SSA slashes SSN check fees—businesses save a few bucks
Published Date: 4/7/2025
Notice
Summary
Starting April 7, 2025, the Social Security Administration is lowering fees for its electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification service. This change helps financial institutions and their partners save money when verifying SSNs with consent. If you’re a permitted entity using this service, expect to pay less for the same reliable SSN checks.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
eCBSV subscription fees lowered
Starting April 7, 2025, permitted entities (PEs) will pay lower annual subscription fees for the SSA electronic Consent Based SSN Verification (eCBSV) service. Fees vary by annual transaction volume (for example, Tier 1 (1–10,000) = $5,100; Tier 6 (1,000,001–2,500,000) = $907,500; Tier 12 (25,000,001–200,000,000) = $5,878,125). Each enrolled PE must pay the applicable tier fee for a 365-day agreement period beginning on or after April 7, 2025.
Fees set to recover $25.5M by FY2027
SSA reports total eCBSV development and operating costs of about $66.3 million through FY 2024, with $25.5 million remaining unrecovered. SSA expects, assuming 21 participating PEs and 68 million annual transactions, to collect the $25.5 million through FY 2027 and says it will further reduce fees once it breaks even.
Who qualifies as a Permitted Entity (PE)
Only Permitted Entities (PEs) may use eCBSV; a PE is a financial institution or service provider (including subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, subcontractors, or assignees) that must possess an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and Bradstreet number. A PE must submit a certification that it is a PE, is in compliance with section 215, will comply with privacy and data security laws, and will retain records to demonstrate compliance for not less than 2 years.
Written consent rules for SSN checks
Before requesting eCBSV verification, PEs must obtain valid written consent from the number holder that meets Federal law and the eCBSV User Agreement; valid consent must include a wet or electronic signature that meets the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN) definition. The written consent must specify who may receive the information, what information (e.g., SSN verification) may be disclosed, and, where applicable, the timeframe for disclosure.
eCBSV use limited to credit/FCRA situations
PEs may only request SSA verification through eCBSV in connection with a credit transaction or a circumstance described in section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. eCBSV requests must therefore be tied to permitted uses under FCRA.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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