What the VA claims agent exam covers: a study outline by statute and regulation section
OGC says the exam may cover "compensation and pension programs, claim procedures, appeals, agents' fees, and waiver of indebtedness." It recommends studying 38 U.S.C. chapters 1, 11, 13, 15, 51, 53, 59, 71, and 72 and 38 CFR parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20, because the questions are "primarily based" on them (VA OGC). That covers thousands of sections. The outline below picks out the core sections within those topics so you can study in order.
How to read this. The topics and the recommended chapters and parts come from VA. Which sections we list is our editorial judgment. VA does not publish a section-level blueprint or topic weights. Section headings are copied from eCFR and Cornell LII as of October 4, 2026.
Core sections by OGC topic
Representation, accreditation, fees ("agents' fees")
- 38 U.S.C. 5901: Prohibition against acting as claims agent or attorney
- 38 U.S.C. 5902: Recognition of representatives of organizations
- 38 U.S.C. 5903: Recognition with respect to particular claims
- 38 U.S.C. 5904: Recognition of agents and attorneys generally
- 38 CFR 14.626: Purpose
- 38 CFR 14.627: Definitions
- 38 CFR 14.628: Recognition of organizations
- 38 CFR 14.629: Requirements for accreditation of service organization representatives; agents; and attorneys
- 38 CFR 14.630: Authorization for a particular claim
- 38 CFR 14.631: Powers of attorney; disclosure of claimant information
- 38 CFR 14.632: Standards of conduct for persons providing representation before the Department
- 38 CFR 14.633: Termination of accreditation or authority to provide representation under § 14.630
- 38 CFR 14.636: Payment of fees for representation by agents and attorneys in proceedings before Agencies of Original Jurisdiction and before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
- 38 CFR 14.637: Payment of the expenses of agents and attorneys in proceedings before Agencies of Original Jurisdiction and before the Board of Veterans' Appeals
Definitions and general rules
- 38 U.S.C. 101: Definitions
- 38 CFR 3.1: Definitions
- 38 CFR 3.102: Reasonable doubt
- 38 CFR 3.103: Procedural due process and other rights
Claim procedures and the duty to assist
- 38 U.S.C. 5102: Application forms furnished upon request; notice to claimants of incomplete applications
- 38 U.S.C. 5103: Notice to claimants of required information and evidence
- 38 U.S.C. 5103A: Duty to assist claimants
- 38 U.S.C. 5104: Decisions and notices of decisions
- 38 U.S.C. 5107: Claimant responsibility; benefit of the doubt
- 38 U.S.C. 5110: Effective dates of awards
- 38 CFR 3.150: Forms to be furnished
- 38 CFR 3.155: How to file a claim
- 38 CFR 3.159: Department of Veterans Affairs assistance in developing claims
- 38 CFR 3.160: Status of claims
- 38 CFR 3.400: General
Compensation (service connection and ratings)
- 38 U.S.C. 1110: Basic entitlement
- 38 U.S.C. 1131: Basic entitlement
- 38 U.S.C. 1151: Benefits for persons disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation
- 38 CFR 3.303: Principles relating to service connection
- 38 CFR 3.304: Direct service connection; wartime and peacetime
- 38 CFR 3.306: Aggravation of preservice disability
- 38 CFR 3.307: Presumptive service connection for chronic, tropical, or prisoner-of-war related disease, disease associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents, or disease associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune; wartime and service on or after January 1, 1947
- 38 CFR 3.309: Disease subject to presumptive service connection
- 38 CFR 3.310: Disabilities that are proximately due to, or aggravated by, service-connected disease or injury
- 38 CFR 3.317: Compensation for certain disabilities occurring in Persian Gulf veterans
- 38 CFR 3.320: Claims based on exposure to fine particulate matter
- 38 CFR 3.340: Total and permanent total ratings and unemployability
- 38 CFR 3.341: Total disability ratings for compensation purposes
- 38 CFR 3.350: Special monthly compensation ratings
