Getting Into VA.gov: Your Account and Identity Verification

Why this comes first

The fastest way to lock in your effective date is to start your claim online at VA.gov, because saving a started application automatically creates an Intent to File. But you can't do that without a verified VA.gov account — and if you're setting one up for the first time, or haven't logged in for a while, that step can take longer than the filing itself.

So this is the step before the step. Get your account sorted first, and everything downstream moves quickly.

The two sign-in options (and the two that no longer work)

VA now accepts exactly two sign-in credentials across all its websites and applications:

• Login.gov — the federal government's shared sign-in service, used across many agencies.
• ID.me — a private identity-verification provider VA partners with.

Either one works everywhere on VA.gov. You do not need both.

Two older credentials have been retired and will not get you in:

• My HealtheVet sign-in was removed on March 5, 2025. The My HealtheVet health portal itself still exists — you just reach it by signing in with Login.gov or ID.me instead.
• DS Logon was removed on November 18, 2025.

If you're sitting on an old My HealtheVet or DS Logon credential, it's dead. You need to create one of the two current accounts.

What you need to create an account

Both providers require the same basics:

• A unique email address. Each account needs its own — you can't share one across two accounts.
• Multifactor authentication (MFA). A second step beyond your password, so a stolen password alone doesn't get someone into your VA records. Both providers offer several options: an authenticator app, a text message to your phone, a phone call, or a security key. The authenticator app is the most reliable if your cell service is spotty.

Identity verification: what it is and what you'll need

Creating the account is not the same as verifying your identity. Verification is a separate, one-time step that proves you are who you say you are before VA will show you your own records or let you file.

It's worth saying plainly: this step is not VA deciding whether you're trustworthy. It's there to stop someone else from filing a claim in your name or reading your medical records.

Have ready:

• Your sign-in credentials and password
• Your MFA method (your phone or authenticator app in hand)
• A smartphone or tablet with a camera — or a computer, if you're using ID.me
• Your Social Security number
• A valid, unexpired photo ID
• A U.S. phone number in your name, if you have one (optional, but it makes things smoother)

Which IDs are accepted:

• ID.me — a valid, unexpired U.S. driver's license, state ID, passport, or passport card for the self-service path. Other document types can be used if you go through a video call with a representative.
• Login.gov — a valid, unexpired U.S. driver's license or other state-issued ID.

Online verification usually takes about ten minutes when it goes smoothly.

If online verification doesn't work

It fails more often than people expect — a blurry ID photo, a name that doesn't match your records, an expired license. There are fallbacks, and using one is completely normal:

• Login.gov — verify in person at a participating USPS location.
• ID.me — book an in-person appointment at The UPS Store, or do a video call with a representative who can accept a wider range of documents.

If you don't have a U.S. phone number, both providers can mail you a verification code instead. If you live outside the U.S., ID.me's video verification path handles that — select the "I don't live in the US" option.

Practical guidance

Which one should you pick? Either works. If you already have a Login.gov account from another federal agency — Social Security, IRS, USAJOBS — use that one rather than creating something new. If you're starting fresh and your ID photo might be a problem, ID.me's video-call fallback accepts more document types, which is a reason some veterans prefer it.

Do this before you need it. If you're planning to file, set up and verify the account now, not the day you sit down to do the paperwork. Verification failing at the wrong moment is how a filing day turns into a filing month — and if you're relying on the online path to create your Intent to File, a stalled account means your effective date isn't locked in yet either.

If you can't get verified at all, you're not stuck. The Intent to File and the claim itself can both be submitted by phone, by mail, or in person with an accredited representative — no online account required. Verification makes things faster and lets you track your claim's status, but it is not a gate on your right to file.

What's next

Once you're verified, go to the Intent to File explainer — that's the step that protects your effective date, and it's the first thing you should do with your new account.

Sources: VA — Prepare for VA's secure sign-in changes; VA — Verifying your identity on VA.gov