EDD SDI claim stuck at 'pending physician certification' - will payment arrive in 14 days?

The 14-day timeframe only starts AFTER your doctor's certification is processed. When it says 'pending physician certification' it means EDD hasn't received or processed your doctor's forms yet. I went through this last month and it took almost 3 weeks from application to first payment. Check out Claimyr.com if you need to speak with an actual EDD rep - they helped me get through to someone who could tell me what was really happening with my claim. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd

It's important to understand that there are several stages to SDI claim processing: 1. Initial claim submission (what you've done) 2. Physician certification processing (where you're stuck now) 3. Claim evaluation by EDD 4. Payment processing The 14-day estimate applies to the entire process IF everything goes smoothly. In reality, the physician certification often causes delays. I recommend calling your doctor's office to verify they submitted the DE 2501 form correctly. Sometimes they miss fields or submit it to the wrong department.

same thing happened to me! took like 3 weeks before my status changed from pending to processing. edd is super slow rn

My sister-in-law just went through this whole process and was telling me about it at dinner last night! Her doctor submitted everything but it still showed as pending for like 10 days. She said something about the doctors using a fax system and EDD being super behind on processing them. Eventually it went through though.

This is a common issue with EDD SDI claims. The 'pending physician certification' status can be misleading because: 1. Your doctor may have submitted the paperwork, but it's sitting in a queue at EDD waiting to be processed 2. There might be a discrepancy between the information you provided and what your doctor submitted 3. The medical documentation might be incomplete according to EDD standards The 14-day timeframe is their goal for processing COMPLETE applications, not applications waiting for documentation processing. Here's what you should do: 1. Contact your doctor's office and verify they submitted form DE 2501 with your correct SSN and claim ID 2. Ask them for a copy of the submission confirmation 3. Wait 7-10 business days from when they submitted it 4. If still pending after that time, contact EDD directly And yes, you will be paid retroactively from your first day of disability minus the 7-day waiting period.

this happens ALL THE TIME!!! edd is the WORST!!! i was stuck in "pending physician certification" for FIVE WEEKS last year even though my doctor submitted everything right away. they kept saying they "never received it" until suddenly one day they did. by then i was already back at work! the system is BROKEN!!!!

i think its different for everybody tbh. my claim went thru in like 9 days total but my friend waited almost a month for hers. i think it depends on ur medical condition and how busy they are?? good luck!

To clarify something important: There's a difference between the physician certification being submitted and it being processed. Even after your doctor submits the form, EDD has to review it and match it to your claim. This is where delays often happen. In 2025, EDD is still struggling with staffing issues that began during COVID. While their stated goal is processing claims within 14 days, the current average is closer to 17-21 days from initial filing to first payment. If you absolutely need to speak with someone at EDD about your specific claim status, be prepared to call very early in the morning (right when they open) and possibly make multiple attempts. The phone lines are notoriously difficult to get through.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get any updates? I know how stressful waiting for disability payments can be when bills are due.

Hey Nadia! I'm new here but going through the exact same thing right now. Filed my SDI claim 10 days ago and it's been stuck on "pending physician certification" for 6 days even though my doctor says they faxed everything over immediately. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - sounds like there's no real timeline we can count on! 😅 Really glad to see your status finally changed to processing payment though. That gives me hope that mine will move along soon too. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it's nice to know I'm not alone in this stressful waiting game!

Welcome to the community! I just went through this exact same situation about two months ago and completely understand the anxiety you're feeling. My claim was also stuck at "pending physician certification" for what felt like forever, even though my doctor insisted they had submitted everything correctly. Here's what I learned from my experience: the EDD system can take anywhere from 5-10 business days just to process the physician's paperwork after they submit it, even when everything is done correctly. It's not necessarily that anything is wrong - they're just incredibly backlogged. A few things that helped me get through it: 1. Keep checking your online portal daily - the status can change without any notification 2. If it's been more than 10 business days since your doctor submitted, have them call EDD directly (this seemed to help speed things up in my case) 3. Document everything - dates, confirmation numbers, who you spoke with The good news is that once your status changes from "pending physician certification" to "processing payment," the money usually hits your account within 1-3 business days for direct deposit. And yes, you'll get paid retroactively from your first day of disability minus the waiting period. Hang in there - I know how stressful it is when rent is due and you're counting on that payment. Most people do get through the system eventually, it just takes longer than their advertised timeline suggests. 💪

Hey Nadia! Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see you've been getting some great advice here. I actually just went through this exact same situation about 3 weeks ago - filed my SDI claim and got stuck on "pending physician certification" for almost 2 weeks despite my doctor submitting everything right away. What finally moved things along was when my doctor's office called EDD directly to verify receipt of the DE 2501 form. Turns out there was some mix-up with the fax number they had on file! Once they resubmitted to the correct department, my status changed to "processing payment" within 48 hours. I know everyone's situation is different, but it might be worth having your doctor double-check they sent it to the right place. The EDD fax system seems to be a real weak point in their process. Also, once you do get to "processing payment" status, the money really does come fast - mine hit my account in just 2 business days. Hang in there! I know how stressful it is when you're counting on that payment for rent. The system is definitely slower than advertised, but most people do get through eventually. 🤞

