How to Fill Out the SSA-3368 Disability Report (Adult)

When SSA sends you the SSA-3368 Disability Report, it does not feel like a big deal. It is just paperwork. But this 14-page form is actually one of the most important documents in your entire disability claim. The Disability Determination Services (DDS) examiner reviewing your case will use it to decide what records to pull, how to assess your work history, and ultimately whether your limitations are severe enough to approve you.

Most people fill it out in an hour, submit it, and hope for the best. That is exactly why about 62% of initial claims get denied. Incomplete answers, vague language, skipped sections, and overlooked medication side effects give DDS reviewers room to find reasons to say no. A well-filled SSA-3368 makes their job easier, and it makes your path to approval much shorter.

This guide walks through every section of the form, explains what DDS is looking for in each one, and shows you the specific mistakes that sink otherwise valid claims. We will also cover how the 3368 relates to the separate SSA-3373 Function Report, and why keeping both forms consistent is non-negotiable.

What the SSA-3368 Actually Is

The official name is the Disability Report - Adult, Form SSA-3368-BK. SSA sends it to you (or you complete it online) after you file your initial disability application. It is not the same thing as the initial application itself. Think of the initial application as the front door. The SSA-3368 is where you give DDS everything they need to go find your records and evaluate your case.

The form covers your medical conditions, your work history, your education, every healthcare provider who has treated you, every medication you take, and any medical tests you have had done or scheduled. That is a lot of ground. And DDS uses all of it.

A key thing to understand: DDS does not just read what you write and trust you. They use your answers to contact your doctors, request your records, and sometimes order additional examinations. If you leave a provider off the list, their records do not get pulled. If you describe a job inaccurately, the vocational analysis may work against you. Every blank or vague answer is a gap in your evidence file.

You can get the form three ways: complete it online at ssa.gov through your my Social Security account, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and complete it over the phone, or pick up a paper copy at your local SSA field office. Online is generally the fastest and easiest.

The 11 Sections of the SSA-3368

Here is what each section covers and how to approach it.

Section 3: How to Describe Your Medical Conditions

This is where most people fail. And it is not because they are lying or exaggerating. It is because they describe what they have instead of what they cannot do.

DDS does not approve diagnoses. They approve functional limitations. Writing "I have degenerative disc disease" tells them nothing about whether you can work. Writing "degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 limits me to sitting for no more than 20 minutes before pain forces me to stand, limits standing to about 15 minutes, and makes bending, lifting anything over 5 pounds, or reaching overhead impossible on most days" tells them a lot.

List every condition, not just the primary one. If your main condition is rheumatoid arthritis but you also have chronic fatigue, anxiety, and hypertension, list all four. Secondary conditions often push a borderline claim over the threshold. A DDS reviewer who sees three or four conditions compounding each other has a harder time arguing you could sustain full-time work than one who sees a single diagnosis with minimal context.

Also check the box that says your condition limits your ability to work. That sounds obvious, but people skip it. DDS needs that box checked to continue processing your claim.

If you run out of room, continue in Section 11 and write a note in Section 3 that says "see Section 11 for additional conditions."

Section 6: Work History and Why It Matters So Much

The work history section is where a lot of people think "this is just paperwork" and rush through it. That is a mistake. DDS uses your work history to perform a vocational analysis, specifically to determine whether you can return to any of your past jobs as they are "generally performed" in the national economy.

If you describe your past jobs as lighter or less physical than they actually were, DDS may conclude you could go back to that work even if your medical records show otherwise. Describe each job accurately and completely.

For the physical demands in Section 6C, you need to specify:

• How much you lifted and how often (lifting, carrying)
• How many hours per day you spent walking, standing, and sitting
• Whether you were stooping, crouching, reaching, or climbing as part of the job
• Whether you used hands for repetitive motions (grasping, fine manipulation)
• Any environmental factors like heat, cold, dust, or hazardous machinery

If a previous job required you to regularly lift 50 pounds, say that. If you spent 6 out of 8 hours per day on your feet, write that down. These specifics matter when SSA compares your current physical limitations to what your past jobs required.

DDS also looks at whether you supervised others, wrote reports, read instructions, or performed skilled technical tasks. A job that required specialized knowledge is harder to say you could return to, which generally helps your claim. Be accurate on both ends.

For more context on how DDS and vocational experts evaluate your work history, read our guide on Residual Functional Capacity, which explains exactly how your functional limitations get compared against job requirements.

Section 7: Do Not Leave Out Any Providers

Section 7 is your list of every doctor, specialist, clinic, urgent care, emergency room, hospital, mental health provider, physical therapist, chiropractor, and any other healthcare provider who has treated you for your conditions.

This is DDS's contact list. They use it to request your records. If a provider is not on this list, DDS typically will not contact them. Their records, which may contain your most detailed functional assessments, treatment history, and documented limitations, will not be in your file when the examiner reviews your case.

