When is the VA accredited claims agent exam offered?

Quick answer: VA offers the accredited claims agent exam online, several times a year, on pre-set dates published only on the OGC accreditation page (updated June 15, 2026). As of October 2026, the next listed date is January 26, 2027, tentative. There is no registration: apply on VA Form 21a, and after the character-and-fitness review, OGC sends approved applicants written exam instructions.

Sources checked October 5, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice.

Short answer: VA offers the exam online, several times per year, on pre-determined dates. The exact dates are posted on VA's OGC accreditation page, and they change. You do not sign up for the exam directly. You apply on VA Form 21a, and OGC sends approved applicants written instructions for arranging the exam.

How often VA offers the exam

VA's own words: "OGC offers an online examination to all claims agent applicants who have been approved to sit for the exam. We offer this online examination several times per year on pre-determined dates" (VA OGC accreditation page).

There is no published annual calendar. Dates are announced on the OGC page, and past dates drop off as they pass. A 2024 proposed rule would require OGC to offer the exam at least twice per calendar year, but that rule is not final as of October 2026 (see proposed rule changes).

How to find upcoming dates

1. Go to the OGC accreditation page (va.gov/ogc/accreditation.asp).
2. Look for the exam dates section. As of October 4, 2026, the page (last updated June 15, 2026) listed "August 25, 2026 and January 26, 2027 (tentative)." The August date has passed; the January date was marked tentative.
3. Check back. The page is the only official source for dates. If a date is marked tentative, treat it as unconfirmed until OGC updates it.

How registration works

There is no exam registration form. The process is:

1. Apply on VA Form 21a. Submit your application for accreditation as a claims agent (see step-by-step Form 21a guide).
2. Pass the character-and-fitness review. Under current rules, the exam comes after an affirmative character-and-fitness determination (38 CFR 14.629(b)(6)). Form 21a states that agent applicants "will be given written instructions for arranging to take the examination if initial eligibility is established" (VA Form 21a).
3. Follow OGC's instructions. OGC sends approved applicants written instructions for arranging the exam sitting. Your instructions letter is the authority on format, timing, and rules. See exam format for what is known and what is only reported.

What to do while you wait

The gap between applying and sitting for the exam is study time, not dead time. OGC says the questions are "primarily based on information which can be found in" title 38 U.S. Code chapters 1, 11, 13, 15, 51, 53, 59, 71, and 72, and title 38 CFR parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20. That list is your syllabus.

• Study plan: 2-, 4-, and 6-week schedules built on OGC's list.
• Topic outline: what the exam covers, section by section.
• Sample questions: try 20 free questions with explanations.
• Free quiz: a quick check of where you stand.
• Podcast: 14 audio episodes covering the full syllabus, playable at 0.5x to 2x.

Also note the retake rule while planning: you may not sit for the exam more than twice in any 6-month period (38 CFR 14.629(b)(6)). See passing score and retakes.