An MRCA initial liability claim took 136 days on average for claims received in the 12 months to 31 August 2026: 94 days with DVA and 42 days waiting for information from the veteran or others. Claims for conditions DVA accepts automatically can be decided in less than 2 weeks.
How long does a DVA claim take?
DVA's figures, as at 31 August 2026:
- allocating a claim to a claims support officer: 13 days on average
- initial liability claims received in the last 12 months: 136 days on average
- average age of all outstanding initial liability claims: 191 days
- permanent impairment claims: 144 days on average to allocate, then 168 days to process
See DVA's current processing times
Faster decisions under presumptive liability
From 1 July 2026, if you claim a condition on the presumptive liability list, include a diagnosis for each condition, and send everything DVA needs with the claim, DVA may decide it in less than 2 weeks without seeking more evidence. See which conditions DVA accepts automatically.
How to avoid delays
- Include a confirmed diagnosis from a qualified health professional for each condition.
- Give complete, accurate information and any reports or documents you already have.
- Answer DVA's requests quickly, through MyService where you can.
- Don't book or pay for medical reports DVA hasn't asked for.
DVA contacts you about every 30 days while your claim is in progress.
Help while you wait
- For 20 common conditions, PAMT pays for treatment before your claim is decided.
- DVA pays for treatment of any mental health condition without a claim if you have at least one day of continuous full-time service.
- If you're claiming for a mental health condition and can't work, Veteran Payment may help while DVA assesses the claim.
Checked against DVA's website on 25 September 2026.