VA Form 21-526EZ
Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits
The main application for VA disability compensation: the form that starts a disability claim.
Opens the official VA.gov page, always the authority on the current version and instructions.
This is the form behind the phrase "filing a VA claim" for disability compensation. It asks for your service information, the conditions you are claiming, and where your supporting records are.
Most veterans file it online through VA.gov, where it is filled out as a guided web form rather than a paper PDF. It can also be filed by mail, in person, or with the free help of an accredited representative.
Worth knowing
- Filing routes include online at VA.gov, by mail, in person at a regional office, or with a VSO or accredited representative.
- If you filed an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) first, a claim completed within one year can keep that earlier effective date.
- Veterans within 180 to 90 days of separation can file through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program.
On this site
Keep your copy where you can find it
Every form you send becomes part of your story. MusterVault keeps your completed copies, decision letters, and records organized and encrypted on your own computer, so the next deadline finds you ready. No cloud, no account.
Informational only: what this form is and where it lives, not advice about whether or when to file it. A free accredited VSO can advise on your situation. MusterVault organizes records, never gives claims advice, and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.