The claim shark crackdown: get accredited or get out of the claims business

Quick answer: If you help veterans with VA claims for a fee without VA accreditation, you are operating outside 38 CFR 14.629. VA and the FTC have pursued enforcement against unaccredited claim companies. Getting accredited is the legal path, and it starts with passing the claims agent exam.

Sources checked October 5, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice. If you have questions about your own situation, consult an attorney.

What the crackdown means

For years, a gray market of unaccredited companies charged veterans for help with VA disability claims: "consulting," "coaching," or "document prep" that stopped just short of saying the word "representation." Regulators are closing that gap.

• VA enforcement. VA's Office of General Counsel has pursued actions against unaccredited claim companies, including enforcement reported in 2024 and 2025 against companies such as Veterans Guardian.
• FTC involvement. The FTC has joined enforcement against unaccredited claim companies, signaling that charging veterans for claims help without accreditation draws federal consumer-protection scrutiny too.
• The trend. The direction is clear: companies that charge veterans for claims assistance without VA accreditation are facing more scrutiny, not less. Relabeling the service does not change the legal analysis.

Who needs accreditation

Under 38 CFR 14.629, representing a claimant before VA for a fee requires accreditation from VA as a claims agent, an attorney, or an authorized representative of a recognized veterans service organization. The key points:

• The fee is the trigger. Charging a veteran for claims-related help is what puts you inside the accreditation requirement.
• Your employer does not cover you. Working for or through an unaccredited company does not exempt an individual from the requirement. If you personally represent claimants for a fee, you need your own accreditation.
• Titles do not matter. Whether you call it consulting, coaching, or document preparation, the question is whether you are representing claimants before VA for a fee. If the answer is yes, 38 CFR 14.629 applies.
• Accreditation has limits too. VA's accreditation page states that accreditation may not be used for marketing financial products. Accreditation is permission to represent claimants, not a marketing credential for side businesses.

This is general information about the law, not legal advice about your situation. If you are unsure whether your work requires accreditation, consult an attorney.

The exam is the gateway

There is no shortcut to accreditation as a claims agent. The process is:

1. Apply on VA Form 21a. Submit your application for accreditation as a claims agent (see the step-by-step Form 21a guide).
2. Pass the character-and-fitness review. VA's Office of General Counsel reviews every applicant before they may sit for the exam (see character and fitness).
3. Pass the claims agent exam. OGC sends approved applicants written instructions for arranging the exam. A score of 75% or higher is required (see exam format and passing score).

You cannot be accredited as an agent without passing the exam. That makes exam preparation the first concrete step for anyone who wants to move their claims work onto legal ground.

How long it takes

The full path from application to accreditation typically takes months, mostly because of the character-and-fitness review and the limited exam dates. See how long accreditation takes for the breakdown. The smart move is to apply now and study while you wait, so you are ready the first time a date is offered.

Start studying today

If you work in the claims business and you are not accredited, every month you wait is a month of risk. The exam is passable with focused study: OGC publishes exactly what the questions are based on (title 38 U.S. Code chapters and title 38 CFR parts), and our materials are built around that list.