What it is
VA Form 21-22 is the Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative. Once filed and accepted, it gives an accredited VSO authority to act on your VA claim, file documents, view your file, attend hearings, and receive copies of VA decisions. The current revision is dated July 2023. It is governed by 38 CFR 14.631.
When you use it
Use it any time you want a VSO (DAV, VFW, American Legion, county veterans office, state department of veterans affairs, etc.) to handle your claim or appeal. Use VA Form 21-22a instead if you want to appoint an individual accredited attorney or claims agent rather than an organization.
What to gather before you fill it out
The exact legal name of the VSO you are appointing, your SSN or VA file number, the scope you want to authorize (limited to a specific claim or general), and whether you want to allow access to records about HIV, sickle cell, substance use, or mental health (you must initial those boxes separately).
How to submit
The cleanest route is to have your chosen VSO submit it for you, they sign it on their end and upload it directly. You can also file it online through VA.gov, mail or fax it to the Claims Intake Center (PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444), or hand it to a VA regional office. Under 38 CFR 14.631, the form is not valid without both your signature and the representative's signature.
Common pitfalls
Appointing a VSO that has not formally accepted, without the representative's signature the appointment is invalid and they will not get notice of your decisions. Listing an individual without writing "only" next to the name when you want that single person, not the whole organization. Forgetting that filing a new 21-22 or 21-22a automatically revokes any prior power of attorney.
Related forms
21-22a (individual attorney or claims agent), 21-526EZ (the underlying disability claim).
Sources
https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-21-22/ https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/14.631 38 CFR 14.631