- 38 CFR 4.1: Essentials of evaluative rating
- 38 CFR 4.6: Evaluation of evidence
- 38 CFR 4.7: Higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR 4.16: Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability of the individual
- 38 CFR 4.25: Combined ratings table
- 38 CFR 4.26: Bilateral factor
- 38 CFR 4.29: Ratings for service-connected disabilities requiring hospital treatment or observation
- 38 CFR 4.30: Convalescent ratings
DIC and death benefits
- 38 U.S.C. 1310: Deaths entitling survivors to dependency and indemnity compensation
- 38 U.S.C. 1318: Benefits for survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death
- 38 CFR 3.312: Cause of death
Pension
- 38 U.S.C. 1521: Veterans of a period of war
- 38 U.S.C. 1541: Surviving spouses of veterans of a period of war
- 38 CFR 3.3: Pension
- 38 CFR 3.23: Improved pension rates, Veterans and surviving spouses
- 38 CFR 3.271: Computation of income
- 38 CFR 3.272: Exclusions from income
- 38 CFR 3.274: Net worth and VA pension
Reviews and appeals (modernized and legacy)
- 38 U.S.C. 5104B: Higher-level review by the agency of original jurisdiction
- 38 U.S.C. 5104C: Options following decision by agency of original jurisdiction
- 38 U.S.C. 5108: Supplemental claims
- 38 U.S.C. 7104: Jurisdiction of the Board; decisions; notice
- 38 U.S.C. 7105: Filing of appeal
- 38 U.S.C. 7252: Jurisdiction; finality of decisions
- 38 U.S.C. 7266: Notice of appeal
- 38 CFR 3.2400: Applicability of modernized review system
- 38 CFR 3.2500: Review of decisions
- 38 CFR 3.2501: Supplemental claims
- 38 CFR 3.2502: Return by higher-level adjudicator or remand by the Board of Veterans' Appeals
- 38 CFR 3.2600: Legacy review of benefit claims decisions
- 38 CFR 3.2601: Higher-level review
- 38 CFR 19.2: Appellant's election for review of a legacy appeal in the modernized system
- 38 CFR 20.202: Rule 202. Notice of Disagreement
- 38 CFR 20.203: Rule 203. Place and time of filing of Notice of Disagreement
- 38 CFR 20.204: Rule 204. Who can file a Notice of Disagreement
- 38 CFR 20.302: Rule 302. Appeals with a request for a Board hearing
- 38 CFR 20.800: Rule 800. Order of consideration of appeals
- 38 CFR 20.1100: Rule 1100. Finality of decisions of the Board
Waiver of indebtedness
- 38 U.S.C. 5302: Waiver of recovery of claims by the United States
- 38 CFR 1.911: Collection of debts owed by reason of participation in a benefits program
- 38 CFR 1.956: Jurisdiction
- 38 CFR 1.962: Waiver of overpayments
- 38 CFR 1.963: Waiver; other than loan guaranty
- 38 CFR 1.965: Application of standard
How to use the outline
- Read each section's current text on eCFR or LII, not a summary.
- Keep a "numbers list" of deadlines, percentages, and counts as you go. Examples: 75% to pass (14.629(b)(6)), the one-year review window (3.2500(a)), the 20% and 33⅓% fee presumptions (14.636(f)).
- Test yourself with cited questions (samples) and follow a schedule (study plans).
The exam format itself (question count, time, closed book) is not published by VA. See exam format for what is confirmed and what is only reported.
Frequently asked questions
What topics are on the VA claims agent exam?
OGC lists compensation and pension programs, claim procedures, appeals, agents' fees, and waiver of indebtedness (VA OGC).
Does VA publish a detailed exam blueprint?
We found no section-level blueprint or topic weighting on VA's public pages as of October 4, 2026. VA lists only the topics and the recommended chapters and parts.
Which regulation part is most specific to agents?
38 CFR part 14 (14.626–14.637), which covers accreditation, conduct, and fees, together with 38 U.S.C. chapter 59.
Sources
Checked October 4, 2026. Primary sources unless marked SECONDARY.
- VA Office of General Counsel (OGC), Accreditation, Discipline, & Fees Program page (page shows 'Last updated June 15, 2026')
- eCFR, Title 38 table of contents (section headings)
- Title 38, U.S. Code (Cornell LII)
- 38 CFR 14.629, Requirements for accreditation (eCFR)
- 38 CFR 3.2500, Review of decisions (eCFR)
- 38 CFR 14.636, Payment of fees (eCFR)
- 38 CFR part 14 (eCFR)