Blocks 1 to 7: who is appealing
The Veteran's name, claim file number with prefix, insurance file or loan number, the appellant's relationship to the Veteran, home and work phone numbers, address, and the appellant's name if not the Veteran.
VA9
Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals
- Agency
- VA
- Revision
- February 2025
- Fillable fields
- 22
- Pages
- 5
- Official source
- VA form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
VA Form VA9: Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals
VA Form VA9 is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals. Its instructions say it is used after a local VA office has received a Notice of Disagreement and mailed a Statement of the Case (SOC), to complete the appeal so that the Board will review the case. They say that if the form is not filed, VA will close the appeal without sending it to the Board for a decision.
Page 1 identifies the Veteran and the person appealing, lists the issues being appealed and why the person thinks VA decided the case incorrectly, and asks whether an optional Board hearing is wanted. Page 2 is a continuation sheet for Block 9, and pages 3 to 5 hold the instructions, which the form says to separate before filing. VA's form page lists it under Disability.
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What's on VA Form VA9
Block 8: issues on appeal
Box A to appeal only the issues listed below it, or Box B to appeal all issues on the SOC and any Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The instructions say to check one box, not both.
Block 9: why VA decided incorrectly
Space to explain the disagreement, tied to the Block 8 issues, which continues on page 2 or on attached sheets. For a rating percentage, the instructions ask what rating would satisfy the appeal.
Block 10: optional Board hearing
Box A for no hearing, or a hearing by live videoconference at a local VA office (B), in Washington, DC (C) or at a local VA office (D). The form notes that options B to D add delay, and D is not available at the Washington, DC, or Baltimore, MD, Regional Offices.
Blocks 11 to 14: signatures
The ink signature of the person making the appeal and the date, then the ink signature of any appointed representative and the date.
Instructions and notices
Pages 3 to 5 hold the respondent burden and Privacy Act statements and nine numbered instructions on getting help, time limits, extra time, each block, where to file and other sources.
How to file VA Form VA9
- 1
Read the SOC and the instructions
The form says to read the attached instructions before filling it out, and VA encourages getting help from a representative.
- 2
Fill in Blocks 1 to 7
The instructions say Block 3 is only for an insurance claim or VA home loan issue, a representative enters the appellant's details rather than their own, and Block 7 can be left blank if the appellant is the Veteran.
- 3
Pick the issues in Block 8
Check Box A and list the specific issues, or Box B for all issues on the SOC and any SSOC. The instructions say a new claim or new issues go in separate correspondence, not on this form.
- 4
Explain in Block 9
The instructions say to tell VA what facts it got wrong or how it misapplied the law, and not to attach copies of evidence already sent to VA. Any additional evidence can be sent or VA told it exists.
- 5
Check one box in Block 10
The instructions say to check one, and only one, box. If no box is checked, they say the Board will assume no Board hearing is wanted.
- 6
Sign, date and file it
Sign in ink and date the form, separate the instruction pages, then send it as the instructions received with the SOC say.
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Where to file it and time limits
Where to file
The instructions say to follow the instructions received with the SOC on where to send the form. Filing means delivering the completed form to VA in person or by mail.
Time limits
The instructions list three ways to calculate the time, and the one that gives the most time applies: one year from the day the local VA office mailed the notice of the decision, 60 days from the day it mailed the SOC, or at least 60 days after a qualifying SSOC. A simultaneously contested claim has 30 days.
Asking for more time
The instructions say to write to the address on the SOC explaining why more time is needed, before the normal time runs out. For mail, VA uses the postmark date.
Getting help
The instructions give the local VA office toll-free number 1-800-827-1000, a VSO listing at http://www.va.gov/vso and the How Do I Appeal pamphlet at http://www.bva.va.gov/How_Do_I_Appeal.asp.
Edition
The current edition is dated FEB 2025. It carries OMB Approved No. 2900-0674, which expires 04/30/2028, and a respondent burden of 1 hour. The form says not to send the completed form to the burden comments email address.
Related forms
VA10182
Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement)
27 fields, 3 pages
20-0995
Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim
136 fields, 7 pages
20-0996
Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review
119 fields, 5 pages
FL1-28
Supplemental Statement of the Case
5 fields, 2 pages
21-22
Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant’s Representative
63 fields, 4 pages
21-22a
Appointment of Individual As Claimant’s Representative
90 fields, 3 pages
Who uses VA Form VA9?
The form and its instructions describe who appeals and who may sign.
Official sources and the blank
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Questions about Form VA9
When is VA Form VA9 used?
The instructions say it is filed after the local VA office mails a Statement of the Case in response to a Notice of Disagreement, to complete the appeal so that the Board of Veterans' Appeals will review the case.
How long do I have to file VA Form VA9?
The instructions list one year from the day the local VA office mailed the notice of the decision, 60 days from the day it mailed the SOC, or at least 60 days after a qualifying SSOC, whichever gives the most time. A simultaneously contested claim has 30 days.
Is a Board hearing required?
No. The instructions say a Board hearing is entirely optional and not necessary for the Board to decide the appeal, and that hearings often increase wait time for a Board decision.
Can I use VA Form VA9 to ask for a hearing at the regional office?
No. The form says not to use it to request a hearing before VA regional office personnel. The instructions say to write directly to the regional office, and that this does not extend the time for filing VA Form 9.
Who can sign VA Form VA9?
The instructions say the person appealing, a guardian or other properly appointed fiduciary, a next friend in some cases, or the representative in Block 13.
Should I attach copies of my evidence?
The instructions say not to attach copies of evidence already sent to VA, because the Board will have the complete file. Additional evidence can be submitted with the form, or VA can be told it exists.
Where do I send VA Form VA9?
The instructions say to follow the instructions received with the SOC on where to send the form.