38 CFR codes explained: how to read the VA regulations the exam tests

Quick answer: 38 CFR is Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the federal rulebook where all of VA's regulations live. Citations read left to right from broad to narrow: title, part, section, then paragraph layers like (b)(1)(iii). The claims agent exam draws heavily on 38 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20, with Part 14 (accreditation, conduct, and fees) as the core. You can read the current version free on eCFR.gov.

Sources checked October 7, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice.

What the CFR is

The Code of Federal Regulations is the federal government's organized collection of every rule written by federal agencies, divided into 50 titles by subject. Title 38 belongs to veterans benefits, which is why every VA regulation you will ever study begins with "38 CFR." Congress writes the big-picture law in the United States Code (38 U.S.C.), and VA writes the detailed how-it-works rules in the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR). The exam tests both, and questions love to check whether you know which is which: if a rule describes a procedure, a deadline, or a form requirement in fine detail, you are almost always in CFR territory. Study from the current Title 38 on eCFR, the government's official electronic version, because printouts and PDFs go stale while the rules keep moving.

How to decode a citation

Take the most famous citation on this exam, 38 CFR 14.629(b)(1)(iii), and read it left to right, broad to narrow. The 38 is the CFR title, VA's title. The 14 is the part, and Part 14 covers accreditation, representation, and fee rules. The 629 is the section, the actual rule on requirements for accreditation of agents, attorneys, and representatives. Then the parenthetical layers drill deeper: (b) is the subsection (requirements for agents and attorneys), (1) is the paragraph inside it, and (iii) is the subparagraph. Each layer narrows the rule, and exam answer choices often turn on exactly this kind of detail: two choices may cite the same section while the right one names the correct paragraph. Practice reading citations this way until it is automatic, because the exam speaks in citations.

The parts the exam tests

OGC's published syllabus points candidates to 38 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20. Each part is a neighborhood of the rulebook with its own job. Tap any card below to see what lives inside it and why the exam cares.

38 CFR vs 38 U.S.C.: keep them straight

This distinction shows up on the exam and confuses beginners, so lock it in now. 38 U.S.C. is the statute: Title 38 of the United States Code, the law Congress passed. It sets the framework, like 38 U.S.C. 5901 giving VA the power to recognize agents and attorneys, and 38 U.S.C. 5904 setting the fee rules. 38 CFR is the regulation: the detailed rules VA wrote to implement that statute, like 38 CFR 14.636 spelling out exactly how the 20 percent fee cap works. A handy rule of thumb: Congress writes the "what" in the U.S.C., and VA writes the "how" in the CFR. When a question asks about a specific deadline, percentage, or procedure, the answer usually lives in the CFR.

How to study the regulations without drowning

Title 38 is enormous, and reading it cover to cover is a trap. Study the tested parts instead, in this order: Part 14 first, because its sections are short and the accreditation material is the highest yield per page on the exam; then Part 3, the adjudication rules that underpin effective dates and duty to assist; then Parts 19 and 20 for appeals; then Parts 1 and 4 for foundations and ratings. Read each section on eCFR, not in a downloaded PDF, and after every section ask yourself what a test writer would ask: the numbers, the deadlines, the exceptions, and the "which office" details. Our exam topic outline maps the full syllabus so you can check your coverage.