California and Social Security Disability Benefits

ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!

Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like California – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.

Why is State-by-State Information Important?

Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and California social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.

Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.

Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.

While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.

You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in California below.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in California – What You Need To Know

There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how California compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.

As the table shows, in 2024, California on average was slightly ahead at the Hearing level but right on par with the national average in terms of the Reconsideration level, also just slightly ahead at the Initial Application. However, because California is so large, and has so many different Hearing offices, there is a pretty wide variation in Hearing approval rates in different areas of California – this is explained in more detail below.

California Initial Application Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart show, California has been slightly above or right on par with the national average for approval rates of Initial Applications going back to at least 2015. In 2024, California ranked 26th in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have improved slightly in California over the last few years, they are slightly behind the national average, with just over 1/3 of applications being approved at this stage. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.

California Reconsideration Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart indicate, California has generally trailed the national average when it comes to Approvals at the Reconsideration level, being slightly on par with the average since about 2015. In 2024, California ranked 7th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration and is on par with the national average. However, as you can see, in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.

California Hearings Approval Over Time

Swipe left & right to see the whole table. As the table and the below chart indicate, California has been slightly better than the national average when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level, and that has been pretty consistent, going back to at least 2015. In 2024, California ranked 15th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.

However, as you’ll see below, all individual hearing offices in California are not the same – each office has its own approval rates, and almost as importantly, waiting times. Which hearing office your case is assigned to in California may have a significant bearing on your chances for approval.
Also worthy of note is the fact that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.

As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2024, there are some offices that are clearly performing better than others.

For instance, some offices – such as San Bernardino, San Rafael and Norwalk – have shorter hearing times California averages. However, California as a whole has a higher wait time than the National Average.

Santa Barbara, with a 19.3 month average wait time, and Oakland, with a 13.5 month average wait time, are some of the slowest offices in the nation. However, so far in 2024, both offices have approval rates that are above the California average and the national average.

These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.

Hearing Offices in California & The SSA Offices They Serve

These are the “Office of Hearing Operations” offices in California. These offices are where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you.

Regional Office Region 9 San Francisco SSA, OHO
5th Floor 555 Battery Street
San Francisco, California 94111
(866) 964-7584 • (415) 705-2020 Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada American Samoa, Guam, Saipan

Hearing Office Region 9 Fresno SSA, OHO
Suite 300 2440 Tulare Street
Fresno, California 93721
(866) 596-7568 • (559) 443-1281 • (877) 394-4582
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Fresno, Hanford, Madera, Merced, Porterville, Southeast Fresno, Visalia, West Fresno

Hearing Office Region 9 Long Beach SSA, OHO
Federal Building, Suite 5300 501 West Ocean Boulevard
Long Beach, California 90802
(855) 532-0889 • (562) 980-4131 • (877) 394-4587
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Lakewood, Long Beach, San Pedro, Torrance

Hearing Office Region 9 Los Angeles • (Downtown) SSA, OHO
City National Bank Building, Suite 1200 606 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90014
(888) 488-0517 • (213) 894-2595 • (877) 394-4583 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Crenshaw, Los Angeles • (Downtown), University Village, Watts, Wilshire Center

Hearing Office Region 9 Los Angeles • (West) SSA, OHO
Suite 400 12121 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025
(866) 748-2089 • (310) 479-3370 • (877) 394-4585
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Chatsworth, Culver City, Hollywood, Inglewood, Lancaster, Los Angeles Westwood, Panorama City, Santa Clarita

Hearing Office Region 9 Moreno Valley SSA, OHO
3rd Floor 22690 Cactus Avenue
Moreno Valley, California 92553
(866) 737-4503 • (951) 867-3779 • (877) 312-9771
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Blythe, Corona, Hemet, Indio, Moreno Valley, Morongo Basin, Palm Springs, Riverside

Hearing Office Region 9 Norwalk SSA, OHO
Suite 250 12440 E. Imperial Highway
Norwalk, California 90650
(877) 870-6385 • (562) 462-9289 • (877) 394-4581
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Boyle Heights, Compton, Downey, Huntington Park, Montebello, Norwalk, Whittier

Hearing Office Region 9 Oakland SSA, OHO
Oakland Federal Building, Suite 200N 1301 Clay Street
Oakland, California 94612
(866) 366-4916 • (510) 444-1974 • (877) 394-4588
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Antioch, Berkeley, East Oakland, Fremont, Hayward/Livermore • (merged), Oakland, Richmond, San Leandro, Walnut Creek

