VA Beneficiary Travel: 41.5 Cents a Mile Mileage Reimbursement (2026)

Drive to a VA health care appointment and, if you qualify, the VA pays you back 41.5 cents a mile for the trip there and home, plus tolls and parking, through a benefit called VA Beneficiary Travel. A small deductible usually comes out first, though some trips, like a scheduled C&P exam, carry none at all.1

This guide explains who is eligible, exactly how the mileage rate and deductible work, what else the program covers, including special-mode transportation like an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle with preapproval, and how to file a claim so the money actually reaches you.

In This Guide

• Key Takeaways
• What Is VA Beneficiary Travel
• Who Qualifies
• Mileage Rate and Deductible
• Special-Mode Transportation
• How to File a VA Beneficiary Travel Claim
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn More

What Is VA Beneficiary Travel

Beneficiary Travel, often called travel pay, is the VA program that reimburses eligible veterans for mileage and other approved costs of traveling to and from VA or VA-authorized health care.1 When a veteran drives to a VA medical center for an appointment, or to a community provider the VA has approved, this program can pay back the cost of that trip.

The benefit covers more than just mileage. It also pays for tolls and parking tied to the visit.1 With preapproval, it can cover special-mode transportation such as an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle, and in some cases meals and lodging.1 The point of the program is simple: a veteran should not have to skip needed care because the cost of getting there is too high.

Who Qualifies

To qualify for general mileage reimbursement, a veteran must be traveling for VA or VA-approved care and meet at least one of the eligibility criteria below.1

• A VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher.1
• Traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition, at any rating.1
• Receiving a VA pension.1
• Income below the maximum annual VA pension rate.1
• Unable to afford the travel under VA guidelines.1
• Traveling for a scheduled compensation-and-pension (C&P) exam, a service dog, or VA-approved transplant care.1

VA can also pay transportation, lodging and meals for some people who are not veterans: a family caregiver in VA's National Caregiver Program traveling for caregiver training or to support the veteran's care, a medically required attendant traveling with the veteran, or the veteran's transplant donor or support person.1

Meeting one of these criteria makes you eligible for the program, but it does not approve every trip. VA reimburses travel to the closest VA health facility that can provide the care you need, and it pays only for the most direct and reasonable route, not unrelated stops. To be paid for a trip to a farther VA facility, you need preapproval before you travel, and a VA provider must confirm a medical reason you can't get the care at your closest facility. Travel to non-VA community care is covered only when VA approved that care in advance, except in certain emergencies. If you think you may need to go farther, contact your facility's Beneficiary Travel Office as soon as you know.1

Mileage Rate and Deductible

As of 2026, the VA pays 41.5 cents ($0.415) per mile for approved health-related travel.1 That mileage is reduced by a small deductible before the VA pays you, and the deductible is capped each month so it never grows beyond a set amount.

Here is how the cap works in practice. The deductible is $3 each way, so $6 for a round-trip appointment, subtracted before you are reimbursed. Once you have paid $18 in deductibles within a single calendar month, the VA stops taking the deductible and pays your full approved travel cost for the remaining appointments that month.1 The program also reimburses tolls and parking connected to the visit.1

Some trips never carry the deductible. Under 38 CFR 70.31(b), it does not apply to travel to a scheduled compensation-and-pension exam, to travel that includes special-mode transportation, or to travel by a non-veteran, so there is nothing to apply for.1

VA also waives the deductible for severe financial hardship, and that is a status test, not a judgment call. You don't pay it if you receive a VA pension, if you have no service-connected condition and your income last year was below the maximum annual VA pension rate, or if you are a service-connected veteran whose income last year fell below the VA national income limit for health care benefits and prescriptions (or if you expect this year's income not to exceed the matching limit). VA says it waives the deductible automatically when it determines you qualify, and you can also request a waiver in person or in writing. A waiver lasts through the end of the calendar year you apply in, and you must tell VA promptly if your household income changes enough that you no longer qualify.1

The VA Secretary sets the deductible administratively, and the regulation requires it to move proportionally whenever the mileage rate changes, so confirm both figures on va.gov before you file if it has been a while since your last trip.1

Special-Mode Transportation

Some veterans cannot travel by ordinary car and need transportation that is medically required, such as an ambulance or a specially equipped vehicle. With preapproval from your local VA health facility, Beneficiary Travel can cover this special-mode transportation, and these trips carry no deductible. Regular transportation, such as a bus, taxi, rideshare, subway, light rail, train or plane, can also be covered with preapproval.1 The program can also cover preapproved meals and lodging tied to longer trips for care.1

The key word is preapproval. Special-mode transportation generally must be authorized by the VA before the trip, so contact your VA facility's travel office in advance rather than after the fact.

Some trips can be avoided altogether. The VA also offers telehealth, which lets a veteran meet with their care team by video from home or, where one is available, from a telehealth site in their community.2 Our guide to VA telehealth explains how it works and which appointments suit it.

How to File a VA Beneficiary Travel Claim

Veterans can file a Beneficiary Travel claim in a few ways.1

• Online through BTSSS. The Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) lets you file travel claims online.1
• By VA Form 10-3542. You can complete VA Form 10-3542 and submit it to the VA facility where you received care.1
• During smartphone check-in, where your facility supports it.1

Whichever method you use, file promptly. VA tells veterans to plan to file within 30 days of the appointment. You can still file after 30 days, but VA says late claims are usually denied, so submit each one soon after the visit rather than letting them pile up.1

Learn More

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.