# How to Get Your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) > Get your VHIC card: who qualifies for the Veteran Health Identification Card, how to request it online or in person, base access and replacements. Canonical: https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/veteran-health-identification-card Last updated: 2026-10-19 The Veteran Health Identification Card is the photo ID VA gives veterans enrolled in VA health care. Here's who can get one, the two ways to request it, the photo rules, and what to do if it never arrives. ## What the VHIC is for The Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) is a photo ID that you use to check in at your VA health care appointments. VA says you can also use it to get the discounts that many stores, businesses and restaurants offer veterans, so for most enrolled veterans it is the only veteran ID they need to carry. When people search for a "VA ID card," "VA medical card" or "VA health care card," this is usually the card they mean. The card has "VA" printed in braille and shows your most recent branch of service emblem and any special awards you've received. VA lists service connection, POW status, branch of service and Purple Heart as items that can appear on it. Only one branch emblem fits on the card. It has limits. According to VA, the VHIC: - is not a credit card or an insurance card, - doesn't pay copays, and - doesn't authorize care at non-VA medical centers. It also isn't required to get VA care. A [VA News article](https://news.va.gov/136113/check-your-veteran-health-identification-card/) from November 2024 says having a VHIC is not required to receive VA health care. The card just makes check-in faster. ## Who can get one You need to be enrolled in VA health care. VA says to wait until you receive your VA health care welcome call and then request the card. If you're not enrolled yet, apply for VA health care first. The [veteran benefits guide](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/veteran-benefits) explains how enrollment and priority groups work, and veterans rated 50% or higher can see what else their rating unlocks in the [100% disabled veteran benefits guide](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/100-percent-disabled-veteran-benefits). ## How to request your VHIC Request it **one way, one time**. VA warns that requesting the card more than once causes a delay. ### Option 1: In person at a VA medical center 1. Contact your nearest VA medical center and ask for the enrollment coordinator. You can also ask to have your photo taken at your next appointment. 2. Bring a current, unexpired photo ID that shows your name, address and date of birth: a state driver's license, a U.S. passport, or another federal, state or local government photo ID. 3. If your ID doesn't show your address, also bring a utility bill, voter registration card or another document with your address that came by mail. ### Option 2: Online through AccessVA 1. Sign in to AccessVA with an ID.me or Login.gov account. A DoD CAC or PIV card also works. 2. Upload a digital color photo and a copy of your government ID. 3. If the address on your ID doesn't match VA's records, update your address first. Veterans living abroad who don't have an account need to create an ID.me account. ## Photo rules for online requests - Taken within the last 6 months. - White, light blue or another light background. - Full front view of your face, centered like a passport photo, cropped square from the shoulders up. - Neutral expression with your mouth closed. VA says no smiling. - No eyeglasses, and no hat or head covering unless it's for religious or medical reasons (with documentation). - File type .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif or .tiff. ## How long it takes, and what if it doesn't arrive Cards are printed and mailed from a central location. VA says a card mailed to a U.S. address should arrive within 7 to 14 days, and one mailed abroad within 30 business days. If yours hasn't come: - **Requested in person:** after 10 days from your photo, call the VA medical center where the photo was taken. - **Requested online, in the U.S.:** after 10 business days, call your nearest VA medical center. - **Requested online, abroad:** after 30 business days, contact the Foreign Medical Program office. ## Replacing, renewing and fixing your card - **Lost or stolen:** get a replacement by phone at 877-222-8387 (TTY: 711, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET), in person at a VA medical center, or online through AccessVA. - **Renewing:** VA says you can apply within 1 year of the expiration date printed on your current card. - **New address:** update it in your VA.gov profile or by calling 877-222-8387. - **Missing information** (service connection, POW status, branch or Purple Heart): contact the enrollment coordinator at your VA medical center. You may need documentation. - **Old cards:** VA asks you to destroy an old card by cutting or shredding it. ## Using your VHIC on base: commissary, exchange and MWR Since January 1, 2020, veterans with a service-connected disability rating, Purple Heart recipients and former prisoners of war can shop in person at commissaries and military exchanges and use MWR retail on DoD and Coast Guard installations. According to [VA News](https://news.va.gov/68479/veterans-need-vhic-for-in-person-commissary-military-exchange-and-mwr-access/), those veterans must use a VHIC for in-person base and privilege access, and the card must show their eligibility status: PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED. - If your card is missing that status, ask the enrollment coordinator at your VA medical center to update it (see the section above). - Veterans eligible only under this program who aren't enrolled