Include for each provider:

• Provider name or facility name
• Full address
• Phone number
• Your patient ID or chart number if you have it
• Approximate dates you were seen
• What condition they treated

If you have received treatment in multiple states, include all of it. If you have seen the same provider at multiple locations, list each location separately. A provider on the list from three years ago is still worth including if their records document the progression of your condition. Read our article on what medical records SSA needs for a fuller picture of what DDS looks for in your documentation.

If DDS schedules you for a consultative examination with one of their contracted physicians, that happens in addition to the records from your own providers, not instead of it. Our article on the consultative exam explains what to expect if DDS orders one.

Section 8: Medication Side Effects Are Not Optional

Most people list their medications and call it done. They skip the side effects column entirely. That is leaving real evidence off the table.

SSA is legally required to consider medication side effects when assessing your Residual Functional Capacity. Side effects are not a footnote. If your opioid pain medication causes drowsiness and brain fog that would make it unsafe for you to operate machinery or maintain concentration for a full workday, that is a functional limitation. If your blood pressure medication causes dizziness that requires you to sit down without warning, that is a functional limitation. If your antidepressant causes fatigue that compounds your physical limitations, that is also a functional limitation.

Write down every side effect you actually experience, not just the ones on the label. "Drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, occasional nausea in the morning" is useful information. "None" when you are taking four medications is almost certainly not accurate.

DDS examiners are not going to assume your medications are causing problems. You have to tell them.

The 3368 vs. the 3373: You Have to Stay Consistent

At some point during the claims process, you will also receive the SSA-3373 Function Report. The two forms are related but distinct.

The SSA-3368 is about your medical history and work history. The SSA-3373 is about what you can and cannot do in daily life: cooking, cleaning, bathing, driving, managing money, interacting with others, sleeping, concentrating, handling stress. They ask about your limitations from different angles, and DDS compares both forms when evaluating your claim.

Inconsistencies between the two forms are one of the most reliable predictors of denial. If you write on the 3368 that your back pain prevents you from standing more than 10 minutes, but you write on the 3373 that you cook full meals for your family every day, those two answers create a contradiction DDS will notice. Not necessarily because you are lying, but because you described your limitations differently depending on which form you were thinking about.

Before submitting either form, review your answers on both side by side. The limitations you describe on the 3368 should be reflected in the daily life restrictions you describe on the 3373. If they are not, figure out why and reconcile them before you submit.

Also make sure your answers on both forms are consistent with what your medical records actually say. A doctor who has documented that your pain is well-controlled with medication but you write on both forms that your pain is constant and severe creates the same kind of contradiction. That does not mean you should understate your limitations. It means you need to talk to your doctors and make sure they are documenting what you actually experience, not what you look like in a 15-minute office visit.

Describe Your Worst Days, Not Your Best

This is one of the most important practical tips for filling out the 3368, and it applies to both forms.

When SSA asks how much you can lift, how long you can stand, how far you can walk, and how well you can concentrate, they are asking about your ability to do those things consistently, on a full-time basis, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. That is the work standard. They are not asking whether you can do those things on your best day.

Many people with serious disabilities have good days and bad days. On a good day, maybe you can walk around the block. On a bad day, you can barely get to the bathroom. The question is not "can you ever walk around the block?" The question is "can you sustain that consistently enough to hold down a job?"

If your bad days happen 2-3 times per week and would cause you to miss work or perform below standard, you need to say that. If your pain fluctuates significantly and the peaks would make sustained work impossible, describe the peaks, not the valleys. DDS is evaluating your worst sustainable level of functioning, not your best case scenario.

Use Section 11 Without Hesitation

The Remarks section at the end of the form is not a bonus. It is part of the form. Use it every time you run out of room in any other section, and use it proactively to add context that did not have a natural home elsewhere.

When you use Section 11, always start each entry with the section number you are continuing from. For example: "Section 3 continued: I also experience chronic fatigue syndrome, diagnosed 2022, which causes post-exertional malaise lasting 24-48 hours after any significant physical or mental activity. On days following even light exertion, I am largely bedridden."

Do not leave anything out because a field looked too small. DDS reviewers do read Section 11. It is part of the official record.

Incomplete forms are a separate problem. If DDS cannot get the information it needs, it will send you a request for evidence and give you 10 days to respond. If you do not respond in time, or if the information is still incomplete, DDS may make a determination based on what they have, which is usually not good for your claim. Fill it out completely the first time.

Common Mistakes That Get Claims Denied

These are the patterns that keep showing up in denied claims. Check every one of these before you submit.

Being Too Vague

"I can't work" is not an answer DDS can use. They need to know what specific functions are limited, by how much, and how consistently. "I can't work because standing for more than 10 minutes causes radiating pain down my left leg rated 8 out of 10" is something DDS can evaluate against your medical records.

