Can I drop off my doctor's disability certification form at an EDD office? Or must it be mailed?

No, you can't drop it off at an EDD office anymore. They stopped accepting in-person documents since COVID. You have to mail it to the PO Box address listed on the form. Make sure you keep a copy!!

Actually that's not fully correct. While most EDD offices don't accept SDI paperwork in-person anymore, some locations do have secure drop boxes outside their offices specifically for disability forms. Call your local office first to confirm if they have this option. But honestly, your doctor should be filing the medical certification electronically anyway - much faster and more secure. Did your doctor say why they're giving you a paper form instead of submitting electronically?

I had the EXACT same issue last month! I ended up mailing mine and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! Took 3 weeks to process and I was stressing every day. Tried calling EDD like 50 times and couldn't get through to anyone. Kept getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever. Absolutely ridiculous system they have!!!

If you're worried about delays in processing your claim, you should try Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the same boat last month and couldn't get through to anyone at EDD for weeks. Claimyr connected me to an EDD agent in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd As for your original question - your doctor should really be submitting the medical certification electronically. It's much faster. If they insist on paper, certified mail with return receipt is your safest bet. The SDI processing center mailing address should be on your DE 2501 form instructions.

Here's what you need to know about submitting your medical certification form: 1. Doctors are SUPPOSED to submit these electronically through SDI Online - it's faster and more secure 2. If your doctor gives you a paper form, you have three options: - Mail it to the PO Box on the form (slowest but most common) - Fax it to the number on the form (faster than mail) - Some offices have drop boxes (call first to confirm) 3. The 7-day timeline isn't for submitting the medical certification - it's for FILING your initial claim. You have 49 days from your disability start date to file the claim itself. I recommend asking your doctor to submit electronically, or if they can't, use certified mail with tracking. And make sure you've already filed your portion of the claim online through SDI Online!

just went through this in February... they lost my paperwork TWICE when I mailed it. such a joke. finally had my doctor resubmit electronically and it processed in 2 days. definitely push your doctor to do it online if possible!!!!

One more thing to know - even after your doctor submits the certification, the standard processing time right now is 10-14 business days according to the EDD website. That's just for a normal claim with no issues. So prepare to wait at least 2-3 weeks even in the best case. Make sure you have enough savings to cover expenses during that time.

my sister works at a medical office and she says they always file the doctor part online. call ur doctor back and ask them why they cant do it that way. they might just be lazy tbh

Just to follow up - I checked the EDD website, and as of 2025, there are NO in-person disability services offices accepting walk-in forms. The drop boxes were a temporary measure during COVID transitions, but those have been phased out too. Your options are electronic submission (preferred), mail, or fax only. Hope this helps clarify!

Thanks everyone for the advice! I called my doctor this morning and explained the situation. Turns out they DO have access to the electronic system but the person who handles it was on vacation last week. They're going to submit my certification electronically today. They said it would have been processed faster if I'd just waited rather than taking the paper form. Lesson learned! I'll update once my claim starts processing.

That's awesome that your doctor's office was able to submit it electronically! I'm going through a similar situation right now with a knee injury and was also given a paper form initially. After reading this thread, I called my orthopedist's office and they said they can do electronic filing too - apparently the staff member who usually handles it was out sick. It's frustrating that they don't just mention electronic filing as the first option since it's so much faster. Hopefully both our claims process quickly! Keep us posted on how long it takes once they submit yours.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation - I have a wrist injury from repetitive strain and my doctor also gave me paper forms initially. After reading everyone's experiences here, I called my doctor's office this morning and asked specifically about electronic filing. Turns out they can do it but just don't always offer it as the first option. They're submitting mine electronically today too! It's really frustrating that so many medical offices seem to default to paper when electronic is clearly faster and more reliable. For anyone else reading this - definitely ask your doctor about electronic submission first before accepting paper forms. The processing time difference seems significant based on what people are sharing here.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation - I have severe sciatica from a herniated disc and my doctor initially gave me paper forms last week. After reading all these responses, I called my doctor's office this morning and specifically asked about electronic filing. The receptionist initially said they only do paper, but when I explained that it could take weeks longer to process, she transferred me to their billing department. Turns out they absolutely can submit electronically - they just don't always mention it as an option! They're going to resubmit mine today through the online system. It's really frustrating that patients have to specifically ask for the faster method. For anyone else in this situation - definitely push back if they try to give you paper forms first. The time difference in processing seems to be substantial based on everyone's experiences here.

