Filing for Social Security Disability in Arkansas

If you're applying for Social Security disability (SSDI or SSI) in Arkansas, the federal rules are the same as anywhere else in the country because Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are federal programs, but some important details are specific to the state. Arkansas's approval rates, payment amounts, hearing office locations, and state tax treatment of benefits all differ from other states. Read on to find out what to expect at each stage of the process and where to file and appeal.

How Do I Apply for and Get Disability Benefits in Arkansas?

You can apply for disability benefits online at the SSA website or through a local Social Security field office. At the field office (or over the phone), a claims representative will review your application to make sure you've met all of the technical requirements for benefits (such as the work history requirements for SSDI or the income limits for SSI).

If you meet the technical requirements, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send your application to a claims examiner at Arkansas Disability Determination for SSA (DDSSA), a state agency, for a medical decision to be made on your records.

Who Can I Contact About My Application After I Apply?

Social Security sends your claim to Arkansas DDSSA soon after you submit your application. So you should call DDSSA with any questions you have about your application after you apply. Here is DDSSA's contact information.

Arkansas Disability Determination for SSA

701 Pulaski Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-3030
Fax: 800-482-9950
Website: www.arkansas.gov/ddssa/about.html

How Long Does It Take to Get a Decision on a Disability Claim in Arkansas?

It takes about four to six months to get an initial decision from Arkansas's DDSSA. If your claim is denied, you'll receive a denial letter in the mail. If you appeal, it will likely take another three to five months to get an answer on your request for reconsideration.

If you get turned down a second time and have to go to a disability hearing, you're less than halfway done. In 2025, it took an average of 8 months to get a hearing date in Arkansas, from the time you file a request for hearing until the date the case is decided by an ALJ.

How Many Disability Claims Are Approved in Arkansas?

For the 2025 fiscal year, Arkansas's DDSSA, the state agency that determines medical eligibility for Social Security and SSI disability for Arkansas residents, approved just 36% of disability claims at the initial application level.

At the appeal hearing level, Arkansas administrative law judges (ALJs) awarded benefits in 46% of the cases heard. Here are the approval rates at each stage of the process:

Source: ALJ Disposition Data Fiscal Year (SSA, 2025) and Average Wait Time Until Hearing (SSA, September 2025).

What Happens If My Claim Is Denied?

If the claims examiner at the Arkansas DDSSA denies your claim, you can ask that it be reconsidered by a different claims examiner, by filing a reconsideration request (this is the first level of appeal). Unfortunately, the approval rate at the reconsideration stage is typically very low, around 14%.

If your claim is denied again, you can request a disability hearing by filing a request for a hearing with an administrative law judge. The DDS will then send your claim to the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), a branch of Social Security, where a judge will decide your case at a disability hearing.

Hearing Office Locations in Arkansas

Arkansas has two hearing office locations where disability hearings are held. In addition, the Memphis and Shreveport offices service some areas in Arkansas. Below are the hearing offices' addresses.

Fort Smith, AR

Central Mall, Suite 475
5111 Rogers Avenue
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903-2034
Phone: 877-348-7549

Little Rock, AR

2405 Federal Office Building
700 West Capitol Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: 866-592-2549

Memphis, TN

309 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: 866-348-5830

(In addition to servicing field offices in Tennessee, this hearing office services West Memphis in Arkansas.)

Shreveport, LA

Louisiana Tower, Suite 700
401 Edwards Street
Shreveport, LA 71101-6129
Phone: (866) 690-1805

(In addition to servicing field offices in Louisiana, this hearing office services Texarkana in Arkansas.)

Before your hearing, you may want to check for address and phone number changes using Social Security's hearing office locator.

What Is the Monthly Disability Amount in Arkansas?

The average SSDI payment in Arkansas is $1,514 per month, but technically, some people could receive up to $4,100, depending on their income. (And widows and disabled adult children receive less.) You can use our Social Security disability calculator to estimate your monthly payment, based on your past earnings.

SSI doesn't pay as well. The federal monthly SSI benefit for an individual in 2026 is up to $994; for a couple, it's $1,491.

But in Arkansas, the average SSI payment is $681. (Most people receive less than the federal maximum, because the amount of SSI they receive depends on whether they have other countable income or if they receive free room and board.)

Some states provide a supplemental payment to the federal monthly benefit for SSI recipients; Arkansas, however, does not. This means that SSI recipients in Arkansas may receive a slightly lower monthly benefit than those in neighboring states.

Arkansas exempts 100% of Social Security benefits and SSI benefits from a resident's tax liability. That means the state doesn't tax SSDI or SSI payments. For people with higher incomes, the federal government will tax a portion of their SSDI benefits. But the IRS will never tax SSI benefits.

Does Arkansas Have Any Limits on the Cost of Medical Records?

Arkansas state law limits how much medical providers can charge you to copy your medical records for you. Arkansas law allows doctors and hospitals to charge patients $0.50 a page for the first 25 pages and $0.25 a page for any additional pages. A provider can also charge a $15.00 labor fee and can ask for reimbursement for the actual cost of postage.

Are There Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Arkansas?

Arkansas offers vocational rehabilitation services through the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services (ARS), which is a division of the Department of Career Education. ARS serves disabled residents by providing such services as diagnostic and educational testing, access to technology, and help with supportive housing. For more information, visit the ARS website.

Get More Information on Filing for Disability

If you'd like to find out more about getting disability in Arkansas, and what you can expect during the application process, check out these articles:

• What's the Difference Between SSDI and SSI?
• Do You Qualify for Disability Benefits? (Take our quiz.)
• How to Get Financial Assistance While Waiting on Disability
• Can You Work While Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits?
• Who Is Most Likely to Get Approved for Social Security Disability Benefits?

Other Sources:
_{Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2024
Annual Statistical Supplement for SSI, 2025}