What to Expect at a VA C&P Exam (and How to Prepare Honestly)

After you file a VA disability claim, there's a good chance you'll get a letter or phone call scheduling a VA claim exam, still widely called a C&P (compensation and pension) exam. For many veterans it's the most stressful part of the claim. It usually isn't the exam itself that's stressful, but not knowing what it is, who you'll see, or what happens if something goes wrong with the appointment.

This guide explains the process using what VA publishes on its VA claim exam page. It is not medical or legal advice and is not coaching on what to say. The goal is to help you show up on time, prepared, and able to describe your conditions accurately. Muster Desk is not affiliated with VA and is not a Veterans Service Organization.

What a C&P exam is for

VA says the exam helps it determine whether you have a service-connected disability and, if you do, how severe it is for rating purposes. Your rating affects how much compensation you receive.

The most important thing to understand: a claim exam isn't a normal medical appointment. VA says the examiner won't treat you, refer you to other providers, or prescribe medicine. They're gathering information for your claim. Keep getting care from your regular providers.

Does everyone get one?

No. VA says it asks for an exam only if it needs more information to decide your claim. If your file already has enough medical evidence, VA may use the Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) process. That means VA reviews your records and asks for more evidence if needed, without an exam.

You may need more than one exam if you claimed several conditions. VA says it tries to schedule them on the same day. You may also have follow-up "review exams" for some conditions, or another exam if you request a decision review.

How scheduling works

You don't schedule it yourself

VA says you can't start the exam scheduling process on your own. Your local VA medical center or a VA contractor will mail you a letter with the date and time, and you may also get a call or email. VA's current contractors include Loyal Source Government Services, OptumServe Health Services, Leidos QTC Health Services, and Veterans Evaluation Services. VA lists each one's phone number and caller ID name on its exam page.

Keep your contact information current on VA.gov. A missed letter can turn into a missed exam.

Scam awareness: VA notes the scheduler may ask for certain personal information to confirm your identity. If something feels off, hang up and call the number on your official letter or the number VA lists on VA.gov.

Confirm the appointment

VA says to call the number on your exam letter to confirm the place and time, or confirm during the scheduling call. When you confirm, you can ask for transportation help or other accommodations. You can also request a male or female provider for reproductive health, breast, rectal, or mental health exams, or if your claim relates to military sexual trauma (MST).

Location and telehealth

Some exams are telehealth (phone or video). For in-person exams, VA says contractors try to schedule within 50 miles of your home, or 100 miles for specialists (dental, eye, hearing, and mental health exams). VA asks permission before scheduling farther away.

Rescheduling: the rules that trip people up

• VA says to reschedule at least 48 hours in advance, and warns that rescheduling may delay your claim.
• If your exam is with a contractor, VA says you can reschedule only once per exam, and the new appointment must be within 5 days of the original. If you can't make any time in that window, tell the contractor, then call VA to restart the process when you're available.

If you work shifts or travel, plan ahead. Block your calendar as soon as the letter arrives.

What if you miss it?

VA is direct: missing your exam will delay your claim, and VA may decide it on the existing evidence, which could affect your benefits.

If you missed it for "good cause," VA says it will schedule a new appointment. VA gives examples such as a death in your immediate family, homelessness, hospitalization, or a terminal illness. You can explain why you missed it by calling VA, uploading a letter through the claim status tool, or mailing it to the Evidence Intake Center address listed on VA's exam page.

Travel pay

VA says it will reimburse travel to and from a claim exam at a VA medical center (VA travel pay). If a contractor does your exam, the contractor reimburses you. If you haven't received payment within 14 days of the appointment, VA says to call the contractor. VA notes that active-duty service members and people living outside the U.S. and its territories aren't eligible for this travel reimbursement.

What to bring (and what not to)

VA says you don't need to bring anything. That surprises many veterans. If you have new non-VA medical records, such as a recent surgery, submit them to VA before the appointment: upload them through the claim status tool, send them through your accredited representative, or mail them to a VA regional office. VA says the examiner may look at records you bring, but can't submit them for you.

