The Social Security Administration (SSA) will now accept electronic signatures from commercial software products on certain forms. The signature must affix the signer’s name in the signature area of the form, and affix the date and time the form was signed. The date and time can be on an appended page submitted with the form. The submitter must ensure that the commercial product can generate an audit trail and must maintain a digital certificate. The submitter must keep the audit trail and digital certificate for three years.
Commercial electronic signatures may be used on the following forms: SSA-1696 Appointment of Representative, SSA-1693 fee agreement, SSA-16 application for SSDI,. SSA-8000 or 8001 application for SSI, and SSA-820 and 821 Work Activity Reports.
SSA will accept commercial electronic signatures on forms received on or after January 18, 2025. For forms submitted before January 18, 2025, SSA will accept forms that have been previously verified or forms that meet the commercial electronic signature requirements.
If a form does not meet the commercial electronic signature requirements, SSA will not process it. SSA will notify the submitter that the form is rejected and explain why. (POMS DI 11005.017, December 10, 2025)