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim about 8 days ago and it's been stuck on "pending physician certification" for the past 4 days. My doctor swears they submitted everything immediately after my appointment, but here we are still waiting. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring and nerve-wracking - sounds like this is unfortunately pretty normal for EDD but the wait times are all over the place. @Nadia Zaldivar so glad to see your status finally moved to processing payment! That gives me hope. And thanks to everyone sharing their timelines and advice - definitely going to have my doctor call EDD directly if I'm still stuck by next week. It's frustrating that their "14 days" estimate doesn't seem to reflect reality, but at least now I know what to expect. Fingers crossed we all get through this bureaucratic maze soon! 🤞

Hey everyone! New member here but unfortunately not new to EDD struggles. Just wanted to chime in since I see so many people going through the same "pending physician certification" nightmare right now. I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and it was absolutely maddening. What really helped me was creating a simple tracking sheet with dates - when I filed, when my doctor submitted, when I called, etc. It made me feel more in control and helped when I finally got through to an EDD rep who could actually look into my case. Also, one tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: if your doctor's office has a patient portal, check if they show the EDD submission in your records there. Sometimes they think they sent it but it never actually went through their system. Worth double-checking! @Nadia Zaldivar congrats on finally getting to processing payment status! And to everyone else still waiting - I know it's incredibly stressful but you will get through this. The system is broken but it does eventually work (unfortunately just not on their promised timeline). Hang in there! 💪

Just joined this community and wow, what perfect timing! I'm currently dealing with this exact same issue - filed my SDI claim 5 days ago and it's been showing "pending physician certification" for the past 3 days. My doctor assured me they faxed everything over immediately, but clearly something is holding things up on EDD's end. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. It's both frustrating and reassuring to see this is such a common problem. The inconsistent timelines are wild - some people getting through in 9 days, others waiting 5+ weeks! @Nadia Zaldivar so happy to hear your status finally changed to processing payment! That gives me hope that mine will eventually move too. And thanks to everyone sharing such detailed advice about having doctors call EDD directly, checking patient portals, and keeping detailed tracking records. I'm definitely going to implement these strategies if I'm still stuck by next week. It's crazy that in 2025 we're still dealing with fax systems and such unreliable processing times, but at least this community makes the waiting feel less isolating. Fingers crossed we all get through this bureaucratic maze soon! 🤞

Hey everyone! Just stumbled across this thread while searching for answers about my own SDI claim situation. Filed mine about a week and a half ago and it's been stuck on "pending physician certification" for 6 days now, despite my doctor insisting they submitted everything the same day as my appointment. Reading through all your experiences has been such a mixed bag of relief and anxiety! It's oddly comforting to know this delay seems to be the norm rather than the exception, but those 5+ week horror stories are definitely not what I wanted to see when rent is due in a few days 😅 @Nadia Zaldivar congratulations on finally getting to processing payment status! That's awesome news and gives the rest of us hope. The advice from @Giovanni Ricci about checking the fax number and @Dylan Campbell about creating a tracking sheet are brilliant - I'm definitely implementing both strategies tomorrow. It's wild that in 2025 we're still dealing with fax systems and such inconsistent processing times. The fact that EDD's "14 days" seems to be more of a best-case scenario than reality is pretty frustrating when you're trying to budget around their timeline. But this community has been incredibly helpful for managing expectations and getting practical advice. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes this whole waiting game feel less isolating! 🙏

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through this exact nightmare about 8 months ago! I see so many of you dealing with the "pending physician certification" limbo and I totally feel your pain - it's incredibly stressful when you're counting on that payment and the system seems to be moving at a snail's pace. My claim was stuck in that same status for almost 3 weeks even though my doctor swore they submitted everything correctly. What finally broke the logjam was when I had my doctor not only call EDD directly, but also re-fax the DE 2501 form with a cover sheet that included my claim number in large, bold letters at the top. Apparently their processing system sometimes has trouble matching up the medical forms with the right claims. One thing I learned that might help some of you: EDD's fax system gets completely overwhelmed during peak hours (usually 9am-2pm). My doctor's office found more success sending paperwork either early morning (before 8am) or late afternoon (after 4pm). @Nadia Zaldivar so glad to hear your status finally moved! That first payment hitting your account will be such a relief. And to everyone else still waiting - I know it feels endless, but you will get through this. The retroactive payment makes up for some of the stress once it finally comes through. Hang in there! 💪

Just wanted to add my recent experience to this helpful thread! I went through this exact same situation just last month - filed my SDI claim and got stuck on "pending physician certification" for what felt like forever, even though my doctor assured me they had submitted everything immediately. What I discovered after calling EDD multiple times was that there's actually a separate processing queue specifically for physician certifications, and it's completely backed up right now. The rep I finally got through to explained that they're still dealing with staffing shortages from COVID that are affecting their medical review department specifically. A couple things that helped speed up my process: 1. I had my doctor submit a second copy of the DE 2501 via their secure online portal (not just fax) 2. I called EDD at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday - seemed to have better luck early in the week 3. I kept a detailed log of every interaction which helped when I finally got a helpful rep The whole thing took about 16 days from filing to first payment, but once it switched to "processing payment" the money was in my account within 24 hours via direct deposit. And yes, they did pay me retroactively from my first day of disability. @Nadia Zaldivar congrats on getting to processing payment status! You should see that money very soon. And to everyone else still waiting - I know how anxiety-inducing this is, but hang in there. The system is slow but it does work eventually! 🙏