VA accredited claims agent test: exam, eligibility, and accreditation

Quick answer: The VA accredited claims agent test is the written exam that VA's Office of General Counsel gives to non-attorney applicants for accreditation as claims agents. You must first apply on VA Form 21a and pass a character-and-fitness review; only then can you sit for the exam. The passing score is 75 percent or more, under 38 CFR 14.629(b)(6). Attorneys do not take this test; they are accredited on a different basis.

Updated October 7, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice.

What the test is and who gives it

VA accreditation lets you represent claimants before VA on veterans benefits matters. There are three recognized categories of representatives: accredited agents, accredited attorneys, and accredited VSO representatives. The accredited claims agent test exists for the first category only. Non-attorneys must demonstrate knowledge of veterans benefits law by passing a written examination administered by VA's Office of General Counsel. Attorneys are not required to take it, because their legal training is accepted in place of the exam. The test is offered online, several times per year on pre-determined dates, to applicants who have been approved to sit for it (VA OGC accreditation page).

Eligibility: the steps before the test

The exam is not the first step. Under 38 CFR 14.629, a claims agent applicant must submit VA Form 21a and receive an affirmative character-and-fitness determination from OGC before taking the written exam. The fitness review looks at your background, including any criminal or disciplinary history, and it can deny accreditation even if you would have passed the test. Form 21a is the single application for both agents and attorneys, and it asks agent applicants about physical limitations that could interfere with the exam and any special accommodations needed (VA Form 21a). Treat the application and the fitness review as seriously as the exam itself, because a denial there ends the process.

Check your readiness

Use this interactive checklist to see where you stand. It is a study tool, not legal advice, and only OGC decides eligibility.

How the test differs from the bar exam

People sometimes assume the claims agent test is a mini bar exam. It is not. It is a subject-matter exam on one federal program area: veterans benefits administered by VA. It asks about compensation and pension programs, claim procedures, appeals, agents' fees, and waiver of indebtedness, drawn primarily from the statutes and regulations OGC names. You do not need a law degree to take it, and passing it does not make you an attorney. What it does give you is the right to represent claimants before VA, subject to the standards of conduct and fee rules in 38 CFR part 14 and the fee cap in 38 U.S.C. 5904 (38 U.S.C. 5904).

Passing, retakes, and what comes next

You must achieve a score of 75 percent or more on the written examination, and no applicant may sit for the examination more than twice in any 6-month period (38 CFR 14.629(b)(6)). If you do not pass, the limit makes your second attempt count, so prepare until you are consistently above the line. After you pass, OGC completes the accreditation process and you appear in VA's records as an accredited agent. From there, you must follow the standards of conduct, complete the required continuing legal education, and charge only fees the law permits.