20 CFR § 401.35 - Your right to request records.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s401.35"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 401.35 - Your right to request records."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "401.35"
section_name: "Your right to request records."
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION"
part_number: "401"
part_name: "PRIVACY AND DISCLOSURE OF OFFICIAL RECORDS AND INFORMATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Secs. 205, 702(a)(5), 1106, and 1141 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405, 902(a)(5), 1306, and 1320b-11); 5 U.S.C. 552 and 552a; 8 U.S.C. 1360; 26 U.S.C. 6103; 30 U.S.C. 923."
regulatory_source: "62 FR 4143, Jan. 29, 1997, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "401"
---


# 401.35 Your right to request records.

The Privacy Act gives you the right to direct access to most records about yourself that are in our systems of records. Exceptions to this Privacy Act right include—

(a) Special procedures for access to certain medical records (see 5 U.S.C. 552a(f)(3) and § 401.55);

(b) Unavailability of certain criminal law enforcement records (see 5 U.S.C. 552a(k), and § 401.85); and

(c) Unavailability of records compiled in reasonable anticipation of a court action or formal administrative proceeding.

The Freedom of Information Act (see 20 CFR part 402) allows you to request information from SSA whether or not it is in a system of records.