VA Claims Agent Exam PrepThe VA accreditation exam is the written examination that VA's Office of General Counsel (OGC) administers to people seeking accreditation as claims agents. Accreditation is what lets a person prepare, present, and prosecute VA benefits claims for a fee, and the exam is one of its requirements under 38 CFR 14.629. The passing score is fixed by regulation at 75 percent or more, and retakes are limited to no more than twice in any 6-month period. This page lays out who takes the exam, what it covers, how it is administered, and what comes after.
Who takes it, and who does not
The exam requirement applies to claims agents, the non-attorney representatives who represent claimants for compensation. It does not apply to attorneys: OGC presumes an attorney's character and fitness to practice before VA from membership in good standing of a State bar, and the regulation requires the written exam only for agents. VSO representatives take a different path entirely, accredited through their recognized service organizations rather than through the exam. So if you are not a lawyer and you want to represent veterans for a fee, this exam is your gate. If you are a lawyer, your path runs through the same application and character review but skips the test.
What the exam covers
OGC names five topic areas on its accreditation page: compensation and pension programs, claim procedures, appeals, agents' fees, and waiver of indebtedness. The recommended study list behind those topics is public: 38 U.S.C. chapters 1, 11, 13, 15, 51, 53, 59, 71, and 72, plus 38 CFR parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20. In practice the densest clusters are adjudication (38 CFR part 3), ratings (38 CFR part 4), accreditation and fees (38 CFR part 14), and appeals under the modernized review system (38 CFR parts 19 and 20). The exam rewards precise reading of rules and exceptions, not general familiarity with VA programs. Our accreditation exam study guide breaks the syllabus into study blocks, and the exam topic outline maps every tested section.
Confirmed facts versus reported details
Some exam facts come from VA and the regulation, and some come only from secondary sources. Worth separating them. Confirmed: the exam is administered by OGC, offered online several times per year on pre-determined dates, only to applicants who have passed the character-and-fitness review; the passing score is 75 percent or more; retakes are limited to no more than twice in any 6-month period. These come from VA's public pages and 38 CFR 14.629(b)(6). Reported: secondary sources describe a format of 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book, with video proctoring. VA's public pages do not confirm the question count, time limit, or closed-book rule. Study as if the reported format is right, because it is the best information available, but know which facts are official and which are reported. Our exam format guide keeps that distinction explicit.
The road to accreditation, step by step
The exam is one milestone in a longer process. Tap each node in the timeline below to see what happens at that stage and what the regulation requires.
File VA Form 21a with OGC
Submit the application for accreditation as a claims agent or attorney to the Office of General Counsel, with full identifying information, employment history, background details, and education history. 38 CFR 14.629(b)(2)
The application goes to OGC (022D), 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420. Read the Form 21a application guide before you file.
Character and fitness review
OGC conducts an inquiry into your character, reputation, and competence to advise claimants. You must receive an affirmative determination before you can sit for the exam. 38 CFR 14.629(b)(2)
An adverse determination is appealable to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. See the character and fitness guide for what OGC examines.
Sit the written exam
Once cleared, you are scheduled for the online exam. Score 75 percent or more to pass. Retakes are limited to no more than twice in any 6-month period. 38 CFR 14.629(b)(6)
Secondary sources report 40 questions in 60 minutes, closed book. VA does not confirm those details on its public pages. Practice with the 25-question practice set and the practice test guide.
Receive accreditation
With the exam passed and requirements met, OGC issues notification of accreditation, which is your authority to prepare, present, and prosecute claims before agencies of original jurisdiction and the Board. 38 CFR 14.629(d)
Accreditation is tied to you as an individual agent. You still need a power of attorney (VA Form 21-22a) on file for each claimant you represent.
Complete 3 hours of CLE within 12 months
As a condition of initial accreditation, complete 3 hours of qualifying continuing legal education within the first 12 months, covering representation before VA, claims procedures, basic eligibility, appeal rights, disability compensation, DIC, and pension. 38 CFR 14.629(b)(1)(iii)
Then another 3 hours no later than 3 years after accreditation, and every 2 years after that. Details in the CLE requirements guide and the maintaining accreditation guide.
Tip: tap any numbered node to expand or collapse its details.
How to prepare
Work the syllabus in layers. Read the statutes and regulations on OGC's study list, then drill with practice questions that cite the exact section behind each answer, then finish with timed runs. The passing score is 75 percent, so your timed practice scores should sit clearly above it before you schedule the exam. The exam study guide gives syllabus, strategy, and schedule in one place, the sample questions page teaches the common traps, and the retake rules guide explains what happens if a sitting goes wrong. When you are consistently clearing the bar under time pressure, you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
What is the VA accreditation exam?
The VA accreditation exam is the written examination administered by VA's Office of General Counsel to individuals seeking accreditation as claims agents under 38 CFR 14.629. It is one of the requirements for accreditation, which is what allows a non-attorney to prepare, present, and prosecute VA benefits claims for a fee. The exam tests knowledge of veterans benefits law drawn from title 38 of the U.S. Code and the VA regulations in 38 CFR.
Who has to take the VA accreditation exam?
Applicants for accreditation as claims agents must take the written exam. Attorneys do not: OGC presumes an attorney's character and fitness from membership in good standing of a State bar, and the written exam is required only for agents. VSO representatives are accredited through their recognized organizations, not through the exam.
What score do you need to pass the VA accreditation exam?
The regulation requires a score of 75 percent or more, under 38 CFR 14.629(b)(6). The same paragraph limits retakes to no more than twice in any 6-month period, so applicants generally aim to clear the bar on the first sitting.
What does the VA accreditation exam cover?
VA OGC names five topic areas: compensation and pension programs, claim procedures, appeals, agents' fees, and waiver of indebtedness. The recommended study list is 38 U.S.C. chapters 1, 11, 13, 15, 51, 53, 59, 71, and 72, plus 38 CFR parts 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, and 20.
When is the VA accreditation exam given?
VA OGC offers the exam online several times per year on pre-determined dates. You can only sit for it after applying on VA Form 21a and receiving an affirmative character-and-fitness determination from OGC. Secondary sources report a 40-question, 60-minute, closed-book format, but VA's public pages do not confirm those details.
What happens after you pass the VA accreditation exam?
Passing the exam is one step toward accreditation, not the whole process. Newly accredited agents and attorneys must complete 3 hours of qualifying continuing legal education within the first 12 months after accreditation, covering topics like representation before VA, claims procedures, eligibility, appeals rights, disability compensation, DIC, and pension. Further CLE is required to maintain accreditation.
Sources
Checked October 7, 2026. Primary sources unless marked SECONDARY.
- VA Office of General Counsel (OGC), Accreditation, Discipline, & Fees Program page
- 38 CFR 14.629, Requirements for accreditation of service organization representatives, agents, and attorneys (eCFR)
- 38 CFR part 14, Legal and related services (eCFR)
- 38 U.S.C. 5904, Recognition of agents and attorneys (Cornell LII)