File and manage travel reimbursement claims
Eligible Veterans and caregivers can submit travel reimbursement claims for travel to and from approved health care appointments. These claims can include mileage and other travel expenses. Find out if you’re eligible and how to file a claim.
File a claim for travel pay online
For expenses you incurred as a Veteran
For expenses you incurred as a caregiver
Go to the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) to file your travel reimbursement claim online.
Note: Filing a travel reimbursement claim for the first time? Keep reading to find out if you’re eligible, the types of expenses we reimburse, and what to know before you file your claim.
Eligibility for travel pay
For Veterans
As a Veteran, you may be eligible for reimbursement if you meet the requirements listed here.
This must be true:
You’re traveling for care at a VA health facility or for VA-approved care at a non-VA health facility in your community.
And at least 1 of these must also be true:
- You have a VA disability rating of 30% or higher, or
- You’re traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition, even if your VA disability rating is less than 30%, or
- You receive a VA pension, or
- You have an income that’s below the maximum annual VA pension rate, or
- You can’t afford to pay for your travel, as defined by our guidelines, or
- You’re traveling for 1 of these reasons: A scheduled VA claim exam (also called a compensation and pension, or C&P, exam), to get a service dog, or for VA-approved transplant care
For caregivers
We may pay for transportation and related lodging and meals for non-Veterans if the person meets any of these requirements.
At least 1 of these must be true:
- The person is your family caregiver under the National Caregiver Program traveling to receive caregiver training or to support your care, or
- The person is your medically required attendant traveling with you to support your care, or
- The person is your transplant care donor or support person
We may also pay for care for an allied beneficiary when the appropriate foreign government agency has authorized their care, or for the beneficiary of another federal agency when that agency has approved their care.
Types of expenses eligible for travel pay
Travel pay covers these expenses for eligible Veterans and caregivers.
These expenses require preapproval from your local VA health facility:
- Regular transportation, such as bus, taxi, rideshare, subway, light rail, train, plane, or special mode transportation like an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle
- Meals and lodging expenses
These expenses don’t require preapproval:
- Mileage
- Parking and tolls
What to do before you file your first claim
- Set up direct deposit. Even if you already set up direct deposit for your VA benefits, you’ll need to set up another direct deposit for VA travel pay. If you’re eligible for travel pay, we’ll deposit your funds in your bank account.
Learn how to set up direct deposit for VA travel pay - Keep your receipts for all transportation and approved meals or lodging. And track your mileage to and from appointments.
Find out what expenses we pay for and current mileage rates - Plan to file within 30 days. You can still file a claim after 30 days. But claims filed after the 30-day limit are usually denied. You’ll need to file a new claim for each appointment.
Learn how to file a travel reimbursement claim online
Questions you may have about filing your claim
Yes. You can also file your claim by mail or in person at the VA facility where you received care. To do this, you’ll need to fill out a Veteran/Beneficiary Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses (VA Form 10-3542).
Get VA Form 10-3542 to download
Read the statements and certifications carefully. Then sign and date your form. Mail or take your completed form and receipts in person to the VA facility where you received care. If you mail your claim, we consider the postmark date the date of submission.
If your VA health facility lets you check in with your smartphone, then you may be able to file a claim for travel pay as part of the check-in process. We’ll ask you a few questions about how you traveled to your appointment to find out if you can file during check-in.
If all of these are true, you can file your travel reimbursement claim during check-in:
- You traveled in your own vehicle, and
- You traveled from your home address, and
- You’re claiming only mileage and no other expenses
You may be eligible for travel pay if you meet at least 1 of the requirements listed here.
1 of these must be true:
- You need inpatient care, or
- You’re getting temporary lodging approved by VA
Note: Special disability rehabilitation centers include facilities such as clinics that provide care for spinal cord injuries, vision loss or blindness, or prosthetics rehabilitation.
If you travel together with another Veteran
You’re eligible for travel pay only if you meet at least 1 of these requirements.
At least 1 of these must be true:
- You’re the owner of the vehicle used for travel, or
- You share a vehicle, like a taxi, with other Veterans and pay your own fare, or
- You pay another Veteran to take you to an appointment
You’ll need to provide a receipt for your expenses other than mileage. If you’re eligible for travel pay, we’ll pay the mileage rate or actual expense, whichever is less.
If you use a free transportation service
Free transportation services may include the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) system, VA Veterans Transportation Program (VTP), or other no-cost city or state transportation options. You can’t file for travel pay if you use a free transportation service for your trip because there are no expenses to reimburse.
Special mode transportation includes ambulance services or specially equipped vehicles used when a Veteran’s medical condition makes regular transportation unsafe.
You may be eligible for special mode transportation reimbursement if you meet the requirements listed here:
- You’re a Veteran traveling to a VA health facility or to approved care in your community, and
- You’re eligible for travel pay, and
- A VA provider decides your medical condition requires an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle for travel, and
- We approved your travel in advance, unless it was an emergency
For more information, contact your VA health care team.
There are 2 types of special mode transportation:
- Non-emergency transportation. If you need a preapproved non-emergency ride, you can request the trip online.
Request non-emergency special mode transportation - Emergency transportation. If you have a medical emergency and waiting for approval could put your health or life at risk, you may qualify to have your ambulance bill paid directly to the vendor. Call us at
within 72 hours of the emergency.
We may approve requests for travel pay for travel to a VA health facility other than your closest facility. You must get preapproval before you travel. And a VA provider must confirm there’s a medical reason you can’t receive the needed care at your closest facility. You should also file a travel reimbursement claim within 30 days of your appointment.
These are some of the approved medical reasons:
- Needed services or tests aren’t offered at your closest facility
- You get a referral from your provider to another facility
- You need a procedure your closest facility can’t perform
To request preapproval for your travel, contact your Beneficiary Travel Office as soon as you know you may need to travel beyond your closest facility. We’ll explain what documents you need to submit. And your approval letter will list the expenses we’ll cover.
Note: We’ll only reimburse the most direct and reasonable route. And we can’t pay you back for unrelated stops or if you choose a less direct travel path.
Learn more about reimbursed VA travel expenses and mileage rate
Call your VA health facility’s Beneficiary Travel contact.
Find the travel contact for your facility
Or call our BTSSS toll-free call center at
We’ll deposit your funds through electronic funds transfer (EFT).