Listing Diagnoses Instead of Limitations

A diagnosis is a starting point. Functional limitations are what DDS actually uses to make a decision. Every condition you list needs to be accompanied by a description of what that condition prevents you from doing physically, mentally, or cognitively. See our article on the mistakes that get disability claims denied for more on this pattern.

Leaving Out Secondary Conditions

If you have more than one condition, list all of them. Secondary conditions, side conditions, and chronic problems that are not your "main" disability all contribute to your overall RFC. A DDS reviewer who sees four overlapping conditions has a harder time finding full-time work that accommodates all of them than one who sees a single isolated diagnosis.

Skipping Medication Side Effects

Already covered above, but worth repeating. Side effects are functional limitations. If they affect your ability to work, they need to be in your file.

Leaving Sections Blank

Every blank is a gap. If a section does not apply to you, write "none" or "does not apply." If you had no vocational training, say that. If you have no medical tests scheduled, say that. Blank fields look like incomplete paperwork and can trigger an information request that delays your claim by weeks.

Not Matching the Function Report

Already covered, but critical: contradictions between the 3368 and the 3373 are a primary denial driver. Review both forms together before submitting either one.

Understating Your Limitations

People often do this because they do not want to seem like they are complaining, or because they are comparing themselves to how they used to function. The question is not "are you worse than you used to be?" The question is "can you sustain full-time work as defined by SSA?" Answer that question honestly. See our guide on why disability claims get denied for the full picture.

Not Listing All Healthcare Providers

Missing providers mean missing records. Go through your insurance statements, medication bottles, referral paperwork, and your phone's recent calls list if you have to. Get every provider on that list.

What Happens After You Submit the SSA-3368

Once SSA receives your completed 3368, your claim gets transferred to your state's Disability Determination Services office. DDS is a state agency that operates under federal rules. The examiner assigned to your case will use your 3368 to contact your providers, pull your medical records, and evaluate your claim against SSA's criteria.

This process takes time. At the initial level, you are looking at 6-7 months on average before DDS issues a decision. If DDS cannot get enough information from your existing records, they may order a consultative examination with one of their contracted physicians. That examination is additional evidence, not a replacement for your own records. Attend it if scheduled.

If DDS denies your claim, do not treat that as the end. About 62% of initial claims are denied, including many that eventually get approved on appeal. You have 60 days from the date of your denial letter (plus 5 days for mail delivery) to request reconsideration. If reconsideration is also denied, you can request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The ALJ stage has substantially higher approval rates than the initial stage.

Our article on how long Social Security disability takes breaks down the timeline at each stage, and our guide on what to expect at a disability hearing covers the ALJ process if you get to that point.

For applicants trying to build the strongest possible initial claim, read our article on how to get approved for disability faster. The strategies there start at the form-filling stage, which is exactly where you are now.

Have Someone Review Your Form Before You Submit

This is one of the simplest tips and one of the least followed. Before you submit the SSA-3368, have someone else read it. A trusted family member, a friend who knows your situation well, or a disability advocate can catch things you missed.

Specifically, ask them to look for:

• Anything that sounds vague or could be misread
• Any conditions you forgot to mention
• Any providers you did not include
• Any side effects you left blank
• Whether the limitations you described match what they observe in daily life

If you are working with a disability attorney or non-attorney representative, they will often review the form as part of their representation. SSDI attorneys work on contingency (no fee unless you win), so there is no cost upfront. The fee is capped by law at 25% of back pay or $7,200, whichever is less.

Also keep a copy of everything you submit. DDS loses documents occasionally. If your form is requested again, you want to be able to reproduce it exactly.

State-by-State Considerations

The federal rules for completing the SSA-3368 are the same regardless of where you live. But processing times, DDS staffing levels, and the availability of local SSA offices vary significantly by state.

Applicants in high-volume states often wait longer at every stage. If you are in Florida, Texas, or Ohio, for example, processing backlogs can add months to your timeline. That does not change how you fill out the form, but it does mean submitting a complete, well-documented form the first time matters even more. Every information request or incomplete-form delay adds weeks to an already long process.

Our complete guide to applying for SSDI covers the full application process from start to finish, including how state-level differences affect your timeline.

A Quick Summary of the Key Rules

Fill out every field. Describe your worst days, not your best. Focus on what you cannot do, not just what you have. List every condition, every provider, every medication, every side effect. Keep your answers consistent between the 3368 and the 3373. Use Section 11 whenever you need more room. Have someone review it before you send it in. Keep a copy.

None of those rules are complicated. But a surprising number of people skip several of them and wonder why their claim was denied six months later. The SSA-3368 is not bureaucratic trivia. It is your opportunity to build the evidence base that DDS uses to make its decision. Do it right the first time.