That said, many veterans find a short personal note sheet useful. It isn't evidence; it's a memory aid. It might include:

• Your claimed conditions, in the same words you used on the claim
• Current medications and doses, and side effects that affect you
• When each condition started or got worse, and what happened in service
• How each condition affects work, sleep, driving, chores, and relationships
• What a typical day looks like and what a bad day or flare-up looks like
• Questions about the exam process itself

Keep it to a page or two. Examiners have limited time, and a giant binder won't get read in the room. Our guide to organizing VA claim evidence and buddy statements covers the evidence side.

Day of the exam

From VA's guidance:

• Arrive 15 minutes early. VA says if you're late, your provider may cancel your exam.
• Wear comfortable clothes so you can move freely.
• Plan for childcare. You may discuss sensitive topics.
• Caregivers or family: If you'd like someone with you, discuss it with the provider. They may ask family members to wait outside. For sensitive physical exams, you can ask for a medical assistant or chaperone.

What happens in the room

VA says the provider may:

• Do a basic physical exam (which may or may not involve physical contact)
• Ask questions based on your claim file, often from the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for each condition you claimed (VA's public DBQs)
• Order tests like X-rays or blood work at no cost to you

You can ask the provider questions about what's happening during the exam. But VA says they can't answer questions about the claims process, tell you results, or make decisions about your claim.

An exam may take as little as 15 minutes or an hour or more, depending on your conditions. VA notes that the provider also spends time outside the exam reviewing your records, so a short exam doesn't mean a careless one.

Describe your condition accurately

The fairest exam is an accurate one. Practical, honest habits:

• Describe a typical day and a bad day. Many conditions vary, and the bad days count.
• Don't push through a movement test until it hurts more than you'd normally allow. Say where pain starts.
• Mention flare-ups: how often, how long, and what you can't do during one.
• Don't exaggerate or minimize. Both make the record less accurate, and exaggeration can damage your credibility.

A simple daily symptom log kept in the weeks before the exam makes these answers concrete instead of guesswork.

Using your own provider's DBQ

VA says you can have your own provider examine you and complete a DBQ, which your provider can submit to VA. VA states it won't pay or reimburse costs for your own provider completing a DBQ. This can help when you have an ongoing relationship with a specialist, but it's optional.

After the exam

The provider writes a report and sends it to VA. VA then reviews all the evidence in your file, not just the exam: your medical records, the exam report, test results, statements from you and others, and your military medical and personnel records. Then it sends a decision letter. You can check your claim status online.

Getting a copy of your exam report

You can't get results at the exam or from the provider. VA says to request the final report with VA Form 20-10206 (Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act Request), online, by mail to the Evidence Intake Center, or in person at a regional office. See About VA Form 20-10206.

If you had a bad experience

VA encourages you to report concerns right away: through the contractor's satisfaction survey, a letter submitted to your claim file, a call to the contractor or to VA, or your local regional office.

Quick C&P exam checklist

• ☐ Contact info current on VA.gov
• ☐ Exam confirmed by calling the number on the letter
• ☐ Accommodations or provider gender requested if needed
• ☐ Calendar blocked (contractor reschedules are limited: once, within 5 days)
• ☐ New private records submitted to VA before the exam
• ☐ One- or two-page note sheet: conditions, meds, typical day and bad day
• ☐ Ride, childcare, and directions planned; arrive 15 minutes early
• ☐ Travel pay receipt or claim tracked (follow up after 14 days for contractor exams)
• ☐ After: watch claim status; request report with VA Form 20-10206 if you want it

Get free help

Accredited Veterans Service Organizations help with claims at no cost. Use VA's accredited representative search to find one. Be wary of anyone who charges to "guarantee" a rating.

Related guides

• How to file a VA disability claim step by step
• VA Intent to File: what it is and why to file it first
• How VA combined disability ratings work
• How to organize evidence and buddy statements

Sources

• VA: VA claim exam (C&P exam) (last updated Aug 15, 2025 at time of writing)
• VA: Travel pay reimbursement
• VA: Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
• VA: About VA Form 20-10206
• VA: Check your claim or appeal status
• VA: Get help from an accredited representative

Guide published November 2026. Exam procedures and contractors can change. Confirm current details on VA.gov.