VA Form 21a instructions: line by line

Quick answer: VA Form 21a, Application for Accreditation as a Claims Agent or Attorney, is the single document that starts your accreditation. The current revision is dated April 2025. OGC's instruction is simple: fill out all portions of the form. If your form revision differs, follow the form itself; it controls.

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

VA Form 21a, Application for Accreditation as a Claims Agent or Attorney, is the single document that starts your accreditation. The current revision is dated April 2025 (VA.gov). This guide walks through every item group so you can complete it accurately the first time. If your form revision differs, follow the form itself; it controls.

Before you write anything

OGC's instruction is simple: "Be sure to fill out all portions of the form" (OGC fact sheet). The form states that unsigned or incomplete applications will not be processed. The character-and-fitness review that follows is based on what you disclose here, so accuracy and candor are the whole game (see character and fitness requirements).

Items 1 through 2C: who you are

Your full legal name, home address, phone number, and email address. Use the name on your government ID and an email address you actually monitor, because OGC communicates about your application and your exam instructions through these contact details.

Items 3A through 3B: employment status

Your current employment status and work address. If you are self-employed, say so and give your business address. Item 9 will ask for five years of employment history, so keep the two consistent.

Items 4 through 5: date and place of birth

Straightforward identifying information. Make sure the date of birth matches your ID.

Items 6 through 8: military service

Your branch of service, character of discharge, and the dates of all periods of active service. List every period; gaps invite questions. Your military record is part of the character-and-fitness review under 38 CFR 14.629(b)(2), so disclose the character of discharge exactly as it appears on your DD-214.

Item 9: five years of employment history

Every employer for the past five years, including volunteer work and self-employment. Do not leave gaps: for periods without an employer, state what you were doing (for example, full-time student, caregiver, unemployed). Unexplained gaps slow the review because OGC has to ask.

Item 10: education

Your high school and every college or university attended. List all of them, even if you did not graduate. There is no degree requirement to become a claims agent, so do not omit a school because you think it looks bad.

Items 11 through 12: bar and agency admissions

Bar membership and admission to practice before any agency or federal court. Claims agents are not required to be lawyers, but if you hold any professional license or admission, list it. OGC recommends attaching a recently dated certificate of good standing from every state bar, court, or federal or state agency you are admitted to, and this applies to claims agents too (OGC fact sheet).

Items 13 through 24: background questions

This is the section that decides character and fitness. Answer every question, and read each one twice before answering:

• Criminal history (items 13 through 15). Include convictions after a plea of nolo contendere (no contest). You may omit (1) traffic fines of $300 or less, (2) violations committed before your 16th birthday, and (3) convictions expunged under federal or state law (VA Form 21a).
• Courts-martial, pending charges, and discipline. Report courts-martial, any currently pending criminal charges, and school or job discipline for dishonesty. These are separate questions; a "no" on criminal history does not excuse skipping them.
• Prior representation and discipline. Prior representation before federal agencies, any bar or agency discipline, and any prior VA accreditation (including whether a VSO accreditation ended at the organization's request).
• Conditions or impairments (item 23A). A current condition or impairment that affects, or if untreated could affect, your ability to represent claimants. Answer honestly; OGC's concern is fitness to do the work, and a documented, managed condition with an explanation is far better than a surprise.
• Physical limitations for the exam (item 24). Any physical limitation affecting your ability to take the exam. This is how you request accommodations.

If you answer "yes" to item 13A, 14A, 15A, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23A, or 24A, attach a detailed explanation of the circumstances, with all relevant facts, dates, and copies of relevant documents (OGC fact sheet; Form 21a). The form warns that failing to disclose information may lead to denial, or to discipline under 14.633 if you are already accredited, and that a willfully false statement is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 1001.

Item 25: three character references

Three people who are not immediate family members and who have personal knowledge of your character and qualifications, with full names, addresses, and email addresses (Form 21a). Because of a processing backlog, OGC encourages applicants to "personally collect responses from 3 professional character references and submit those responses to OGC at the same time" as Form 21a (VA OGC). OGC's FAQ says applications without the required references are incomplete unless you give an acceptable written explanation (OGC FAQ).

Certification and ink signature

Certify your answers and sign in ink, with the date. The form requires an ink signature; unsigned applications are not processed. Keep a complete copy of everything you submit, including attachments.

How to submit

Choose one method only (OGC fact sheet):

• Mail: Office of the General Counsel (022D), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420
• Fax: (202) 495-5457
• Email: a PDF attachment to [email protected]

OGC says it is working on an online portal for Form 21a, but it was not live as of October 2026. After a favorable character-and-fitness determination, you receive written instructions for arranging the exam (Form 21a). Your answers must stay current until you are accredited, so update OGC if anything changes while your application is pending.

Common mistakes

• Leaving items blank instead of writing "none" or "not applicable" where appropriate.
• Omitting a short job, a school attended without graduating, or volunteer work from the five-year history.
• Answering the criminal-history items from memory instead of checking court records, then missing a nolo contendere plea that counts.
• Submitting by two methods (mail and email), which creates duplicate files.
• Forgetting the ink signature or the date.