Veterans Affairs · Authentication Profile

Va Authentication

Authentication

Veterans Affairs secures its APIs with apiKey, http, and oauth2 across 5 declared security schemes, as derived from its OpenAPI definitions. OAuth 2.0 is offered via the authorizationCode and clientCredentials flow(s).

VeteransGovernmentHealthBenefitsFHIRAppealsFederal
Methods: apiKey, http, oauth2 Schemes: 5 OAuth flows: authorizationCode, clientCredentials API key in: cookie, header

Security Schemes

bearer_token http
scheme: bearer
productionOauth oauth2
· flows: authorizationCode, clientCredentials
productionOauth oauth2
· flows: authorizationCode
apikey apiKey
· in: header (apikey)
CookieAuth apiKey
· in: cookie (api_session)

Source

Authentication Profile

Raw ↑ 
generated: '2026-07-11'
method: derived
source: openapi/va-appealable-issues-openapi.json, openapi/va-appeals-status-openapi.json, openapi/va-claims-api-openapi.json,
  openapi/va-decision-reviews-openapi.json, openapi/va-higher-level-reviews-openapi.json, openapi/va-legacy-appeals-openapi.json,
  openapi/va-notice-of-disagreements-openapi.json, openapi/va-patient-health-openapi.yaml, openapi/va-supplemental-claims-openapi.json
summary:
  types:
  - apiKey
  - http
  - oauth2
  api_key_in:
  - cookie
  - header
  oauth2_flows:
  - authorizationCode
  - clientCredentials
schemes:
- name: bearer_token
  type: http
  scheme: bearer
  bearerFormat: JWT
  sources:
  - openapi/va-appealable-issues-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-appeals-status-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-claims-api-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-higher-level-reviews-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-legacy-appeals-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-notice-of-disagreements-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-supplemental-claims-openapi.json
- name: productionOauth
  type: oauth2
  flows:
  - flow: authorizationCode
    authorizationUrl: https://api.va.gov/oauth2/appeals/v1/authorization
    tokenUrl: https://api.va.gov/oauth2/appeals/v1/token
    scopes: 4
  - flow: clientCredentials
    tokenUrl: To get production access, you must either work for VA or have specific VA agreements
      in place. If you have questions, [contact us](https://developer.va.gov/support/contact-us).
    scopes: 2
  description: 'The authentication model for the Appealable Issues API uses OAuth 2.0/OpenID
    Connect. The following authorization models are supported: [Authorization code flow](https://developer.va.gov/explore/api/appealable-issues/authorization-code)
    and [Client Credentials Grant (CCG)](https://developer.va.gov/explore/api/appealable-issues/client-credentials).'
  sources:
  - openapi/va-appealable-issues-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-appeals-status-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-higher-level-reviews-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-legacy-appeals-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-notice-of-disagreements-openapi.json
  - openapi/va-supplemental-claims-openapi.json
- name: productionOauth
  type: oauth2
  flows:
  - flow: authorizationCode
    authorizationUrl: https://api.va.gov/oauth2/authorization
    tokenUrl: https://api.va.gov/oauth2/token
    scopes: 2
  description: This API uses OAuth 2 with the client credential grant flow. [More info](https://developer.va.gov/explore/api/benefits-claims/client-credentials)
  sources:
  - openapi/va-claims-api-openapi.json
- name: apikey
  type: apiKey
  in: header
  parameter: apikey
  sources:
  - openapi/va-decision-reviews-openapi.json
- name: CookieAuth
  type: apiKey
  in: cookie
  parameter: api_session
  description: An authenticated session is established using the Sessions Controller to initiate
    federated authentication with an external credential provider, after which an API session
    token is established in the api_session cookie.
  sources:
  - openapi/va-patient-health-openapi.yaml