How long after doctor certification will EDD SDI approve my disability claim?

mine took like 4 days after dr submitted but my friend waited almost 3 weeks. think it depends how busy they are and if ur paperwork has all the info they need

The standard processing time for SDI claims is typically 7-14 days after your doctor submits the certification, assuming there are no issues with your claim. However, during busy periods (especially January-March and summer months), it can take up to 3 weeks. A few things that might help speed things up: - Make sure your employer submitted their required information - Check that your last day worked matches between your application and what your employer reported - Verify your doctor completed all required medical fields properly If it's been more than 14 days, I'd recommend trying to contact EDD to check if there are any issues with your claim. The online message center sometimes gets faster responses than calling.

Omg I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! I literally just got my claim approved yesterday after waiting TWENTY NINE DAYS!!! It was absolute torture checking the website every day. The worst part is I kept calling and calling but could never get through to a real person. Just that stupid recording saying they're experiencing high call volume. 😡

Wait times vary considerably depending on claim complexity and current workload at EDD. Here's what typically happens after your doctor submits certification: 1. Initial processing: 5-10 business days (system review) 2. Medical review: 2-5 additional days (if needed) 3. Final determination: 1-3 days So total processing can range from 7-18 business days under normal circumstances. If your claim is straightforward (clear disability, all forms complete, no conflicts in dates), you'll likely be on the shorter end. Some claims require additional review if: - There's a discrepancy between your reported last day worked and employer records - Your medical provider used vague language about your condition or work limitations - You have overlapping claims or benefits from other sources - Random selection for fraud prevention review If you're approaching the 14 business day mark, I'd recommend contacting EDD to check status.

My claim took 12 days to process after my doctor submitted. I think they're just really backed up right now. My neighbor said hers was approved in just 3 days last year, but that was in November when maybe they weren't as busy? Anyway, don't stress too much yet!

After having multiple claims over the years (chronic condition), I've noticed EDD is taking much longer to process claims in 2025 than in previous years. My January claim took 17 days to process after medical certification. The most frustrating part is trying to get through to an actual representative when there's a problem. I spent 6 days calling constantly before I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They connected me to an EDD representative in under 30 minutes when I'd been trying for almost a week on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd This helped me find out there was a simple discrepancy in my last day worked that was holding everything up. Once that was fixed, my claim was approved within 48 hours.

wait are you talking about state disability or paid family leave? cuz those r different and have different processing times

One additional tip: check your SDI Online account to see if there's a message requesting additional information. Sometimes they need clarification on something, but the notification email goes to spam or doesn't arrive at all. This happened to me and delayed my claim by 2 weeks because I didn't know they were waiting for me to respond to a question.

My claim took exactly 11 business days to process after my doctor submitted certification for my carpal tunnel disability. The EDD representative I eventually reached (after 30+ calls) told me they're currently processing claims from about 2 weeks ago, so there's a bit of a backlog. As long as your doctor filled out everything completely, you should be fine. My first claim got delayed because my doctor didn't specify an expected return-to-work date, and nobody told me until I finally reached someone by phone. Hang in there! The money should come through eventually.

I'm in a similar situation - my doctor submitted my certification 5 days ago and I'm also checking constantly! Reading through these responses is actually really helpful. It sounds like 7-14 days is pretty normal, though some people have had to wait longer. I'm trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're worried about finances. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know I'm not alone in this waiting game!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My doctor submitted my certification 6 days ago for a shoulder injury and I'm constantly refreshing the SDI portal too. It's so stressful not knowing when it'll be approved, especially with rent due next week. Reading everyone's experiences here is really helpful though - sounds like most people get approved within 2 weeks if everything is filled out correctly. I'm trying to stay positive but the waiting is killing me! Hope yours gets approved soon PixelPioneer!

I just went through this process last month and wanted to share my timeline to hopefully ease some anxiety! My doctor submitted my certification on a Tuesday, and my claim was approved the following Monday - so exactly 6 business days. I think I got lucky because it was right after the holidays when they might have been less backed up. One thing that really helped my peace of mind was setting up text notifications in my SDI Online account so I wouldn't have to obsessively check the portal. When my status finally changed to "approved," I got the text within an hour. Also, if it helps with the financial stress, once your claim is approved, the first payment usually comes within 2-3 business days if you have direct deposit set up. So even though the waiting feels endless, once things start moving, they move pretty quickly! Hang in there - you're still well within the normal timeframe based on what everyone else is sharing here!

I'm currently in the same boat - my doctor submitted my certification 9 days ago for a knee injury and I'm still waiting for approval. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! It sounds like most people get approved within the 7-14 day window, so I'm trying to stay patient even though the financial stress is real. I wanted to add that I called my doctor's office yesterday to double-check that they submitted everything correctly, and they confirmed they did. They also mentioned that EDD sometimes takes longer to process claims during certain times of the year when they're swamped with applications. For anyone else in the waiting period - I've found it helps to remind myself that no news is often good news. If there were major issues with my claim, they would have likely contacted me or my doctor by now for additional information. Keeping my fingers crossed that all of us waiting get good news soon! This thread has definitely made me feel less alone in this stressful process.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My doctor submitted my certification 8 days ago for a wrist injury from repetitive strain, and I've been obsessively checking the SDI portal multiple times per day. The financial anxiety is real - I'm already behind on some bills and worried about making rent next week. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief though. It sounds like 7-14 business days is pretty standard, and I'm still within that window. I had no idea about the text notification feature that Ruby mentioned - just set that up so hopefully I can stop my compulsive portal checking! The hardest part is not knowing if there's an issue with my claim or if it's just normal processing time. Like others mentioned, I called my doctor's office to confirm they filled everything out completely, and they assured me they did. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and experiences. It really helps to know we're all going through this stressful waiting period together. Fingers crossed we all get good news soon! 🤞

