38 CFR 14.629 study notes: the accreditation rule line by line

Quick answer: 38 CFR 14.629 sets the agent qualifications (apply on VA Form 21a, good character and reputation, qualified to render valuable service, 75% exam score), the character-and-fitness review, the 75 percent passing bar at 14.629(b)(6), the two-sittings-per-6-months limit, and the ongoing CLE and annual certification obligations. It is short, heavily tested, and pure memorization.

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

These notes are a study companion to our paragraph-by-paragraph walkthrough of 38 CFR 14.629. The walkthrough explains the rule; these notes are built for memorization: the structure, the line-by-line content, the numbers, and the drills that lock them in. The full official text is on the eCFR at ecfr.gov, title 38, section 14.629. Always verify against the current regulation, because rules are amended.

The skeleton: what 14.629 contains

The section is titled "Requirements for accreditation of service organization representatives, agents, and attorneys." Think of it in three parts:

• Paragraph (a): the gate. No individual may act as an agent in the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of claims before VA without accreditation. Helping a veteran with a claim before you are accredited is not a gray area, and the exam treats it as black and white.
• Paragraph (b): the qualifications. What an agent applicant must show to get through the gate: the form, character, competence, the exam, and the employment rules.
• The ongoing duties. CLE and annual good-standing certification once you are in. The exam tests the entry requirements and the maintenance requirements together.

Line by line: the agent qualifications

Recite these in order until it is automatic. To be accredited as an agent, the applicant must:

1. Apply on the prescribed form. That is VA Form 21a, Application for Accreditation as a Claims Agent or Attorney. Note the distinction the exam loves: Form 21a is the agent/attorney accreditation application, Form 21 is the VSO representative form, and Form 21-22a appoints an individual agent or attorney as a claimant's representative. Three forms, three purposes.
2. Be of good character and reputation. OGC investigates this and must make an affirmative determination before an agent applicant may sit for the exam. Criminal history, financial irresponsibility, and dishonesty on the application are the classic problems. See our character and fitness guide.
3. Be qualified to render valuable service. You must be able to actually help claimants. For agents, this qualification is proven by the written examination itself. That is why the exam paragraph sits inside the qualifications paragraph.
4. Pass the written examination with 75 percent or higher. This is 14.629(b)(6), the most-tested sentence in the accreditation rules. It gets its own section below.
5. Meet the federal employment rules. The regulation bars certain federal government employment in conflicting capacities, with exceptions the text details. The exam tests that there is a rule here; read the exceptions in the actual text rather than memorizing a summary.

No law degree required. The regulation sets no law degree requirement for agents. This is a favorite distractor: answer choices that invent a degree requirement are always wrong.

The exam sentence: 14.629(b)(6)

Read this one until you can quote its substance in your sleep: the examination covers the laws and regulations in title 38 U.S. Code and title 38 CFR governing veterans benefits, a score of 75 percent or higher is required to pass, and an applicant may not take the examination more than twice in any 6-month period. Three numbers: 75 percent, twice, 6 months. Make a flashcard with just those numbers. The exam disguises this sentence inside scenario questions, so practice recognizing it when it wears different clothes.

Character and fitness: the review before the exam

OGC must affirmatively determine that an agent applicant is of good character and reputation and fit to practice before VA, and this determination comes before the applicant may sit for the exam. For study purposes, remember the sequence: application, then fitness determination, then exam. Questions about timing almost always hinge on this order. Candidates who apply late can be pushed to a later sitting because the review was still pending, which is why the application guides all say to file early.

The ongoing duties: CLE and annual certification

Accreditation is not a one-time event. Accredited agents must complete continuing legal education on veterans benefits topics and certify annually that they remain in good standing. The exam treats these maintenance duties as part of the accreditation rules, so a question can ask about the application process and the annual certification in the same breath. See our CLE requirements guide and our maintaining accreditation guide for the details.

The neighbors: 14.630 through 14.636 in one line each

The exam tests 14.629 alongside its neighboring sections. Know each in one sentence:

• 14.630: Authorization for a particular claim: how a claimant appoints you for one specific matter.
• 14.631: Standards for accreditation of service organization representatives (the VSO track).
• 14.632: Standards of conduct: diligence, communication, conflicts, and prohibited behavior. See our conduct guide.
• 14.633: Suspension and cancellation of accreditation: how VA takes it away. See our guide.
• 14.636: Fee agreements and direct payment: what you may charge and how. See our fees guide and the 20 percent rule.

Memorization tips that work on this rule

1. Read the regulation itself first. It is short enough to read in full. Summaries, including this page, are for review; the exam is written from the text.
2. Number flashcards. One card per number: 75 percent, two sittings, 6 months, 20 percent presumed reasonable, 33 1/3 percent maximum. Drill them daily.
3. Recite the qualifications in order. Form, character, valuable service, exam, employment rules. Order matters because exam scenarios list them out of order and ask what is missing.
4. Drill the three forms. 21a (accreditation application), 21 (VSO representative), 21-22a (appointment of individual agent or attorney). Confusing them is a classic trap.
5. Learn the agent/attorney/VSO distinctions. Some 14.629 requirements apply differently across the three categories. The exam tests whether you know which rule applies to whom, so always ask "for which category?" when you study a requirement.
6. Test yourself with the neighbor block. Write 14.629 through 14.636 from memory with one sentence each. When you can do that cleanly, this block is banked.