Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73
§5103 Notice to claimants of required information and evidence
Title 38 › Part PART IV— - GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Chapter CHAPTER 51— - CLAIMS, EFFECTIVE DATES, AND PAYMENTS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - CLAIMS › § 5103
Summary
The Secretary must give the claimant and the claimant’s representative, if any, a clear notice of any information or medical/personal evidence still needed to prove the claim. The notice must be sent by the most effective means available, including email or a written letter. The notice must say which pieces the claimant must provide and which the Department will try to get for the claimant under section 5103A and other laws. The Secretary must make rules that spell out what each notice must include. Those rules must treat original and supplemental claims differently, match the type of benefit being claimed, list the general evidence needed for each claim type, and set the time limits described below. The notice rule does not apply to a supplemental claim filed within the timeframes in section 5110(a)(2)(B) and (D). If the claimant must provide evidence, it must reach the Secretary within one year from the date the notice is sent. This one-year rule does not apply to Government life insurance claims. The Secretary may decide a claim before the year ends. No new notice is required for a later claim if a prior notice already told the claimant what was needed and that notice was sent within one year of the later filing. The rules also do not apply when the evidence on file already allows the Department to award the maximum benefit under the record and to give the earliest possible effective date under section 5110.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §5103
Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall provide to the claimant and the claimant’s representative, if any, by the most effective means available, including electronic communication or notification in writing, notice of any information, and any medical or lay evidence, not previously provided to the Secretary that is necessary to substantiate the claim. As part of that notice, the Secretary shall indicate which portion of that information and evidence, if any, is to be provided by the claimant and which portion, if any, the Secretary, in accordance with section 5103A of this title and any other applicable provisions of law, will attempt to obtain on behalf of the claimant.
(2)(A)The Secretary shall prescribe in regulations requirements relating to the contents of notice to be provided under this subsection.
(B)The regulations required by this paragraph—
(i)shall specify different contents for notice based on whether the claim concerned is an original claim or a supplemental claim;
(ii)shall provide that the contents for such notice be appropriate to the type of benefits or services sought under the claim;
(iii)shall specify for each type of claim for benefits the general information and evidence required to substantiate the basic elements of such type of claim; and
(iv)shall specify the time period limitations required pursuant to subsection (b).
(3)The requirement to provide notice under paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a supplemental claim that is filed within the timeframe set forth in subparagraphs (B) and (D) of section 5110(a)(2) of this title.
(b)(1)In the case of information or evidence that the claimant is notified under subsection (a) is to be provided by the claimant, such information or evidence must be received by the Secretary within one year from the date such notice is sent.
(2)This subsection shall not apply to any application or claim for Government life insurance benefits.
(3)Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary from making a decision on a claim before the expiration of the period referred to in that subsection.
(4)Nothing in this section shall require the Secretary to provide notice for a subsequent claim that is filed while a previous claim is pending if the notice previously provided for such pending claim—
(A)provides sufficient notice of the information and evidence necessary to substantiate such subsequent claim; and
(B)was sent within one year of the date on which the subsequent claim was filed.
(5)(A)This section shall not apply to any claim or issue where the Secretary may award the maximum benefit in accordance with this title based on the evidence of record.
(B)For purposes of this paragraph, the term “maximum benefit” means the highest evaluation assignable in accordance with the evidence of record, as long as such evidence is adequate for rating purposes and sufficient to grant the earliest possible effective date in accordance with section 5110 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5103, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1225, § 3003; Pub. L. 99–570, title XI, § 11007(a)(1), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–170; renumbered § 5103, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1), (b)(1), (2)(E), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403–405, related to incomplete applications, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 106–475, § 3(a), Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2096. Another prior section 5103 was renumbered section 8303 of this title.
