VA Form 10-3542 is the paper claim Veterans use to request reimbursement for travel to and from approved medical appointments under the VA’s Beneficiary Travel program. The form has three short sections — traveler information, trip details, and a signed certification — and you file it with the Beneficiary Travel office at your VA medical center within 30 days of the appointment. If you’d rather file electronically, the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) collects the same information online and pays approved claims faster.
Before You File: Who Qualifies
Not every enrolled Veteran qualifies for travel pay. You need to meet at least one of these conditions:
- A VA disability rating of 30% or higher, for travel to any approved VA or VA-authorized appointment.
- A rating below 30%, but the travel is specifically for treatment of a service-connected condition.
- Income below the VA national income threshold for health care benefits.
- You receive a VA pension.
- You’re traveling to a scheduled compensation and pension (C&P) exam, which is always covered.
Caregivers enrolled in the National Caregiver Program, medically authorized attendants, and transplant donors or support persons can file for their own travel when accompanying an eligible Veteran.1Veterans Affairs. File And Manage Travel Reimbursement Claims
Filling Out Section A: Traveler Information
Enter your full name, Social Security number, and date of birth. Check the box that matches your status: Veteran, caregiver, medically authorized attendant, transplant donor, or other. If you’re not the Veteran, add the Veteran’s name, SSN, and date of birth so the claim links to the right benefits file.2Veterans Affairs. VA Form 10-3542
Filling Out Section B: Trip Information
Write the full street address where the trip started — usually your home — and the date it began. Indicate your mode of travel: car, bus, train, taxi, or other. If your return trip ended at the same starting address, check “Yes.” If you went somewhere else after the appointment, check “No” and write that address, the return date, and the return mode.
Enter the treating facility’s name and address. The VA calculates mileage using Bing Maps for the fastest, shortest route between your home and the nearest VA or VA-authorized facility that could provide the care you received.3Veterans Affairs. Reimbursed VA Travel Expenses And Mileage Rate If you drove past a closer facility to reach one farther away without a documented reason, the VA reimburses only the distance to the closer one.
If you’re claiming anything beyond mileage — tolls, parking, lodging, or meals — check “Yes” on line 3, itemize each expense, and attach a receipt for every item. The VA reimburses actual costs for ferry fares and bridge, road, and tunnel tolls when you provide receipts.4eCFR. 38 CFR 70.30 – Payment Principles Meals and lodging are capped at 50% of the federal employee per diem rate, and only when the VA determines an overnight stay was necessary.
Filling Out Section C: Certification and Signature
Sign and date the form. Your signature certifies that the information is accurate and the travel actually occurred. False information can trigger civil penalties under the False Claims Act — up to three times the program’s loss plus a per-claim fine — and criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 287 that can include imprisonment.5Office of Inspector General. Fraud and Abuse Laws
How to Submit the Form
You have three ways to get the completed form to the VA.
By mail or in person. Mail the form and receipts to the Beneficiary Travel office at your VA medical center, or drop it off at the travel office window. If you mail it, use certified mail with a return receipt so you have proof of delivery. Paper claims take longer to process because staff have to enter the data manually.
By fax. Faxing the completed form and any receipts to your local VA travel office is still accepted. Keep the transmission confirmation as your proof of delivery in case a claim goes missing.
Online through BTSSS. The Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System at dvagov-btsss.dynamics365portals.us collects the same information in a digital format and is the VA’s preferred filing method. Log in with ID.me, Login.gov, or DS Logon. Before your first claim, set up direct deposit specifically for travel pay; existing direct deposit for other VA benefits does not carry over.6Veterans Affairs. How To Set Up Direct Deposit For VA Travel Pay Reimbursement Straightforward mileage-only claims often process automatically, and approved claims typically pay out within three to five business days.7Veterans Affairs. How To File A VA Travel Reimbursement Claim Online
The 30-Day Deadline
File each claim within 30 calendar days of the appointment. Claims submitted after that window are usually denied.1Veterans Affairs. File And Manage Travel Reimbursement Claims Each appointment requires its own separate claim; you cannot bundle multiple visits onto one form. Three appointments in a month means three separate submissions.
What You’ll Be Paid
The VA currently reimburses 41.5 cents ($0.415) per mile for approved travel in a private vehicle.3Veterans Affairs. Reimbursed VA Travel Expenses And Mileage Rate The Secretary sets this rate and it can change, so check the VA travel expenses page before filing. Private-vehicle mileage cannot exceed what the same trip would cost on public transportation unless the VA determines driving was medically necessary.4eCFR. 38 CFR 70.30 – Payment Principles
Beyond mileage, the VA may reimburse public transit fares (bus, train, subway, ferry, light rail, rideshare, taxi, and plane) at actual cost, bridge and tunnel tolls with receipts, parking fees with receipts, and meals and lodging when an overnight stay is required, capped at 50% of the federal employee per diem rate.
One rule catches people out: if you used a free ride, such as a DAV van or another veteran service organization shuttle, you can’t claim travel pay for that trip because you had no out-of-pocket cost.1Veterans Affairs. File And Manage Travel Reimbursement Claims
The Deductible
Most claims are subject to a deductible that comes off the top before reimbursement. The amount is set administratively and can change, so confirm the current figure with your local Beneficiary Travel office or the VA eligibility page. The deductible does not apply to travel by special mode transportation (ambulance or wheelchair van), travel for a scheduled C&P exam, or travel by a non-Veteran such as an authorized attendant or caregiver.8eCFR. 38 CFR 70.31 – Deductions
The VA can waive the deductible for severe financial hardship. You qualify for a waiver if you receive a VA pension, or if your income is below the maximum annual VA pension rate or the national income threshold for health care benefits.3Veterans Affairs. Reimbursed VA Travel Expenses And Mileage Rate
If Your Claim Is Denied
The most common reasons for denial are filing past the 30-day window, incomplete information, missing receipts for non-mileage expenses, and traveling to a farther facility when a closer one could have provided the same care. If you believe the denial was wrong, file a Decision Review Request using VA Form 10182 (Board Appeal / Notice of Disagreement) and submit it with any supporting documents to a VA regional office. Keep copies of everything.
If the problem is a fixable one, such as a missing receipt or an appointment-date mismatch, the reviewer will send a message asking for clarification. Respond quickly; unresolved discrepancies turn into denials.