VA Form 20-10206 — Requesting Your VA Records
Required Forms
VA Form 20-10206
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act Request
What to ask for
- The complete claims file () — everything VA holds, often hundreds or thousands of pages.
- The rating codesheet — the internal sheet showing every , evaluation, , and whether an evaluation is protected.
- A specific C&P examination report or by exam date.
- only.
- A deferred or the narrative portion of a specific decision.
Writing the description block
Vague descriptions are the main cause of delay and of receiving the wrong material. Name the document type and bound it by date: 'C&P examination report for the lumbar spine, examination performed on or about 14 March 2025' is actionable; 'my exam' is not.
If you want the file in a usable format, say so — most offices can produce a searchable PDF on disc or through a secure download link rather than paper.
Faster alternatives to the form
- personal records: some documents, including recent decision letters and benefit summary letters, download immediately.
- An accredited representative with an appointment of record can view the electronic claims file directly under 38 CFR §§ 1.600–1.603, usually within days of the 21-22a being accepted.
- The National Personnel Records Center handles older service and personnel records that were never scanned into the VA system.
Check this against your situation
| If your record shows this | What it means |
|---|---|
| You have an appeal deadline inside 90 days | A full C-file request will probably not return in time. Request the specific documents the argument depends on. |
| You cannot tell which diagnostic code VA used | The rating codesheet answers that in one page, and it is a single-document request. |
| The decision quotes an exam you have never read | Request that exam report by date; it is often the entire basis for the denial. |
| You need pre-1973 Army or Air Force records | The 1973 NPRC fire destroyed a large share of those files; reconstruction routes exist and take a different path than a VA FOIA request. |
Frequently Asked Questions
References & sources
Useful Tools & Topics
Have questions about your specific case?
Every veteran's facts are different. A free initial consultation with a VA-Accredited Claims Agent can tell you whether your matter is a fit for representation — and what the right next step looks like either way.
Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Oakridge Claims is a private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. No guarantees of outcomes are made. Each claim is decided on its individual facts.
Related guides
Request One Document Instead of the Whole C-File
Targeted requests — a C&P exam report, a rating codesheet, one VA Form 21-4192 — are processed far faster than a full claims-file production. How to write the request.
VA Form 21-4142: Authorization to Release Records
How VA Form 21-4142 authorizes VA to request private medical records on your behalf, why deadlines matter, and when you should obtain records yourself instead.
VA Form 21-4142 — Authorization to Disclose Records
How the 21-4142 / 21-4142a pair lets VA request your private treatment records, the expiration rule, and when to gather records yourself instead.
VA Form 20-0996 — Higher-Level Review
How to complete VA Form 20-0996, what a duty-to-assist error is, the informal conference request, and why no new evidence may be submitted.