I just wanted to jump in here as someone who recently went through this same nerve-wracking process! My doctor submitted my certification for a herniated disc 3 weeks ago, and I literally just got approved yesterday. I know 3 weeks sounds scary, but it turns out there was a minor issue with my employer's information that caused the delay - nothing to do with my medical certification. What really helped me was creating a little daily routine instead of constantly checking the portal. I would check once in the morning with my coffee and once in the evening, and that was it. The text notifications that Ruby mentioned are absolutely essential - they'll save your sanity! Also, if you're worried about bills, don't be afraid to reach out to your creditors and let them know you're waiting on disability approval. Most are pretty understanding and will work with you on payment arrangements. I was surprised how accommodating my landlord and utility company were when I explained the situation. You're all still well within normal processing times, so try not to stress too much. The approval will come, and when it does, that first payment feels like winning the lottery! Hang in there everyone! 💙

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My doctor submitted my certification 4 days ago for a herniated disc and the waiting is already driving me crazy. I keep telling myself it's still early, but when you're worried about bills and not working, every day feels like forever. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful though - it really seems like 7-14 days is the normal range, with some taking longer during busy periods. I had no idea about the text notifications feature that Ruby mentioned, so I just set that up to hopefully stop my constant portal refreshing! It's also reassuring to see that most delays seem to be administrative issues rather than problems with the medical certification itself. I'm going to try Gael's approach of only checking twice a day instead of every few hours. Thanks to everyone for sharing your timelines and tips. This community is honestly keeping me sane during this stressful process! Hopefully we all get good news soon 🤞

I'm in almost the exact same situation! My doctor submitted my certification 6 days ago for a shoulder injury and I'm checking my SDI account multiple times a day too. The financial stress is real - I've already had to put some bills on credit cards and I'm worried about next month's rent. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring though. It sounds like 7-14 business days is pretty standard, and some people have gotten approved even faster. I just set up the text notifications that Ruby mentioned - hopefully that will help me stop obsessively refreshing the portal! I also called my doctor's office yesterday to make sure they filled everything out correctly, and they confirmed they did. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're already stressed about being out of work. Thanks for asking this question PixelPioneer - this whole thread has made me feel so much less alone in this process. Fingers crossed we both get approved soon! 🤞

I'm in a very similar situation right now! My doctor submitted my certification 10 days ago for a back injury from lifting at work, and I'm still waiting for approval. The anxiety is real - I keep second-guessing whether everything was filled out correctly even though my doctor's office confirmed it was. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful though. It sounds like most people get approved within the 7-14 day window, and I'm right in that range now. I had no idea about the text notification feature until Ruby mentioned it - just set that up and it should help me stop my compulsive portal checking! It's also reassuring to see that delays are often due to simple administrative issues rather than problems with the medical certification itself. I'm going to try limiting myself to checking just twice a day like Gael suggested instead of every few hours. Thanks for starting this thread PixelPioneer - knowing that so many of us are going through this exact same stressful waiting period really helps. Hopefully we all get our approvals soon! The financial stress while being out of work is no joke. 🤞

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! My doctor submitted my certification 5 days ago for a knee injury and I'm already checking the portal obsessively. The financial stress is so real when you're out of work and waiting - I've been living off savings and it's scary not knowing when approval will come. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though. It sounds like 7-14 days is pretty normal, with some people getting approved faster and others taking longer during busy periods. I just set up those text notifications that Ruby mentioned - hopefully that will save me from refreshing the page every hour! It's also reassuring to see that most delays seem to be simple administrative stuff rather than issues with the medical certification itself. I called my doctor's office yesterday to triple-check they filled everything out completely and they confirmed they did. Thanks for asking this question PixelPioneer - this whole thread is making me feel so much less alone in this stressful waiting period. The community support here is amazing! Fingers crossed we all get our approvals soon 🤞

I'm currently going through this exact same process! My doctor submitted my certification 7 days ago for a torn rotator cuff and I'm definitely feeling that same anxiety about checking the portal constantly. The financial stress while being out of work is no joke - I've already had to defer a couple of bill payments and I'm starting to worry about rent. This entire thread has been so incredibly helpful and reassuring though! It's amazing to see how many of us are all going through this waiting period at the same time. Based on everyone's experiences, it really seems like 7-14 business days is the standard range, so I'm trying to stay patient even though every day feels like forever when you're worried about money. I just set up the text notifications that Ruby mentioned - what a game changer! I had no idea that feature existed. Hopefully it will help me break this obsessive portal checking habit I've developed. I also called my doctor's office to confirm they submitted everything correctly and they assured me they did. Thanks so much for starting this discussion PixelPioneer - reading everyone's timelines and experiences has made me feel so much less alone in this stressful process. The community support here is really amazing. Fingers crossed we all start getting our approvals soon! 🙏