Hearing Office Region 9 Orange SSA, OHO
Centrum North, Suite 600 1120 West La Veta Avenue
Orange, California 92868
(866) 593-1447 • (714) 246-8271 • (877) 822-0169
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Anaheim, Brea, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Ontario, Pomona Valley, Santa Ana

Hearing Office Region 9 Pasadena SSA, OHO
Pasadena Towers 1, Suite 500 800 E. Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91101
(866) 354-0220 • (626) 793-3080 • (877) 822-5144
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Alhambra, Arcadia, Burbank, El Monte, Glendale, Glendora, Industry Hills, Old Burbank, Pasadena, San Fernando, West Covina

Hearing Office Region 9 NCAC Richmond SSA, OHO
NCAC Frank Hagel Federal Building 1221 Nevin Avenue, 6th Floor
Richmond, California 94801
(855) 295-8304 • (510) 970-1217
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm NCACs are not open to the public.

NCAC 9 R9 Sacramento SSA, OHO
Suite 250 1610 Arden Way
Sacramento, California 95815
(866) 931-2544 • (916) 564-5360 • (877) 394-9226
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Auburn, Chico, Oroville, Placerville, Redding, Roseville, Sacramento, Sacramento • (North), Sacramento • (South), Sacramento • (West), Susanville, Yuba City

Hearing Office Region 9 San Bernardino SSA, OHO
Suite 200 605 North Arrowhead Avenue
San Bernardino, California 92401
(866) 331-7127 • (909) 381-9288 • (877) 394-9227
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Barstow, Fontana, Redlands, San Bernardino, Victorville

Hearing Office Region 9 San Diego SSA, OHO
Suite 900 525 B Street
San Diego, California 92101
(866) 331-2294 • (619) 557-6733 • (877) 394-9228
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Chula Vista, El Cajon, El Centro, Kearny Mesa, La Mesa, National City, Pacific Beach, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Yuma

Hearing Office Region 9 San Francisco SSA, OHO
Equity Building, 16th Floor 301 Howard Street
San Francisco, California 94105
(866) 770-1221 • (415) 744-2548 • (877) 394-9237
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Bakersfield, Bakersfield-East Hills, Chinatown, Daly City, Delano, Mission, Parkside, San Francisco • (Downtown), San Mateo, Western Addition

Hearing Office Region 9 San Jose SSA, OHO
Robert F. Peckham Federal Building 280 South 1ST ST RM 330
San Jose, California 95113-3005
(866) 331-2219 • (408) 535-5286 • (877) 394-9239
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Campbell, Gilroy, Mountain View, Redwood City, Salinas, San Jose, San Jose • (East), San Jose • (South), Santa Cruz, Watsonville

Hearing Office Region 9 San Rafael SSA, OHO
Suite 230 4040 Civic Center Drive
San Rafael, California 94903
(866) 814-3559 • (415) 472-5824 • (877 )394-9240
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Crescent City, Eureka, Lakeport, Napa, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Suisun City, Ukiah, Vallejo

Hearing Office Region 9 Santa Barbara SSA, OHO
Suite 206 222 East Carrillo Street
Santa Barbara, California 93101
(866) 273-4953 • (805) 564-3404 • (877) 394-9242
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Thousand Oaks, Ventura

Hearing Office Region 9 Stockton SSA, OHO
Suite 100 3116 W. March Lane
Stockton, California 95219
(866) 494-3136 • (209) 477-3394 • (877) 394-9243
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CALIFORNIA: Lodi, Manteca, Modesto, Sonora, Stockton

All data on this page is current as of February, 2023.

About Citizens Disability, LLC:

Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been America’s premier Social Security Disability institution. Our services include helping people in applying for SSDI benefits, managing the process through Reconsideration, and representing people in person at their Hearing, and if necessary, bringing their case to the Appeals Council. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call (800)492-3260.

Citizens Disability is committed to helping keep people safe from fraud. We will never ask for personal details to start an SSDI application over Facebook or social media. We will only ask for certain details, in private messages, to confirm the identity of a client in a customer service situation. The only way to begin an SSDI application with us is on the phone, through a number found on our website, or one of our clearly-marked advertisements. Please keep your personal details safe, don't share them in a public forum, or with individuals who solicit your information.