How to Get Disability Benefits in Arizona

Arizona residents who are unable to work full-time due to a medical condition for at least twelve months may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. These federal programs provide monthly cash payments to people who aren't able to engage in substantial gainful activity for one year or longer. If your condition occurred on the job, you may also qualify for state workers' compensation benefits.

The process of filing for SSDI and SSI is the same in all states, but statistics on the length of time it takes for a claim to be decided and the number of claims that are approved are unique to Arizona. According to the most recent data from the Social Security Administration, about 3.1% of Arizona residents receive SSDI and 1.5% receive SSI. Knowing how to navigate the disability process at the state level and beyond can help increase your chances of qualifying for benefits.

How Do I Apply for Disability Benefits in Arizona?

Applications for SSDI or SSI benefits are filed in the same way. (For more comprehensive details, including what personal information you should have on hand when you apply, check out our article on filing a disability claim with Social Security.) Here are the three ways you can start your claim:

• Apply online at ssa.gov. Filing online has many benefits, such as giving you the option to save your application and return to it later. You'll also receive a confirmation number where you can track your application.
• Call Social Security's national number at 800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• Go in person at your local Social Security field office. You can use the locator toolhere to find the office closest to you.

After you submit your application, Social Security will make sure that you meet the technical qualifications for receiving either SSDI or SSI. SSDI eligibility is based on your earnings history and how much you've paid into the program by way of payroll taxes, while SSI eligibility is determined by having income and assets below a certain low threshold. You'll need to meet the financial criteria for at least one program or you won't be able to receive disability, no matter how serious your medical conditions are.

Once Social Security confirms that you're legally eligible to receive a disability benefit, your case is sent to Arizona Disability Determination Services (DDS), an agency run by the state's Department of Economic Security. There, a claims examiner—with help from a medical consultant—reviews your records and decides whether you should be considered disabled. Below you can find the contact information for the DDS offices in Arizona:

What Medical Conditions Qualify for Disability in Arizona?

Any severe impairment may qualify you for disability benefits, provided that you have enough medical evidence to show that you either meet a listing or are unable to work at any job. In Arizona, some of the most commonly awarded impairments are mental illnesses, musculoskeletal conditions, and nervous system disorders. (You can check out our article on what conditions qualify for Social Security disability benefits for more information.)

The chart below illustrates the percentage of SSDI recipients in Arizona who were found disabled based on the most commonly awarded medical conditions.

_{Source: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2023}

Regardless of your specific diagnosis, you'll need to provide Social Security with medical records from your doctors. Arizona law allows healthcare providers to charge a "reasonable fee" to provide you with copies of your medical records. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 47-1101). You can sometimes speed up your claim by ordering and submitting your own medical records after you apply.

What Are My Chances of Getting Approved for Disability in Arizona?

Approximately three to five months after you file for disability, you'll receive a written decision in the mail. Individually, your chances of getting benefits are higher the stronger your medical records are. Statistically, 33.5% of disability claims in Michigan were approved at the initial application stage—below the national average of 38.3%—and 19.3% were approved following reconsideration review (slightly above the national rate of 15.9%).

Most claimants in Arizona aren't awarded benefits until after they've had a hearing with an administrative law judge (ALJ). As of the fiscal year ending July 2025, ALJs in hearing offices across Arizona issued 3,884 decisions on disability claims. 2,034 of those decisions resulted in either fully or partially favorable outcomes, resulting in an approval rate of about 52%.

How to Appeal a Denial of Benefits

If you didn't get your disability application approved on your first try, you have 60 days to appeal the decision. The Social Security appeals process consists of four steps.

• Reconsideration is the first level of appeal after a denial. At this stage, a different claims examiner at DDS reviews your case to see if the initial decision was incorrect.
• If you're denied after reconsideration, you can request a hearing with an administrative law judge. Most people who do receive benefits only get them following a hearing.
• If you receive an unfavorable decision from your hearing judge, you can ask the Appeals Council to review and possibly reverse or remand (send back) the decision.
• Finally, if the Appeals Council declines review, you can file suit in federal court. The Arizona district court hears cases in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma.

