Conditions and Claims Processing Times

This page provides information on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) claims processing performance.

DVA deals with two main types of claims:

• Initial Liability (IL): this is the first step in the process for veterans and/or their families to access support entitlements. It establishes whether or not the Commonwealth is liable for an injury, illness or death arising from service in the Australian Defence Force and enables access to health care, rehabilitation, treatment, some payments, and having conditions listed on a DVA Veteran Card.
• Permanent Impairment (PI): this step provides compensation for the long-term impacts of an accepted service-related injury or disease that has resulted in permanent impairment.

From 1 July 2026, with the commencement of the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatments and Supports (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies to all claims lodged, irrespective of when you were injured or when you served. Claims for Initial Liability and Permanent Impairment compensation received before 1 July 2026 will continue to be determined under the tri-Act system of the Veterans' Entitlements Act, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (DRCA) and Military Rehabilitation Compensation ACT (MRCA).

Claiming under MRCA

Presumptive Liability

In addition to ordinary claims for initial liability (see below), claims using presumptive liability allows some conditions to be fast-tracked for acceptance when there is a specified recognised link between the condition and military service.

From 1 July 2026, if you are claiming an eligible presumptive liability condition and provide a confirmed diagnosis from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner, your claim may be determined in less than 2 weeks as part of the allocation process.

To be eligible for presumptive liability fast-tracked processing, you must:

• Have submitted a claim for presumptive liability condition/s
• provide a diagnosis for each condition claimed
• submit all required information when lodging your claim.

If these requirements are met, DVA may determine your presumptive liability conditions claim without seeking further evidence.

MRCA Initial Liability Claims

MRCA Initial Liability Processing Times

Average time to allocate a claim to a claims support officer for last 12 months: 13 days

The average processing time for MRCA Initial Liability claims received in the last 12 months was 116 days, which comprised of 33 days waiting for external information** and 83 days with DVA for processing*.

The average age of all outstanding MRCA Initial Liability claims with DVA is 193 days.

*Includes time taken to allocate to a claims support officer but excludes time DVA is waiting further information from a veteran or third party.
**See Table 1 for breakdown

If more information is required, DVA will contact you. You are encouraged to provide requested information through MyService, where available.

MRCA Initial Liability Volumes

Intake in the last 12 months:

• Conditions: 96,319
• Claims: 30,133
• Veterans: 20,924

Determinations in the last 12 months:

• Conditions: 138,907
• Claims: 18,444
• Veterans: 16,492

Claims yet to be finalised as at 30 September 2026:

• Conditions: 107,865
• Claims: 29,201
• Veterans: 21,374

Table 1: MRCA Initial Liability Claims and Conditions awaiting information as at 30 September 2026

* Additional information required includes awaiting information from a veteran or a third party to progress a claim

MRCA Permanent Impairment Claims

MRCA Permanent Impairment Processing Times

Average time to allocate a MRCA Permanent Impairment claim to a claim support officer following determination of Initial Liability or lodgement (whichever is later) over the last 12 months is 146 days.

The average processing time for MRCA Permanent Impairment claims received in the last 12 months was 171 days which comprised an average of 47 days waiting for external information and 123 days with DVA* for processing.

The average age of all outstanding MRCA permanent impairment claims with DVA is 185 days.

* Includes time taken to allocate to a claims support officer but excludes time DVA is waiting further information from a veteran or third party.
**See Table 2 for breakdown.

MRCA Permanent Impairment Volumes

Intake in the last 12-month intake:

• Claims: 19,324
• Veterans: 18,849

Determinations in the last 12 months:

• Claims: 11,260
• Veterans: 11,099

Claims yet to be finalised at 30 September 2026:

• Claims: 17,908
• Veterans: 17,908

Table 2: MRCA Permanent Impairment Claims awaiting information as at 30 September 2026

* Additional information required includes awaiting information from a veteran or a third party to progress a claim

Related information on making claims

What to do when submitting a claim — How to make a claim for a service-related condition

How we process and determine your claim — What to expect after you submit a compensation claim

You are encouraged to lodge initial liability claims through MyService — see How to apply for Initial Liability in MyService

Historical Claims (DRCA and VEA)

Historical Initial Liability Claim Times

As of 30 September 2026, the average age for a historical initial liability on hand claim is 301 days.

This reflects some complex, long standing claims that involve multiple legislative schemes (dual act and tri act claims) that have since been harmonised into one single legislative scheme for veteran entitlements from 1 July 2026.

Note: there are presently 307 claims on hand over 800 days old. This is 1.2% of historical initial liability claims.

Historical Initial Liability Volumes for DRCA, VEA, Dual and Tri act Volumes

Determinations in last 12 months: 

• Conditions: 83,010
• Claims: 34,260
• Veterans: 11,266

Claims yet to be finalised as at 30 September 2026:

• Conditions: 89,184
• Claims: 25,298
• Veterans: 16,129

Table 3: Historical Initial Liability Claims and Conditions awaiting information as at 30 September 2026

* Additional information required includes awaiting information from a veteran or a third party to progress a claim

DRCA Permanent Impairment Processing Times

As of 30 September 2026, the average age for a DRCA Permanent Impairment on hand claim is 269 days.

DRCA Permanent Impairment Volumes

Determinations in last 12 months:

• Claims: 18,101
• Veterans: 5,977

Claims yet to be finalised as at 30 September 2026:

• Claims: 31,820
• Veterans: 9,320

Table 4: DRCA PI Claims awaiting information as at 30 September 2026

* Additional information required includes awaiting information from a veteran or a third party to progress a claim

Additional information for Initial Liability and Permanent Impairment claims

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