**Release of Information from Department of**

**Veterans Affairs Claimant Records**

**Note**: Sections 1.500 through 1.527 concern the availability and
release of information from files, records, reports, and other papers
and documents in Department of Veterans Affairs custody pertaining to
claims under any of the laws administered by the Department of Veterans
Affairs. As to the release of information from Department of Veterans
Affairs records other than claimant records, see §§1.550 through 1.558.
Sections 1.500 through 1.526 implement the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 5701,
5702.

\[32 FR 10848, July 25, 1967\]

**Authority**: Sections 1.500 to 1.527 issued under 72 Stat. 1114, 1236,

as amended; 38 U.S.C. 501, 5701.

**§1.500 General.**

\(a\) Files, records, reports, and other papers and documents pertaining
to any claim filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs, whether
pending or adjudicated, and the names and addresses of present or former
personnel of the armed services, and their dependents, in the possession
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, will be deemed confidential and
privileged, and no disclosure therefrom will be made except in the
circumstances and under the conditions set forth in §§1.501 through
1.526.

\(b\) A claimant may not have access to or custody of official
Department of Veterans Affairs records concerning himself or herself nor
may a claimant inspect records concerning himself or herself. Disclosure
of information from Department of Veterans Affairs records to a claimant
or his or her duly authorized agent or representative may be made,
however, under the provisions of §§1.501 through 1.526.

\(c\) Each administration, staff office, and field facility head will
designate an employee(s) who will be responsible for initial action on
(granting or denying) requests to inspect or obtain information from or
copies of records under their jurisdiction and within the purview of
§§1.501 through 1.526 unless the regulations in this part currently
contain such designations. The request should be made to the office
concerned (having jurisdiction of the record desired) or, if not known,
to the Director or Veterans Assistance Officer in the nearest VA
regional office, or to the VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20420. Personal contacts should normally be made during
the regular duty hours of the office concerned, which are 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, for VA Central Office and most field
facilities. Any legal question arising in a field facility concerning
the release of information will be referred to the appropriate Regional
Counsel for disposition as contemplated by §13.401 of this chapter. In
central office such legal questions will be referred to the General
Counsel. Any administrative question will be referred through
administrative channels to the appropriate administration or staff
office head.

\(d\) Upon denial of a request under paragraph (c) of this section, the
responsible Department of Veterans Affairs official or designated
employee will inform the requester in writing of the denial and advise
him or her that he or she may appeal the denial. The requester will also
be furnished the title and address of the Department of Veterans Affairs
official to whom the appeal should be addressed. (See §1.527.) In each
instance of denial of a request, the denial will be made a matter of
record and the record will contain a citation to the specific provision
of Department of Veterans Affairs regulations upon which the denial is
based.

\[24 FR 8174, Oct. 8, 1959, as amended at 32 FR 10848, July 25, 1967; 38
FR 15601, June 14, 1973; 57 FR 31007, July 13, 1992; 61 FR 7216, Feb.
27, 1996\]