Title II and Title XVI applicants, beneficiaries, recipients, and representative payees with blindness or visual impairments may request a SNO. Other people who meet the definition of proper applicant, see GN 00204.003 or first party reporter, GN 03001.012 may also request a special notice option on behalf of Title II and Title XVI applicants, beneficiaries, and recipients with blindness or visual impairments.

Organizational representative payees are not eligible for SNO.

We accept the person’s allegation of blindness or visual impairment for providing SNO .

A person with blindness or visual impairments is not required to choose SNO. If someone does not elect SNO, they receive a standard print notice by first-class mail.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) automatically approves requests for these formats:

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  standard print notice by certified mail;

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  standard print notice by first-class mail and a follow-up telephone call to read the notice within 5 business days from the date of the notice;

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  Braille notice and a standard print notice by first-class mail;

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  data compact disc (CD) in Microsoft Word format and a standard print notice by first-class mail;

  NOTE: The data CD requires a computer with software that can open Microsoft Word files.

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  large print notice (18 point font) and a standard print notice by first-class mail; or

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  audio compact disc (CD) and a standard print notice by first-class mail.

Title II and Title XVI applicants, beneficiaries, recipients, and representative payees with blindness or visual impairments may request an “alternative” accommodation under a Section 504 regulation, 45 CFR 85.51.

SSA’s Center for Section 504 Compliance decides whether to approve these requests on a case-by-case basis using criteria in 45 CFR Part 85.

For further information on handling requests for “other” special notice accommodations, see Procedure for Request for Other Special Notice Accommodations for People with Blindness or Visual Impairments NL 01001.300.

When someone selects a SNO, the option remains the same when the person’s type of benefit changes, e.g., from disability to retirement benefits at full retirement age, or from survivors to retirement.

When someone selects a SNO, the option remains the same when benefits stop and are later reinstated. Suspension or termination of benefits has no impact on SNO. If a person reestablishes eligibility for benefits, the previously selected SNO still applies.

To request SNO, a person may:

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  Call the SSA national toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213;

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  Call the SSA national toll-free TTY number at 1-800-325-0778 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing;

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  Write, call, or visit the local Social Security field office (FO);

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  Contact the Disability Determination Services (DDS), Disability Processing Branch (DPB), Disability Processing Unit (DPU), Office of Medical and Vocational Evaluation (OMVE), Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) hearing office, or the Office of Appellate Operations (OAO) in ODAR; or

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  If living outside the U.S., write, call, or visit your nearest Federal Benefits Unit (FBU).

A person may change their SNO at any time by visiting their 'my Social Security' account online. Persons can visit 'my Social Security' online to create a free account.

We offer SNO to any Title II and Title XVI applicant, beneficiary, recipient, or representative payee who is blind or visually impaired, or tells us they need assistance because of a visual impairment during:

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  all initial application interviews;

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  all Title XVI redetermination interviews; and

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  any post-eligibility interview if the person alleges difficulty reading standard print notices.

We also offer SNO anytime we notice that a person might benefit from them.

The DDS, DPB, DPU, OMVE, and ODAR offer SNO during developmental contacts if the person alleges a visual impairment that was not previously alleged.

Yes, SNO are available for DDS notices.

Both notices display the same notice date because the alternate format notice contains the same text as the standard print notice. We post-date the notices to allow vendors time to prepare and mail the notices. The amount of time for the vendors varies depending on the type of notice (i.e. a due process notice may have a shorter timeframe than an informational notice).

In addition, both the standard print and SNO vendors must adhere to the same timeframe for preparing and mailing the notice. This ensures that both notices are mailed at approximately the same time.

In a SNO situation, when we can take an adverse action depends on which of the following applies:

1. 1. 

   For the certified mail SNO, we can take an adverse action based on the standard print notice;

2. 2. 

   For the follow-up telephone call SNO, we can take an adverse action based on the timeframe specified in the standard print notice after (a) we have completed the follow-up telephone call, or (b) we have made three unsuccessful attempts to reach the person by telephone. See Procedure for First-class Mail and a Follow-up Telephone Call Special Notice Option (SNO) for People with Blindness or Visual Impairments NL 01001.110. The adverse action is not based on the date of the telephone contact(s); or

3. 3. 

   When a person selects a Braille, data CD, large print, or audio CD special notice option, we can take the adverse action based on the timeframe specified in the alternate format notice. We cannot take an adverse action based solely on the standard print notice.

Yes, the alternate format notice contains the same text as the standard print notice. In addition, we must also send in the alternate format any enclosed pamphlets or forms that we send with the standard print notice.

No, we send return envelopes only with standard print notices.

We return document(s) submitted to us (e.g., birth certificate, W-2 form) with the standard print notice. The alternate format notice contains a paragraph explaining that we are returning the document(s) with the standard print notice.

We store only the standard print version of the notice in the Online Retrieval System (ORS), eView, Evidence Portal (EP), Non-Disability Repository for Evidentiary Documents (NDRED) or Centralized Special Notice Option (CSNO). You cannot view the alternate formats electronically.

Some of the Title II or Title XVI forms and enclosures are not currently available in automatically approved SNO formats. If a person with SNO asks you to provide one of these Title II or Title XVI documents in their current SNO format, offer to read the document to the person, assist the person with completing any form, and answer any questions they may have. If the person continues to request the document in their SNO format, refer the request to your supervisor. Your supervisor will contact the Regional Special Notice Option Coordinator via email, providing the Coordinator with the following information:

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  the person’s name, mailing address, telephone number, and Social Security number (SSN),

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  the person’s SNO format, and

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  a copy of the standard print document or an explanation of how to retrieve it electronically

Explain to the person that we are committed to providing effective communication. We will look into the issue, and either contact them with a response or provide the document in their preferred SNO format. Also, be sure to explain to the person that if they do not hear from us in 15 days, they can follow-up by calling or visiting the local field office.

If the person contacts us because they did not receive a response within 15 days, ask your supervisor to send a follow-up request to the Regional Special Notice Option Coordinator. Include the person’s name, SSN, and the date of the original request.

If you cannot resolve an issue, make sure you understand exactly what the person needs. Explain that the agency is committed to providing effective communication, that we will investigate the issue, and that we will contact them with a response. Then, contact your Regional Special Notice Option Coordinator for guidance. For example, if a person wants their medical records in Braille, contact your Special Notice Option Coordinator.