VA Form 21a: The Accreditation Application, Explained

Before the exam comes the paperwork. Here is what VA Form 21a asks, where it goes, and what happens after you file it.

Quick answer: VA Form 21a is the application for accreditation as a claims agent or attorney, filed with VA's Office of General Counsel. Expect to provide your identity, employment history, references, and full disclosures; a criminal record does not automatically disqualify you, but hiding something is worse than the thing itself. Attorneys file the same form but take no exam.

What the form is

VA Form 21a is the Application for Accreditation as a Claims Agent or Attorney. It goes to VA's Office of General Counsel, which decides whether you meet the character, fitness, and competence standards in 38 CFR 14.629. Claims agents and attorneys use the same form; VSO representatives use a different process through their organization.

What it asks for

The form is thorough. Expect to provide:

• Your full name and home and business addresses
• Military and civilian employment history, including character of discharge if you served
• Any representation work you have done before federal agencies
• Criminal background information
• Whether you have ever been found mentally incompetent, hospitalized for a mental condition, or are in treatment now
• Prior VSO accreditation history, if any
• Education and academic history
• Three character references, with names, addresses, and phone numbers

Answer the background questions honestly and completely. If you answer yes to the sensitive questions, attach a detailed explanation. VA will find things; volunteering context up front reads far better than a surprise.

Where to send it

You have three options: mail it to the Office of the General Counsel (022D), 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420; fax it to (202) 495-5457; or email it as a PDF to the accreditation mailbox. Keep a copy of everything you send.

What happens next

OGC writes to your character references and starts a background investigation. This is the slow part, often many months. While you wait, study. By the time the exam invitation arrives, you want preparation to be the least of your worries.