An accredited representative is a person the VA's Office of General Counsel has authorized to prepare, present, and prosecute VA benefits claims. The category covers three groups: attorneys, claims agents, and representatives of recognized Veterans Service Organizations. Federal law restricts claims work to these accredited individuals and organizations.

Accreditation is checkable. The VA publishes a searchable database of every accredited attorney, claims agent, and VSO representative, and anyone offering claims help can be looked up in it before any engagement. Representation through a VSO is free. Attorneys and claims agents may charge fees for certain work, under rules the VA sets.

The distinction that matters in practice: a person who is not in the accreditation database is not authorized to prepare, present, or prosecute a VA claim, whatever their marketing says.