What is VA accreditation? The official permission to help veterans with claims

Quick answer: VA accreditation is the federal government's official recognition, granted by VA's Office of General Counsel (OGC), that lets a person represent veterans and other claimants in VA benefit matters. Congress requires it under 38 U.S.C. 5901 through 5905, and the detailed rules live in 38 CFR 14.627 through 14.637. There are three categories: agents (who pass the OGC exam), attorneys (who are admitted via bar membership), and VSO representatives (who serve through recognized veterans service organizations). Without accreditation, you cannot charge for claim help, and much of the work is off limits entirely.

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

What accreditation actually is

Think of the VA benefits system as a court where the stakes are a veteran's disability compensation, pension, or survivor benefits. Congress decided that the people who appear in that system on a claimant's behalf should meet minimum standards of knowledge and character, so it gave the VA Secretary the power to recognize agents and attorneys in 38 U.S.C. 5901. The Secretary delegated the job to the Office of General Counsel, which runs the accreditation program day to day: it processes applications, writes and scores the agent exam, tracks continuing legal education, investigates complaints, and suspends or cancels accreditation when someone breaks the rules. The operating rules for all of this sit in 38 CFR 14.627 through 14.637, and those sections are some of the most heavily tested material on the accreditation exam. If you remember one thing, remember this: accreditation is about the right to practice before VA, the phrase OGC uses for representing claimants in VA matters.

The three categories

Agents are the category most readers of this site are chasing. An agent is someone who is not a lawyer but has earned the right to represent claimants. The path runs through VA Form 21a, a written exam administered by OGC, a character-and-fitness review, and ongoing CLE once accredited. Agents can charge fees within the same fee rules that apply to attorneys, including the well known 20 percent cap on past-due benefits in 38 CFR 14.636. See how to become a VA accredited claims agent for the full path.

Attorneys are licensed lawyers admitted to VA practice without taking the exam. Instead of the test, they prove membership in good standing of a state bar. They complete the same CLE obligations, follow the same standards of conduct, and live under the same fee rules as agents. Read VA OGC accredited attorneys for the attorney-specific details.

VSO representatives serve through organizations Congress recognized, such as the DAV, American Legion, and VFW. They are accredited through their organizations, pass an exam of their own, and represent claimants for free as part of the organization's mission. This is the free-help backbone of the system, and many veterans start here. See become a VSO representative.

Why Congress requires it

Before the modern accreditation rules, veterans were easy targets for unqualified helpers who charged big fees, filed sloppy claims, or disappeared with paperwork. Congress answered with a simple structure: if you want to hold yourself out as someone who represents claimants, or charge for the work, you must be accredited. The enforcement side is real. OGC investigates complaints and can suspend or cancel accreditation, and the recent claim shark crackdown shows how seriously the government takes unaccredited operators who charge veterans for claim help. Accreditation is the line between the legitimate helpers and the sharks.

What accreditation lets you do

Once accredited, you can advise claimants about their benefits, gather and submit evidence, communicate with VA on their behalf, and file claims, appeals, and other documents as their representative of record. Agents and attorneys may charge fees, but only within strict limits: fees are tied to work after VA's initial decision, capped at 20 percent of past-due benefits, and governed by written fee agreements under 38 CFR 14.636. VSO representatives do the same representative work for free. None of this extends automatically to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which is a separate court with its own bar admission. For a deeper map of where the line falls, read what counts as practice before VA.

What accreditation is not

Accreditation is not employment by VA. You do not get a VA badge, a federal salary, or access to internal VA systems. It is not a law license either: an accredited agent is not an attorney and must never present themselves as one. It is also not permanent. You keep it by completing required CLE, filing annual certifications of good standing, and following the standards of conduct in 38 CFR 14.631. Break the rules and OGC can take it away through suspension or cancellation proceedings.

How people earn it

The agent path, the one this site exists for, starts with VA Form 21a, continues through OGC's written exam with its fixed 75 percent passing score, and finishes with the character-and-fitness determination. From application to accreditation, most candidates should expect several months, largely because of OGC processing time. After accreditation, the obligations begin: 3 hours of CLE within the first 12 months, more by year three, then every two years, plus annual certifications. Attorneys apply with proof of bar standing instead of sitting the exam. VSO representatives are certified through their organizations. However you enter, you are entering the same regulated system, and the exam makes sure you know its rules cold.