Amendments
2017—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–55, § 2(b)(1), substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (3), the” for “The”. Subsec. (a)(2)(B)(i). Pub. L. 115–55, § 2(b)(2), substituted “or a supplemental claim;” for “, a claim for reopening a prior decision on a claim, or a claim for an increase in benefits;”. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 115–55, § 2(b)(3), added par. (3). 2012—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 112–154, § 504(a)(1), substituted “The” for “Upon receipt of a complete or substantially complete application, the” and “provide to” for “notify” and inserted “by the most effective means available, including electronic communication or notification in writing, notice” before “of any information”. Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 112–154, § 504(a)(2), added pars. (4) and (5). 2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–389 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). 2003—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–183, § 701(b)(1), substituted “such information or evidence must be received by the Secretary within one year from the date such notice is sent” for “if such information or evidence is not received by the Secretary within one year from the date of such notification, no benefit may be paid or furnished by reason of the claimant’s application”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 108–183, § 701(b)(2), added par. (3). 2001—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 107–14 substituted “one year” for “1 year”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2017 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–55 applicable to all claims for which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides notice of a decision under section 5104 of this title on or after the later of 540 days after Aug. 23, 2017, or 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to Congress a certification of certain capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the new appeals system established by Pub. L. 115–55 and to address appeals of decisions on legacy claims, with provision for early applicability of the new appeals system to certain claims, see section 2(x) of Pub. L. 115–55, set out as a note under section 101 of this title, and bracketed note thereunder.
Effective Date
of 2012 Amendment Pub. L. 112–154, title V, § 504(c), Aug. 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 1192, provided that: “(1) In general.—The
Amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 6, 2012] and shall apply with respect to notification obligations of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on or after such date. “(2)
Construction
regarding applicability.—Nothing in this section [amending this section and enacting provisions set out as a note below] or the
Amendments
made by this section shall be construed to require the Secretary to carry out notification procedures in accordance with requirements of section 5103 of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the
Effective Date
established in paragraph (1) on or after such
Effective Date
.”
Effective Date
of 2003 AmendmentAmendment effective as if enacted Nov. 9, 2000, immediately after the enactment of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106–475, see section 701(c) of Pub. L. 108–183, set out as a note under section 5102 of this title.
Construction
Pub. L. 112–154, title V, § 504(b), Aug. 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 1192, provided that: “Nothing in the
Amendments
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall be construed as eliminating any requirement with respect to the contents of a notice under section 5103 of title 38, United States Code, that is required under
Regulations
prescribed pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of such section as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 6, 2012].” Applicability of
Regulations
Pub. L. 110–389, title I, § 101(b), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4148, provided that: “The
Regulations
required by paragraph (2) of section 5103(a) of title 38, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a) of this section), shall apply with respect to notices provided to claimants on or after the
Effective Date
of such
Regulations
.” Readjudication of Certain Claims; Notice Pub. L. 108–183, title VII, § 701(d), (e), Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2670, 2671, provided that: “(d) Procedures for Readjudication of Certain Claims.—(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall readjudicate a claim of a qualified claimant if the request for such readjudication is received not later than the end of the one-year period that begins on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 16, 2003]. “(2) For purposes of this subsection, a claimant is qualified within the meaning of paragraph (1) if the claimant—“(A) received notice under section 5103(a) of title 38, United States Code, requesting information or evidence to substantiate a claim; “(B) did not submit such information or evidence within a year after the date such notice was sent; “(C) did not file a timely appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals or the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and “(D) submits such information or evidence during the one-year period referred to in paragraph (1). “(3) If the decision of the Secretary on a readjudication under this subsection is in favor of the qualified claimant, the award of the grant shall take effect as if the prior decision by the Secretary on the claim had not been made. “(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to establish a duty on the part of the Secretary to identify or readjudicate any claim that—“(A) is not submitted during the one-year period referred to in paragraph (1); or “(B) has been the subject of a timely appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals or the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. “(e)
Construction
on Providing Renotification.—Nothing in this section [amending this section and section 5102 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 5102 of this title], or the
Amendments
made by this section, shall be construed to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs—“(1) to provide notice under section 5103(a) of such title with respect to a claim insofar as the Secretary has previously provided such notice; or “(2) to provide for a special notice with respect to this section and the
Amendments
made by this section.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 5103
Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73