Can You Get Disability for Depression? What SSA Requires

Yes, you can get disability for depression if it's severe enough, documented, and expected to keep you from substantial work for at least 12 months. Social Security evaluates depression under listing 12.04. You meet it with the required symptoms plus either serious limits in how you function, or a documented history of at least two years in which treatment keeps you only marginally able to adapt. You can also qualify without meeting the listing.

Part of listing 12.04	What it requires
A	Medical documentation of a depressive disorder with five or more of the listed symptoms, such as depressed mood, loss of interest, sleep or appetite changes, low energy, trouble concentrating
B	An extreme limitation in one, or a marked limitation in two, of the four areas of mental functioning
C	A medically documented history of at least 2 years, with ongoing treatment or a highly structured setting, and only marginal ability to adapt to changes or new demands

The listing is met by A and B, or A and C. We read it on November 7, 2026. For any SSA disability claim, earnings over the SGA limit, $1,690 a month in 2026, usually end the inquiry before the medical part.

The four areas in the B criteria

Area of mental functioning	Examples SSA looks at
Understand, remember or apply information	Following instructions, learning new tasks, using reason and judgment
Interact with others	Getting along with coworkers and the public, handling conflict, asking for help
Concentrate, persist or maintain pace	Finishing tasks on time, working without frequent breaks
Adapt or manage oneself	Handling change, hygiene, setting goals, controlling emotions

"Marked" means seriously limited, and "extreme" means unable to function in that area on a sustained basis. Your treating providers' notes about specific limits matter more than a diagnosis alone.

If you don't meet the listing

SSA next looks at your residual functional capacity: what work-related mental tasks you can still do day after day. A claim can succeed if your limits rule out your past work and other jobs, considering your age, education and experience. Records that show missed work, failed attempts to go back, or how often symptoms flare are what make that case.

Bipolar disorder under the same listing

Listing 12.04 also covers bipolar disorder, with its own A criteria: medical documentation of three or more of these symptoms: pressured speech, flight of ideas, inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, involvement in activities with a high probability of painful consequences that aren't recognized, and an increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation. The B and C criteria are the same as for depression. Because bipolar disorder comes in episodes, records over months and years matter more than any single visit.

Two other laws treat it in their own way:

Law	How bipolar disorder is treated
Americans with Disabilities Act	The EEOC's rules name bipolar disorder, along with major depressive disorder, among conditions that should easily be found to substantially limit brain function (29 CFR § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii)). A condition that comes and goes counts if it would limit you when active (42 U.S.C. § 12102(4)(D))
VA disability compensation	Rated under diagnostic code 9432, on the same 0 to 100% formula as depression (38 CFR § 4.130)

Evidence checklist

1. Treatment records from a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist, covering at least the last year.
2. Medication history, including what was tried and side effects.
3. Any hospital stays, crisis visits or intensive outpatient programs.
4. A provider's statement on specific limits in the four areas above.
5. Statements from family, former employers or coworkers about changes they saw.
6. A record of good and bad days, since depression often comes and goes.

Veterans

The VA rates depression under its own formula, not SSA's listing, and the two decisions are separate. See our guide to the depression VA rating.