Renew Your VA Health Card Online

You can renew a VA health card online by requesting a new Veteran Health Identification Card through the official AccessVA service. VA treats this as a request for a new or replacement card, and you may apply within one year before the expiration date printed on your current card.

Can You Renew a VA Health Card Online?

Yes. If you are searching for “renew my VA health card online,” the official process is to request a new Veteran Health Identification Card, or VHIC, through AccessVA. A VHIC is the photo identification card used to check in for appointments at VA medical facilities.

VA does not describe a separate online renewal transaction. Instead, VA allows an enrolled Veteran to request a new card online, including when the current card is approaching its expiration date. You can apply during the one-year period before the printed expiration date.

Renewal is different from correcting your VA record. If your address or other personal information has changed, update the information with VA before requesting the card. If a service emblem, service-connected status, Prisoner of War status, or Purple Heart designation is missing, contact the enrollment coordinator at a VA medical center before requesting another VHIC.

How to Renew Your VA Health Card

To renew a VA Health Identification Card online, you must already be enrolled in VA health care. If you recently enrolled, wait until you receive the VA health care welcome call before requesting your first card.

1. Open {site} and find the page for getting a Veteran Health Identification Card.
2. Select the option to request a VHIC online. VA will send you to the secure AccessVA service.
3. Sign in with an accepted identity-verified account or credential shown on the AccessVA page.
4. Confirm that your mailing address and other VA information are correct.
5. Upload a copy of a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID. The accepted choices include a state-issued driver’s license, a United States passport, or another federal, state, or local government photo ID that shows the required identifying information.
6. Upload a recent digital color photo that follows the instructions on the request page.
7. Review the request carefully and submit it once.
8. Keep the submission confirmation or note what the service displays after submission.

If the address on your ID differs from the address VA has on file, update your VA address before making an online request. Sending the same request online and in person can cause a delay, so use only one method.

Sign In to Your VA Health Account

The online VHIC request is handled through AccessVA, not through an unfamiliar site found in an advertisement or unsolicited message. Start at {site}, locate the VHIC page, and choose the official online request option.

VA currently uses ID.me and Login.gov as its main secure sign-in providers. These are separate accounts, but either can be used for VA online services when the account meets the identity-verification requirements. AccessVA may also display an option for an eligible Department of Defense Common Access Card or Personal Identity Verification card.

An ID.me or Login.gov account requires a unique email address and multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication means confirming a sign-in with a second method, such as a code or an authentication tool. Follow only the choices displayed on the official sign-in screen.

If a verification email does not arrive, check the spam or junk folder and confirm that you entered the correct email address. Contact ID.me or Login.gov support for a problem involving that provider’s account. Contact VA.gov technical support if the provider accepts your sign-in but the VA service does not work.

Replace an Expired, Lost, or Damaged Card

To renew an expired VA health card, use the official VHIC request process for a new card. If your card is lost or stolen, VA confirms that you may request a replacement online through AccessVA, by contacting VA health benefits support, or in person at a VA medical center.

• Expired or nearing expiration: Request a new VHIC online. A request may be made within one year before the date printed on the card.
• Lost or stolen: Request a replacement through AccessVA, by phone using the verified contact block on this page, or at a VA medical center.
• Damaged: Ask VA health benefits support or a VA medical center to replace the unusable card. The online AccessVA replacement option may also be used when it is offered for your record.
• Wrong address: Update the address VA has on file before submitting an online card request.
• Wrong service information: Ask the enrollment coordinator at the nearest VA medical center to update the enrollment record. Supporting documents may be required before a new card is requested.

For an in-person replacement, bring a current driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued identification. Without another ID, VA will need to verify your identity by asking questions.

Get Help With Your VA Health Card

For help with VA health card renewal, replacement, identity checks, or a card that has not arrived, contact VA health benefits support or the enrollment coordinator at your nearest VA medical center. Use the verified contact block on this page for the current phone channel and service hours.

Accessibility support is available through the relay or TTY option identified with the official contact information. Veterans outside the United States should follow the overseas instructions on the official VHIC page; online identity verification may require an ID.me account, and card-delivery questions may be handled by the Foreign Medical Program office.

For a sign-in problem, use the support service that owns the failing step. ID.me handles ID.me account verification, Login.gov handles Login.gov access, and VA.gov technical support handles errors that occur after a successful provider sign-in.

Before You Request a New Card

Before starting a VA health card online renewal, confirm that your VA health care enrollment is active and that your name and mailing address are correct in VA records. Have a current government photo ID and a recent digital color photo ready.

The personal photo must follow the requirements displayed by VA, including the permitted background, face position, crop, expression, head-covering rules, and file type. Do not assume that a casual snapshot will be accepted.

• Make sure the ID is current and readable.
• Update a mismatched address before requesting the VHIC.
• Confirm that the photo meets every requirement on the upload screen.
• Submit the request only once.
• Save the on-screen confirmation and any confirmation message you receive.

If the submission screen does not confirm the request, do not repeatedly resubmit it. Check your account, then contact the appropriate VA support team to confirm whether the request was received.