Register for SSA Business Services Online (BSO) at ssa.gov/bso using a Login.gov or ID.me credential; your employer must have a valid EIN and a legitimate wage-reporting purpose.
In BSO, navigate to SSNVS and choose the Batch Upload option for verifications of more than 10 name/SSN pairs.
Format your upload file per the SSNVS Handbook specification: fixed-width or delimited records with employee last name, first name, SSN, and optional date of birth; maximum file size and record count limits apply — consult the current handbook for limits.
Submit the file and note the tracking number; batch results are typically available the next business day via the SSNVS interface.
Download the result file; each record is returned with a verification code: '1' (match), '2' (name/SSN mismatch), '3' (SSN not in file), '4' (invalid SSN format), or '5' (SSN with death indicator).
For mismatches, ask the employee to confirm their SSN and name with their Social Security card before resubmitting; do not use SSNVS results to take adverse employment action.
Known gotchas
SSNVS is authorized only for wage reporting accuracy purposes — it is not a general-purpose identity verification tool, and use for hiring decisions or customer onboarding is prohibited.
Real-time (online) SSNVS is limited to 10 verifications per session; batch upload is required for larger volumes but results are not immediate.
SSNVS does not return information about work authorization status; for employment eligibility, use E-Verify separately.
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