in VA health care, or have no VHIC, can't shop in person, but VA News says they still have full access to online exchanges and American Forces Travel. - Medal of Honor recipients and veterans rated 100% service-connected are eligible for DoD credentials instead. See the [100% disabled veteran benefits guide](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/100-percent-disabled-veteran-benefits). - Primary Family Caregivers need an eligibility letter from VA's Office of Community Care. ## VHIC vs. Veteran ID Card vs. DoD ID VA says you only need one of these to prove you're a veteran for discounts. If you already have a VHIC, you don't need to request another photo ID. - **VHIC:** for veterans enrolled in VA health care. Used for VA check-in and discounts. - **Veteran ID Card (VIC):** digital, for discounts only, for veterans with an honorable or general discharge. Best for veterans who aren't enrolled in VA health care. See [how to get a Veteran ID Card](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/veteran-id-card). - **DoD ID (CAC or Uniformed Services ID):** for retirees, active duty, and Guard and Reserve members. Proves military status and gives access to services on military bases. ## Using your VHIC for discounts Many brands accept the VHIC as proof of veteran status, but each one sets its own rules, and some verify online instead. The [Basepass military discounts list](https://www.getbasepass.com/military-discounts) links each brand's official terms and the proof it asks for. If you're planning for November 11, the [Veterans Day 2026 free meals and deals](https://www.getbasepass.com/veterans-day-free-meals-deals-2026) page notes what each restaurant asks you to bring. ## Sources VA: [Veteran Health Identification Card](https://www.va.gov/health-care/get-health-id-card/) and [Types of Veteran ID cards](https://www.va.gov/records/get-veteran-id-cards/); VA News: [Check your Veteran Health Identification Card](https://news.va.gov/136113/check-your-veteran-health-identification-card/) (November 2024) and [Veterans need VHIC for in-person commissary, military exchange, MWR access](https://news.va.gov/68479/veterans-need-vhic-for-in-person-commissary-military-exchange-and-mwr-access/). All checked October 19, 2026. Basepass is independent and not affiliated with VA. Rules can change; VA.gov is the final word. ## Frequently asked questions ### Who can get a Veteran Health Identification Card? Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care. VA says you can request the card after you receive your VA health care welcome call. If you are not enrolled, you would apply for VA health care first. ### How long does it take to get a VHIC? VA says cards mailed to a U.S. address should arrive within 7 to 14 days, and cards mailed outside the U.S. within 30 business days. Cards are printed and mailed from a central location, not handed out at the medical center. ### Can I request a VHIC online? Yes. VA lets you request it through AccessVA, signing in with an ID.me or Login.gov account (or a DoD CAC or PIV card). You upload a digital color photo and a copy of your government ID. You can also request it in person through the enrollment coordinator at a VA medical center. ### How do I replace a lost or stolen VHIC? VA offers replacements by phone at 877-222-8387 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, in person at a VA medical center, or online through AccessVA. Request only once, because VA says duplicate requests cause delays. ### Do I need a VHIC to get VA health care? No. A VA News article from November 2024 says having a VHIC is not required to receive VA health care. The card makes check-in at VA appointments faster. ### Can I use the VHIC for veteran discounts? Yes. VA says you may use the VHIC to get discounts offered to veterans at many stores, businesses and restaurants. Each business sets its own proof rules, so check its terms. ### Can I use my VHIC to shop at the commissary or exchange? Yes, if you qualify. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating, Purple Heart recipients and former POWs can use the commissary, exchange and MWR retail on base, and VA News says they must show a VHIC that displays SERVICE CONNECTED, PURPLE HEART or FORMER POW. Veterans rated 100% service-connected are eligible for DoD credentials instead. ### Is the VHIC a health insurance card? No. VA says the VHIC is not an insurance card, doesn't pay copays and doesn't authorize care at non-VA facilities. It identifies you at VA appointments and can prove veteran status for discounts. ### Is the VHIC the same as the Veteran ID Card? No. The VHIC is for veterans enrolled in VA health care and is used to check in at VA appointments as well as for discounts. The Veteran ID Card (VIC) is a digital card for discounts only, for veterans with an honorable or general discharge. VA says you don't need a VIC if you already have a VHIC. ### Can Basepass request a VHIC for me? No. Only VA issues the VHIC, and Basepass is independent and not affiliated with VA. Basepass helps you find the benefits and discounts you may qualify for and shows which proof each one asks for. ## Related tools and guides - [Veteran benefits guide 2026](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/veteran-benefits) - [Military pay chart 2026](https://www.getbasepass.com/military-pay-chart-2026) - [VA disability rates 2026](https://www.getbasepass.com/va-disability-rates-2026) - [How to get a Veteran ID Card](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/veteran-id-card) - [Hazlewood Act (Texas) guide](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/hazlewood-act) - [National park pass for military and veterans](https://www.getbasepass.com/guides/national-park-pass-military) - [Basepass home](https://www.getbasepass.com/)