid Social Security taxes on your military pay, which most service members do. Contact Social Security to verify whether your service counts.
What if I worked in another country?
Work you did outside the United States generally does not count toward SSDI work credits, even if you paid taxes in that country. However, if you worked for a U.S. employer or a U.S. government agency while abroad, that work may count. Contact Social Security with details about your foreign work to find out whether it qualifies.
Can I earn work credits after I become disabled?
Yes, if you continue to work after your disability begins, you can continue to earn work credits. However, if you are receiving SSDI, there are limits on how much you can earn before your benefits are reduced or stopped. The Social Security Administration calls this the "substantial gainful activity" limit, and it changes yearly. In 2024, the limit is $1,550 per month for non-blind disabled workers.
Do I need to have worked for a specific employer for a certain length of time?
No. SSDI does not require that you work for one employer or stay in one job. You can earn work credits from many different employers over many years. What matters is the total number of credits you have earned and when you earned them, not where or for whom you worked.