Remember that at each level you have 60 days from when you receive the denial letter to submit your appeal paperwork. It's important to keep on top of these deadlines, because if you miss one without a good reason, you'll have to start over from square one.

How Long Does It Take to Get Disability in Arizona?

According to Social Security Administration data for fiscal year 2023, it takes 167.4 days, or almost 6 months, for DDS offices in Arizona to process disability claims at the initial level. Nationwide, claims at the reconsideration level take about 7 months to process, so you can estimate that you'll be waiting slightly over one year before you can request a disability hearing. (Remember that you have to appeal to the reconsideration level before you can ask for a hearing—you can't just skip over that stage and speak to a judge)

Things don't move much more quickly once you're at the hearing level. The average wait time from when you submit your hearing request until your hearing is held is around 8 months in Arizona. And unless you're lucky enough to receive a bench decision during your hearing—meaning the judge says on the record that you'll be approved for benefits—you'll likely have to wait at least a month after your hearing to get a written decision in the mail.

Hearings are held at Social Security's Offices of Hearing Operations (OHOs). The OHOs in Arizona are in Phoenix (two locations) and Tucson. Your case will be assigned to a judge at the OHO that handles claims from your region. Once your claim has been sent to an OHO, you can reach out to that office with updates to your file or questions about the hearing. Below you can find contact information for each office and a list of the areas they serve.

Phoenix OHO
Siete Square, Suite 200
3737 North 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85014

Phone: (888) 748-1991
Fax: (833) 365-0283

This OHO serves Apache Junction, Chinle, Flagstaff, Mesa, Phoenix (Downtown), and Tuba City.

Phoenix North OHO
18444 North 25th Avenue
Suite 430
Phoenix, AZ 85023

Phone: (877) 784-3690
Fax: (833) 676-0149

This hearing office serves Colorado River Basin, Glendale, Phoenix (North), and Prescott.

Tucson OHO
Rio Nuevo Professional Plaza
Suite 265
201 N. Bonita Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85745

Phone: (888) 383-8694
Fax: (833) 365-0285

This hearing office serves Casa Grande, Douglas, Globe, Nogales, Safford, Sells, Show Low, and Tucson.

How Much Does Arizona Pay in SSDI or SSI?

Because SSDI and SSI are federal benefits, the amount you'll receive doesn't change from state to state. SSDI payments are particularly tailored to each beneficiary since they're calculated based on your individual earnings record, which can vary significantly between each person. The chart below shows the distribution of SSDI payments for beneficiaries in Arizona:

_{Source: Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2023}

Arizona is one of the few states that doesn't offer a supplemental cash benefit to people who receive SSI, so Arizona residents will receive the federal benefit rate of $967 per month (in 2025), minus any countable income they have for that month. However, Arizona does not impose a state income tax on either SSDI or SSI benefits. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 43-1022(10))

Arizona Workers' Compensation Law

If you have a lasting impairment from your work-related injury or illness in Arizona, you may be eligible for permanent workers' compensation benefits. Arizona considers there to be two different kinds of permanent injuries:

• Scheduled injuries include permanent injuries to an arm, leg, hand, foot or eye. The amount of workers' compensation you can receive for a scheduled injury is computed according to a percentage (typically 50-75%) of your average monthly wage.
• Unscheduled injuries are all other types of permanent injuries, such as damage to your hip, shoulder, and back. The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) determines whether you'll get compensation for these injuries and, if so, what amount you'll receive.

Factors the ICA uses to determine compensation for unscheduled injuries include whether you can return to work, how much you can earn, how old you are, your employment history, and your education level. If your unscheduled injury is "totally" disabling, you'll be paid 66% of your average monthly wage. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-1045). Partial disabilities pay 55% of your average monthly wage. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-1044). If you don't agree with the ICA's decision, you have three months to request a hearing.

