How VA Travel Reimbursement Works and What You Need to Know
What VA travel reimbursement covers
The VA reimburses mileage for travel to VA medical appointments, but only if you meet specific conditions. You must be traveling to a VA facility for a service-connected condition, and you must have been referred by the VA or scheduled through VA systems. The VA does not reimburse travel to non-VA providers, even if the VA referred you there — the provider must be part of the VA network or contracted through the VA's Community Care program.
The reimbursement rate changes yearly and is set by the federal government. You are reimbursed for the round-trip mileage from your home to the VA facility, calculated using the shortest practical route. If you use public transportation instead of driving, you can claim the actual cost of your ticket. The VA will not reimburse parking fees, tolls, or meals, though some VA facilities offer free parking.
Travel reimbursement is separate from other VA benefits and does not affect your disability rating or monthly payments. It is a direct reimbursement for documented travel expenses only.
Key Takeaways
- You must have a VA appointment for a service-connected condition and be scheduled through VA systems to receive reimbursement.
- The VA reimburses mileage at a federally set rate that changes each year, calculated as round-trip distance from your home.
- Public transportation costs can be reimbursed if you submit receipts, but parking, tolls, and meals are not covered.
- You must request reimbursement within one year of your appointment date, and you will need your appointment confirmation and mileage documentation.
How to request reimbursement after your appointment
After your VA appointment, you have up to one year to request reimbursement. The fastest method is through VA.gov: log into your account, go to the Health and Benefits section, and select "Travel Reimbursement." You will enter your appointment date, the facility you visited, and your mileage. The system will calculate the reimbursement based on the current federal rate.
If you do not have online access or prefer to apply in person, visit your local VA facility and ask for the travel reimbursement desk or call the facility's main number and ask to be transferred. Some VA medical centers have a dedicated travel reimbursement office; others handle it through the patient advocate's office. You will need to provide your appointment confirmation letter or a printout from your VA records showing the date and location of your visit.
For public transportation reimbursement, keep your ticket stubs or receipts. Submit them along with your reimbursement request and a note explaining the route you took. The VA will reimburse the actual cost up to what mileage reimbursement would have been.
What documents you need to have ready
Gather your appointment confirmation before you request reimbursement. This is usually a letter you received before your visit or a printout from your VA online account showing the date, time, and location of your appointment. If you cannot find the confirmation, the VA facility can look up your appointment in their system.
You will also need to document your mileage. The VA accepts your odometer reading (mileage at the start and end of your trip), a GPS record, or a map application printout showing the distance. You do not need to submit these documents with every request — the VA calculates distance based on the address you provide — but keep them in case the VA asks for verification.
If you received a hardship information letter from the VA (which increases your reimbursement rate), bring that as well. Hardship rates are higher than standard mileage rates and apply if you live more than a certain distance from the nearest VA facility or if you have a service-connected condition that makes travel difficult.
Hardship reimbursement rates and who qualifies
The VA offers a higher reimbursement rate if you meet hardship criteria. You may receive hardship reimbursement if you live more than a set distance from the nearest VA facility (the distance varies by state), if you have a service-connected condition rated at 30 percent or higher, or if you have been determined to have a financial hardship by the VA.
To request a hardship information, contact your VA facility's travel reimbursement office or patient advocate and ask for a hardship review. You will need to provide proof of your service-connected rating (from your VA disability letter) and documentation of your distance from the facility or your financial situation. The VA will send you a hardship information letter if you are approved, and you can use this for all future reimbursement requests.
Hardship rates are typically 50 percent higher than standard mileage rates, though the exact amount depends on the federal rate set each year. Once approved, you do not need to reapply each year — your hardship status remains active unless your circumstances change.
Timeline for receiving your reimbursement
After you submit your reimbursement request, the VA typically processes it within two to four weeks. You will receive payment by direct deposit if you have set up VA payment in your bank account, or by check mailed to your address on file. The VA will send you a confirmation email or letter showing the amount approved and the payment method.
If you do not receive payment within six weeks, contact the travel reimbursement office at your VA facility. Delays can happen if the VA cannot verify your appointment, if your mileage calculation seems unusually high, or if there is a backlog at your facility. Calling the facility directly is faster than waiting for a response through the online system.
You can track the status of your reimbursement request through VA.gov if you submitted it online. Log into your account and check the Travel Reimbursement section for updates.
What to do if your reimbursement is denied or delayed
The VA denies reimbursement requests most often because the appointment was not service-connected, was not scheduled through VA systems, or the request was submitted more than one year after the appointment. If your request is denied, the VA will send you a letter explaining the reason. Read it carefully — it will tell you whether you can appeal or resubmit with different information.
If the denial is because the appointment was not service-connected, you cannot appeal it. If the denial is because you missed the one-year deadline, you cannot resubmit. However, if the denial is because the VA could not verify your appointment or mileage, you can resubmit with additional documentation.
To appeal a denial, contact your VA facility's patient advocate or call the VA's main line and ask to speak with someone in the travel reimbursement office. Bring or reference the denial letter and explain why you believe the decision was incorrect. If you believe the VA made an error in calculating your mileage or reimbursement rate, ask them to recalculate.
Reimbursement for travel companions and caregivers
If you have a caregiver or travel companion who must accompany you to your appointment, the VA may reimburse their mileage as well. This applies if your service-connected condition requires you to have someone drive you or assist you during travel. You must request caregiver reimbursement at the same time you request your own, and you will need to explain why the companion was necessary.
The companion is reimbursed at the same mileage rate as you, calculated for the same round-trip distance. If the companion drove separately, you can request reimbursement for their separate mileage. Keep documentation showing that the companion attended the appointment with you — this can be a note from your VA provider or a statement from the companion themselves.
If you are enrolled in the VA Caregiver Support Program, your designated caregiver's travel to your appointments may already be covered under that program. Check with your VA facility to avoid submitting duplicate requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get reimbursed for travel to a VA telehealth appointment?
No. Telehealth appointments are conducted by phone or video from your home, so there is no travel involved. You are only reimbursed for travel to in-person appointments at a VA facility or a VA-contracted provider location.
What if I had to cancel my appointment after I drove there?
You can request reimbursement for the trip even if you did not see a provider that day, as long as you had a scheduled appointment and the cancellation was not your fault. If you cancelled the appointment yourself, you are not reimbursed. Contact your VA facility to explain the situation and ask whether they will make an exception.
Do I need to report travel reimbursement as income on my taxes?
No. VA travel reimbursement is not considered taxable income. It is a reimbursement for expenses, not a payment for services or a benefit. You do not report it on your tax return.
Can I get reimbursed for travel to a VA appointment scheduled by my private doctor?
Only if the VA referred you to that appointment or if the appointment is at a VA facility. If your private doctor referred you to a VA appointment, you are reimbursed. If your private doctor referred you to another private provider, the VA does not reimburse, even if the VA later covers the cost of that care.
What if I live with someone else and we share a car — do we both get reimbursed?
Only the person who attended the VA appointment is reimbursed for mileage. If you and another person both had VA appointments on the same day and shared a car, you can each request reimbursement for half the mileage, or you can request full reimbursement if you drove separately. Contact your VA facility to explain the situation and ask how to document it correctly.