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Where Are OHO Offices Located?+−
- What Are the Names and Locations of Hearing Offices Grouped by Regional Hubs?
- Do Administrative Law Judges Travel to Hearings?
When Was the List Last Updated?
What Does an Administrative Law Judge Do?
ALJ Approval and Denial Rates
What To Expect From the Social Security Administration Prior To Your ALJ Hearing
Work with an Experienced Social Security Disability Attorney

Social Security disability hearing offices are officially known as Offices of Hearings Operations (OHO). Previously, they were known as Offices of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). Statistically, this is where most Social Security Disability claims will be approved.

A Request for Hearing is the third step in the process and the second level of appeal that you can file in the Social Security Disability claim process. Generally, requests for reconsideration, hearings, and Appeals Council reviews should be submitted through your local Social Security field office. Your appeal will be forwarded from your local Social Security field offices to an OHO office to be processed.

Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) have the authority to review the previous decisions made by the SSA and hold hearings at OHO offices. There are multiple ALJs assigned to each OHO office.

Where Are OHO Offices Located?

There are 10 regional offices that oversee more than 160 OHO offices across the United States and around 1,600 ALJs holding hearings at these offices. In addition to these regional offices, the hearing system is further organized into 5 Hearings Hubs that manage 158 Hearing Offices, 8 Satellite Offices, and 5 National Hearing Centers (NHCs).

Nationwide, more than 900 administrative law judges and over 7,000 employees work within this network to handle claims efficiently and ensure hearings are accessible to claimants across the country—including U.S. territories.

This extensive network ensures that claimants have access to hearings in locations throughout the country, including territories like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. OHO offices are located throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

What Are the Names and Locations of Hearing Offices Grouped by Regional Hubs?

For those navigating the Social Security Disability appeal process, knowing where hearings actually take place can be half the battle. To keep things efficient, the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) organizes its hearing offices under five main regional “Hubs.” Each hub is responsible for overseeing the offices in its territory, making it easier to determine where your hearing might be held.

Here’s a closer look at the groups of hearing offices by their regional hubs:

Hearings Hub A

This hub covers locations stretching from New York City to the sunny coast of California and down to Mississippi. Offices in places like Charleston (WV), Long Beach (CA), Fort Myers (FL), Philadelphia (PA), and Tupelo (MS) fall under Hub A. You’ll also find offices in downtown Los Angeles, Orange, CA, and Norwalk, CA, plus key hubs in the Northeast such as New York and Manchester, NH.

Hearings Hub B

Headquartered primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, Hub B features hearing offices in Albany and Buffalo (NY), Boston (MA), Jersey City and Newark (NJ), Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Harrisburg (PA), as well as Baltimore (MD). Offices in this Hub also reach west to Phoenix, AZ and south to Richmond, VA. If your case is in the Northeast, chances are you’ll be assigned here.

Hearings Hub C

Serving much of the Southeast and certain Midwest cities, Hub C is a wide-reaching group. Major cities like Atlanta (both Downtown and North, GA), Miami and Ft. Lauderdale (FL), Charlotte and Raleigh (NC), and Memphis and Nashville (TN) all call Hub C home. San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as smaller cities like Kingsport (TN) and Mobile (AL), are included, too.

Hearings Hub D

This hub gathers hearings offices spread throughout the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northwest. If you live in Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, or Seattle, you’ll likely fall under Hub D. Additional locations span from Billings (MT) to Salt Lake City (UT), with numerous offices across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin keeping things connected for claimants in America’s heartland.

Hearings Hub E

Stretching far and wide over the South, Southwest, and West Coast, Hub E includes Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio (TX), Las Vegas and Reno (NV), and an array of California cities such as Fresno, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara. It even covers Honolulu (HI) and Albuquerque (NM), reaching into Louisiana in places like New Orleans and Metairie.

This regional approach helps maintain fairness, consistency, and ease of access for everyone involved. If you’re not sure where your local hearing office falls, your notice of hearing will specify the location—and you’ll find representation present whether you’re in downtown Manhattan, the mountains of Colorado, or along the Gulf Coast.

Do Administrative Law Judges Travel to Hearings?

Yes—Administrative Law Judges aren’t always bound to a single OHO office. When necessary, ALJs will travel to different locations to hold in-person hearings, making it easier for claimants who live farther away from permanent office sites. This approach helps ensure that even those in more remote or rural areas, such as small towns or outlying communities like Key West or the mountains of North Carolina, have their opportunity for a fair hearing without embarking on a cross-country trek. Occasionally, you might find an ALJ holding hearings in community centers, local municipal buildings, or temporary satellite offices arranged to handle higher caseloads or serve areas with limited access.

When Was the List Last Updated?

As of February 2024, the list of hearing offices and regional hubs received its most recent update, ensuring you have access to the latest locations and contact information available. This means any office details you pull today should reflect the most up-to-date information provided by the Social Security Administration. You can find a list of OHO offices on the SSA website using the hearing office locator.

What Does an Administrative Law Judge Do?

The ALJ will apply the five step sequential evaluation process to the evidence in your file to determine if you are disabled. During the hearing, the judge will ask you questions about your educational history, your past work, and your limitations. If present, the ALJ will also question any medical or vocational experts.

ALJ Approval and Denial Rates

The ALJ assigned to hear your case can have a major impact on the outcome of your case. Every ALJ has different approval and denial rates. This means that some judges are more likely to approve a claim, but some are more likely to deny a claim, even if they are presented with the same evidence. Unfortunately, claimants do not get to decide which ALJ is assigned to their case.

An experienced Social Security disability attorney will be familiar with the ALJs and will understand their different biases and whether they are likely to approve a claim. This is one of the main reasons that a claimant represented by a lawyer is more likely to be approved for benefits.

After you submit your request for hearing, the OHO will send you a letter confirming that they have received your request. You should also receive an exhibit list, which is a list of all the documentation in the file. If you do not receive an exhibit list, you should contact the OHO and request one. You can review this list to determine if any of your medical evidence is missing.

In addition to the exhibit list, you should also receive a CD-ROM with all your claim documentation in digital format. You should review the medical evidence in your file to see if there is any inaccurate information or if there are any diagnoses or test results that your doctor may have left out.

If there is information missing from your file, it is not too late. You can continue to submit medical evidence up to five business days prior to your scheduled hearing date.

At some point, you will receive a letter from the OHO informing you of the date and time of your hearing. Unfortunately, you may be in for a long wait. Sometimes it takes a year or longer to get a hearing date.

The Ortiz Law Firm helps claimants nationwide receive Social Security disability benefits. He has been practicing law since 2001 with a focus on representing disabled workers as of 2005.

If you want to learn more about Social Security disability hearings, visit one of these pages next:

If you need a Social Security disability attorney to represent you at your hearing, call us today at (888) 321-8131 to schedule a free case evaluation.