Licensing and Certification

Open new doors to employment by getting licensed or certified as a mechanic, medical technician, attorney, or other professional. Often required for work in certain fields, these tests may be eligible for GI Bill reimbursement.

Type of Assistance

Tests that may be reimbursable by VA include licensing and/or certification for a job as a mechanic, medical technician, therapist, computer network engineer, website developer, and other professional. There is no limit to the number of tests you may take, or number of times you may take the same test. And, VA will pay for tests even if you fail them.

Assist a Veteran by Getting Your Test Approved Help serve our nation's Veterans by getting your licensing or certification test officially approved, which lets Veterans and other beneficiaries receive reimbursement for test-taking costs. If you represent a state or local licensing board, the approval requirements are minimal. If you represent a nongovernmental organization, your test must be generally accepted within the industry, must have existed for at least two years, and must meet other requirements. VA sends test-taking payments directly to VA beneficiaries and not to your organization. Seek approval for your organizations tests through the State Approving Agency for the state where your headquarters are located.

Available Benefits

VA pays only the test costs, or up to $2,000 for each test. Fees connected with obtaining a license or certification are not reimbursable. Payment is issued after you submit proof of payment to VA. Find out how your GI Bill entitlement will be charged for taking a Licensing and Certification benefit.

Apply for benefits along with your request for payment for a test or tests. Complete the VA Form 22-0803 (Application for Reimbursement of Licensing or Certification Test) at the Ask A Question website or mail it to your nearest VA regional processing office.

Other Factors to Consider

By certification, VA is referring to the certification you get by taking a specific test for a field of employment, and not a certificate you receive for completing training.