HUD Handbook 4350.3 § 5-16
Effective Term of Verifications (HUD Occupancy Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4)
Operative Text
Verifications and consent forms must be used within a reasonable time. HUD has set
specific limits on the duration of verification consents. In addition, verified information
must be used in a timely manner since family circumstances are subject to change. HUD
places several other limits on the information that may be requested and when and how
it may be used.
A. Duration of Verification Authorization
Owner-created verification forms and the forms HUD-9887 and *HUD-9887-A*
expire 15 months after they are signed. Owners must ensure that the forms
HUD-9887 and *HUD-9887-A* have not expired when processing verifications.
However, there are differences between the duration of form HUD-9887 and that
of the individual verification forms.
1. The form HUD-9887-A and individual verification forms can be used
during the 120 days before the certification period. During the
certification period, however, these forms may be used only in cases
where the owner receives information indicating that the information the
tenant has provided may be incorrect. Other uses are prohibited.
2. Owners may verify anticipated income using individual verification forms
to gather prospective information when necessary (e.g., verifying
seasonal employment). Historical information that owners may request
using individual verification forms is restricted as follows:
a. Information requested by individual verification forms is restricted
to data that is no more than 12 months old.
b. However, if the owner receives inconsistent information and has
reason to believe that the information the applicant or tenant has
supplied is incorrect, the owner may obtain information from any
time in the last five years when the individual was receiving
assistance, as provided by the form HUD-9887-A.
3. The form HUD-9887 may be used at any time during the entire 15 month
period. The information covered by the form HUD-9887 is restricted as
follows:
a. State Wage Information Collection Agency (SWICA) Information
received from SWICA is limited to wages and unemployment
compensation the applicant or tenant received during the last five
years she/he received housing assistance.
b. *NDNH. Information received from HHS’ NDNH is limited to
wages and unemployment compensation received during
period(s) within the last five years when the tenant has received
assisted housing benefits.*
c. Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration.
form HUD-9887 authorizes release by IRS and SSA of data from
only the current income tax return and IRS W-2 form.
If the IRS, *NDNH* or SSA matches reveal that the tenant may
have supplied inconsistent information, HUD may request that the
tenant consent to the owner acquiring information on the last five
years during the periods in which the tenant was receiving
assistance.
B. Effective Term of Verifications
1. Verifications are valid for 120 days from the date of receipt by the owner,
*not the effective date of the 50059.*
2. If verifications are more than 120 days old *from the date of receipt by the
owner*, the owner must obtain new verifications.
3. Time limits do not apply to information that does not need to be reverified,
such as:
a. Age;
b. Disability status;
c. Family membership; or
d. Citizenship status.HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 5-16 establishes time limits governing how long verification documents and consent forms remain usable in federally assisted housing programs. Consent forms such as HUD-9887 and HUD-9887-A expire 15 months after signing, while verified information itself is generally valid for only 120 days from the date the owner receives it—not from the effective date of the HUD-50059 certification. Certain stable characteristics, including age, disability status, family membership, and citizenship status, are exempt from these reverification deadlines. The rule also restricts how far back in time historical income information may be requested, with a standard 12-month limit and a five-year lookback available only under specific circumstances involving inconsistent information.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 5-16, compliant operators track the receipt date of each verification document and treat any verification older than 120 days from that date as expired, requiring a fresh verification before processing a certification. Owners also confirm that HUD-9887 and HUD-9887-A consent forms have not exceeded their 15-month validity window before relying on them. When gathering historical income data through individual verification forms, operators generally limit requests to information no more than 12 months old, reserving the five-year lookback only for situations where inconsistent information has been received. Characteristics such as age, disability status, family membership, and citizenship status do not require reverification under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 CHG-4 § 5-16 sets boundaries on how long an owner may rely on information you have provided or consented to share, which means owners generally cannot use outdated verifications—those more than 120 days old from the date of receipt—when processing your certification. The rule also limits how far back in time an owner may request your income history, ordinarily capping requests at 12 months unless specific inconsistency concerns arise. If you believe an owner is relying on expired verifications or requesting information beyond the permitted timeframes, you may raise this as a concern with your local HUD field office, a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, or a tenant-rights organization familiar with federally assisted housing programs.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 25, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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