In-Person vs Video vs Phone SSDI Hearings

SSDI hearings can be held in person, by video, or by phone, and the Social Security Administration (SSA), not you, makes the first choice about format. Under 20 CFR 404.936, SSA schedules your appearance by audio (telephone), by agency video, by online video, or in person. You have the right to object to a phone or agency video appearance in writing within 30 days, which is how most claimants secure an in-person hearing.

The rules in this area changed significantly in 2024, when SSA rewrote 20 CFR 404.936 to create the current four-option system. Understanding how each format works, and how to object to one you do not want, helps you make a choice that fits your health, your technology, and your comfort level.

The Four Ways to Appear

Under 20 CFR 404.936(c), SSA will schedule you to appear by audio, by agency video, by online video, or in person. When it decides, SSA considers which manner would be the most efficient for conducting the hearing and any facts in your particular case that give a good reason for one format or another.

One key limit shapes the whole system. SSA may schedule you to appear by online video only if you agree to appear that way. The other three formats can be assigned to you, which is why the objection rules matter so much.

In-Person Hearings

An in-person hearing puts you in the same room as the administrative law judge (ALJ), usually in a hearing office conference room rather than a courtroom. Under 20 CFR 404.938(a), SSA mails the notice of hearing at least 75 days before the hearing date, so you have time to plan travel.

SSA's hearing guidance asks you to arrive at least 15 minutes before your hearing time to check in. If you must travel more than 75 miles to a hearing site, SSA can reimburse certain travel costs, and you should contact the hearing office in advance about advance payment if you cannot afford the trip. If you need an interpreter, including American Sign Language, SSA provides one free of charge.

The main advantage of an in-person hearing is direct observation. The judge sees how you sit, stand, move, and respond throughout the session. The main disadvantage is logistics. If your conditions make travel painful or exhausting, the format itself can work against you.

Agency Video Hearings

Agency video hearings, which SSA also calls traditional video teleconference hearings, are held at an SSA facility while the judge participates from another location. You sit in a hearing room and interact with the ALJ through a video monitor. SSA notes it has run this format for close to twenty years, and a technician is available to make sure the equipment works.

SSA's guidance on agency video hearings explains that these can be scheduled at sites closer to your home than a full hearing office. If you are comfortable with video but cannot use your own equipment for an online hearing, this format may be a reasonable middle ground.

SSA records only the audio portion of agency video hearings, just as it does for in-person hearings, and does not record video of any hearing. The record the ALJ decides from is therefore the same kind of record in both formats.

Online Video Hearings

Online video hearings use Microsoft Teams on your own equipment, such as a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera. You can join from any private place with a secure internet connection. SSA will not schedule this format unless you agree, using Form HA-56, Agreement to Appearing by Online Video. Under 20 CFR 404.936(e), you must agree in writing within 30 days after receiving the notice, and you may withdraw your agreement any time before the hearing starts.

SSA mails you an official notice and also emails a link to join the meeting from an @ssa.gov address. SSA recommends joining about 15 minutes early. In an online video hearing, other participants such as vocational experts, medical experts, and interpreters join by phone only.

This format works well for claimants who want the judge to see them but cannot travel. It requires reliable internet, a working camera and microphone, and enough comfort with technology to test the connection beforehand.

Audio Hearings by Telephone

In an audio hearing, hearing office staff call you a few minutes before the scheduled time, and you testify by phone. SSA's guidance describes audio hearings as safe, flexible, and convenient, and notes that SSA may schedule them unless you object.

SSA recommends a traditional landline if you have one, a quiet private location, and, if you use a cell phone, a battery able to hold a conversation for at least 90 minutes. A hearing reporter records and monitors the hearing, and the ALJ swears in all participants. Hearings generally take approximately an hour, sometimes longer, according to SSA's guidance.

Audio hearings remove travel and technology barriers entirely. The tradeoff is that the judge cannot see you at all, so limitations that show visually, such as difficulty sitting still or getting up slowly, are harder to convey.

Your Right to Object to a Format

Under 20 CFR 404.936(d), before scheduling your hearing SSA sends a Notice of Ways to Attend a Hearing that explains the options. If you object to appearing by audio, by agency video, or both, you must notify SSA in writing within 30 days after the date you receive that notice. SSA provides Form HA-55, Objection to Appearing by Audio or Agency Video, for this purpose, and instructs claimants to complete it only if they object.

The scope of your objection controls the outcome. If you object only to audio, SSA may still schedule agency video, or online video if you agree to it. If you object only to agency video, SSA may still schedule audio. To lock in an in-person hearing, you must object to both audio and agency video, and your residence must not change while your request for hearing is pending.

If you miss the 30-day window, SSA will extend it only if you show good cause under the standards in 20 CFR 404.911. SSA's guidance urges claimants who missed the deadline to contact the hearing office as soon as possible, and says SSA will reschedule using another manner of appearance if good cause exists.

The objection right has limits. Under 20 CFR 404.936(d)(2) through (d)(5), SSA can still schedule audio over your objection when video is unavailable and extraordinary circumstances prevent in-person appearance, when you are incarcerated, or in situations covered by the safety procedures in 20 CFR 404.937. A change of residence while your request is pending also lets SSA reset the manner of appearance.

Does the Format Affect Your Case?

SSA states plainly that it conducts all hearings the same way. Whatever the format, the ALJ swears in all participants, listens to your testimony and the testimony of any witnesses, and asks questions. Your right to present evidence under 20 CFR 404.950 is the same.

The format can, however, affect the quality of communication. If audio or video quality problems actually prevent the hearing from proceeding, 20 CFR 404.944, amended in 2024, allows the ALJ to stop the hearing temporarily and continue it at a later date. Do not hesitate to tell the judge if you cannot hear a question.

Choosing What Fits Your Situation

No format promises a better outcome, and no statistic suggests one does. A practical approach is to pick the format in which you can testify most clearly and comfortably. Claimants who are hard of hearing, easily confused, or weakened by medication often do better where the judge can see them. Claimants for whom travel would be an ordeal often do better by phone.

Whatever you choose, prepare the same way. Submit or identify all written evidence at least 5 business days before the hearing under 20 CFR 404.935, and describe your limitations honestly and in detail. The format changes the room, not the questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I insist on an in-person SSDI hearing? Yes, in most cases. Under 20 CFR 404.936(d), if you object in writing to appearing by both audio and by agency video within 30 days after you receive the notice, SSA will schedule you to appear in person, subject to narrow exceptions such as incarceration or serious safety concerns.

Can SSA still make me appear by phone if I object? In limited circumstances, yes. Under 20 CFR 404.936(d)(2), SSA may schedule an audio appearance over your objection when it cannot schedule agency video or online video and extraordinary circumstances prevent you from appearing in person.

Does the hearing format change my legal rights? No. SSA explains that it conducts all hearings the same way regardless of format. You testify under oath, may present evidence under 20 CFR 404.950, and receive the same type of written administrative law judge decision.

This article provides general information about Social Security Disability Insurance rules and is not legal advice. Program rules, administrative structures, and regulations change over time, and all figures reflect standards applicable in 2026. Consult a qualified representative or contact the Social Security Administration directly for guidance regarding your individual claim.