Getting Your Permanent Compensation Increased

If you've been awarded benefits for an unscheduled permanent partial disability and you later have an increase or decrease in your earnings ability increases or decreases, you (or the insurance company) can file a petition to reevaluate your compensation amount. Whoever files the petition has to show that a change in compensation is warranted, but the ICA ultimately decides whether your benefits should be increased, decreased, or remain the same.

You should file this petition (called a Petition for Rearrangement or Readjustment of Compensation), if your injury has gotten worse or your earning capacity has otherwise been reduced. But keep in mind that if your earning capacity is less because you're getting older or due to a non-work related injury or illness, your petition probably won't be successful.

After a petition is filed, the ICA will send you a questionnaire asking you about your current employment. The commission will then review the petition and either approve or disapprove it. If either you or your employer disagrees with the decision, a hearing can be requested by filing a hearing request form within 90 days from the issuance date of the decision or award.

Getting a Lump Sum Permanent Disability Payment

Sometimes the ICA will allow you to receive your permanent disability benefits in a lump sum rather than on a monthly basis. You can do this if you have a scheduled injury award of $25,000 or less (no insurance company consent required) or an unscheduled award of $150,000 or less with insurance company consent. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-1067).

The ICA will only allow a lump sum payment if there is a reasonable reason for it, such as your financial or rehabilitation needs. A lump sum payment won't be made until the award has become final or all parties have signed a waiver saying they aren't going to file an appeal. If you'd like to receive a lump sum payment, contact the ICA for lump sum commutation forms to complete. After you submit these forms, the commission will either grant or deny your request. If your request is denied, you have ten days to file a hearing request. You'll then receive a letter telling you when your hearing will be held.

Reopening a Workers' Comp Case

Some workers who were awarded permanent disability benefits and then had their claim closed may later develop a new medical condition related to their initial injury. In these cases, you may wish to reopen your claim by completing the Petition to Reopen a Claim form and submitting it to the ICA. When you send in the petition, include a medical report from your doctor that explains how your current condition is related to your original work-related injury or illness.

If your claim is reopened, you may be eligible to receive new benefits. Your medical expenses can be paid, but no medical benefits or compensation will be paid prior to the date the petition was filed. The insurance company will either accept or deny your petition to reopen. If it's denied, you have 90 days to file a hearing request with the ICA, who will then send you a letter telling you when your hearing is scheduled.

Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Veterans' Benefits

Arizona's Department of Economic Security administers vocational rehabilitation programs to help people with disabilities find and maintain jobs. These services include employment transition services, access to assistive technology, and business enterprise training for blind workers, among other programs. You can learn more at the state Department of Economic Security's official website.

In addition to federal VA benefits for veterans who have a service-connected medical condition, the state of Arizona offers its own housing, educational, and financial assistance for veteran residents. Check out the Department of Veterans' Services website for information on programs such as the Military Family Relief Fund, tuition waivers at public colleges, and nursing homes for eligible vets.

Getting Legal Help for Your Disability Claims

You aren't obligated to hire an attorney to get Social Security disability benefits or workers' compensation, but it's often a good idea—especially if you've already received a denial. Consider contacting an experienced disability attorney or workers' comp lawyer to help you strengthen your case. Your attorney can gather the medical records you'll need to establish that you're unable to work, handle all communication with Social Security or the ICA, and meet appeal deadlines in order to keep your claim afloat.

If you're worried about the price of hiring legal representation, it may help to know that workers' comp attorney fees and disability lawyers' costs typically come out of any past-due benefits or settlement amount you're awarded, so you shouldn't have to pay much out of pocket. Furthermore, these fees are usually statutorily capped, so your lawyer can't take more than a certain percentage of your award. Most attorneys offer free consultations, so it doesn't hurt to ask around and find one with a fee structure that works for you.