I'm so glad I stumbled across this discussion! I'm currently on temporary disability for anxiety and depression, and my psychiatrist handed me paper forms when I first applied last month. The whole process took almost 4 weeks to get approved, and I was stressed out of my mind the entire time waiting for benefits to start. Reading all these comments about electronic filing makes me realize my doctor's office probably could have submitted everything online from the beginning! For my next certification (I have to recertify every few months), I'm definitely going to ask specifically about electronic submission. It's really eye-opening how many medical offices seem to default to paper without mentioning the faster electronic option. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this information could be a game-changer for people dealing with disability claims!

This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently dealing with a workers' comp injury (torn rotator cuff) and was also given paper forms by my orthopedic surgeon last week. After reading everyone's experiences, I immediately called their office and asked about electronic filing. The medical assistant initially seemed confused and said they "always do paper for disability," but when I insisted and mentioned it could take weeks longer to process, she put me on hold and came back saying they could absolutely submit it electronically! They're doing it today. It's honestly shocking how many medical offices seem to default to the slower paper method without even mentioning electronic filing as an option. You'd think they'd want to help their patients get benefits as quickly as possible, especially when we're already dealing with injuries and financial stress. I'm really grateful to everyone who shared their experiences here - this could literally be the difference between getting benefits in a few days versus waiting weeks. I'll definitely update once I see how the electronic submission goes!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly informative! I'm just starting the disability process myself for a chronic illness and had no idea electronic filing was even an option. My doctor is supposed to give me the forms next week, and based on everything I've read here, I'm definitely going to ask specifically about electronic submission right from the start. It's really concerning that so many medical offices seem to default to paper forms without mentioning the faster electronic option - especially when people are already stressed about their health and finances. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and pushed back with their doctors' offices. This could save me weeks of waiting time! I'll make sure to be persistent if they initially say they only do paper forms.

I'm currently going through the disability application process for a chronic pain condition and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! I had my appointment with my doctor yesterday and they initially handed me paper forms, but after reading all these experiences, I called them back this morning and specifically asked about electronic filing. Just like so many others here, they said "oh yes, we can do that" - apparently they just don't offer it as the first option! It's really frustrating that patients have to know to ask for the faster method when we're already dealing with health issues and financial stress. They're submitting mine electronically today. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and encouraged people to push back on paper forms - this community knowledge could literally save weeks of processing time for people who need benefits urgently!

This thread has been so helpful! I'm new to this whole process and had no idea there were different ways to submit disability paperwork. My doctor is scheduling me for an evaluation next week for potential disability due to migraines, and based on everything I've read here, I'm definitely going to ask about electronic filing right away instead of just accepting whatever forms they give me. It's really concerning that so many medical offices seem to default to paper without mentioning the faster electronic option - especially when people are already stressed about their health and finances. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences and pushing back with your doctors' offices. This knowledge could save me weeks of processing time!

I'm currently going through a similar situation with a work-related back injury and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! My doctor gave me paper forms last Friday, but after reading all these experiences about electronic filing, I called their office this morning. Just like everyone else here, they initially said they "always do paper" but when I explained that electronic filing could save weeks of processing time, suddenly they could absolutely do it electronically! They're submitting mine today. It's really frustrating that patients have to specifically advocate for the faster electronic option when we're already dealing with pain and financial stress from being unable to work. It seems like there's a huge knowledge gap between what's technically available and what medical offices actually offer patients upfront. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this could literally be the difference between getting benefits in days versus weeks for those of us who desperately need them!

This entire thread has been such a game-changer for me! I'm dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome from my job and was scheduled to get disability paperwork from my doctor next week. I had absolutely no idea that electronic filing was even an option - I just assumed everyone had to mail in paper forms and wait weeks for processing. Reading all these real experiences has completely changed my approach. I'm definitely going to ask specifically about electronic submission right from the start instead of just accepting whatever paperwork they hand me. It's really eye-opening (and honestly pretty frustrating) how many medical offices seem to default to the slower paper method without even mentioning electronic filing. When people are already stressed about their health and worried about paying bills without income, you'd think they'd want to offer the fastest processing option available. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and encouraged others to push back - this knowledge could save me weeks of waiting time that I really can't afford right now!