What veterans' preference is, in one sentence
Veterans' preference is an advantage in federal hiring: qualifying veterans and certain family members get extra points added to a passing score in a competitive federal examination. It is written into federal law, and the point values come straight from the statute. What it is not is a guarantee of a job. This guide lays out the 5-point and 10-point structure exactly as the statute states it, and is honest about the limits, so you know what preference does and does not do before you apply.
Because the Office of Personnel Management pages were unreachable when this guide was verified, the point rules below are stated from the statutes themselves (5 USC 3309 and 5 USC 2108). For the step-by-step of how to claim preference on a specific application, follow the official OPM and USAJOBS instructions, which we point to at the end. If any term is new, the glossary covers the basics.
The point structure, straight from the statute
The law that sets the points is 5 USC 3309. It applies to a preference eligible "who receives a passing grade in a competitive examination" and grants additional points as follows: "a preference eligible under section 2108(3)(C)-(G) of this title, 10 points; and a preference eligible under section 2108(3)(A)-(B) of this title, 5 points." (The statute prints those two figures with a dash; we render the punctuation as commas per our style, and the words are unchanged.)
So there are two tiers: 5 points and 10 points. Which tier you fall in depends on the category the law places you in, defined in 5 USC 2108.
The categories, defined by 5 USC 2108
Here is who fits each category, condensed from the statutory definitions:
| Category | Who it covers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| (A) | A wartime veteran as defined in 5 USC 2108(1)(A) | 5 |
| (B) | A veteran under 2108(1)(B), (C), or (D), including 180 or more consecutive days of active duty in specified periods, or campaign or expedition service | 5 |
| (C) | A "disabled veteran": service-connected disability, or receiving compensation, disability retirement, or a pension administered by VA or a military department | 10 |
| (D) | The unmarried widow or widower of a veteran | 10 |
| (E) | The spouse of a service-connected disabled veteran who is unable to qualify for a civil-service appointment | 10 |
| (F) | The parent of an individual who lost his or her life under honorable conditions during a wartime period, subject to the statute's conditions | 10 |
| (G) | The parent of a service-connected permanently and totally disabled veteran, subject to the statute's conditions | 10 |
The statute lists additional points for the categories above, (A) through (G). A separate category, (H), covers a person discharged under a sole-survivorship discharge as a preference eligible; how that status is applied to a specific vacancy is handled by OPM and the hiring agency rather than by a point award in 3309.
Why the disabled-veteran category matters
The broadest 10-point path is category (C), the "disabled veteran." Note how broadly the statute draws it: a service-connected disability qualifies, and so does receiving compensation, disability retirement, or a VA-administered pension. This is one of several places where establishing service connection has value beyond the monthly payment. If you are still working through what a service-connected rating is, our guide on VA disability compensation explained is the starting point, and you can see current rating information on the VA ratings page.
Reading the categories without getting lost
The categories reward two things: qualifying service, and sacrifice connected to that service. Categories (A) and (B) recognize wartime and qualifying-period service at the 5-point level, including service of 180 or more consecutive days in specified periods and campaign or expedition service. Categories (C) through (G) sit at the 10-point level, and several of them reach beyond the veteran to certain family members: the spouse of a service-connected disabled veteran who is unable to qualify for a civil-service appointment, an unmarried widow or widower, and parents in the specific circumstances the statute defines. That pattern is worth noticing if you are helping a family member apply, because preference is not only a veteran's own benefit. In every case it is the statute, not a recruiter or a job posting, that defines who fits which category, so match your situation to the statutory language rather than to a summary you read somewhere.
What preference does, and what it does not do
Read 5 USC 3309 carefully and two things stand out. First, preference is points added to "a passing grade in a competitive examination." The points raise your standing among candidates who have already passed. Second, the statute grants points; it does not promise a hire. Preference is an advantage, not an entitlement to any particular position, and it does not override the merit-based process.
That distinction is an easy one to get wrong. Preference can move you up a list of qualified candidates. It cannot force an agency to select you. The points attach to the competitive-examination process that 5 USC 3309 describes, and how preference applies to a given vacancy is set by OPM and the hiring agency. Treat it as a real, valuable edge that you have to claim and document correctly, not as a guaranteed outcome.
A hypothetical to show the tiers
Consider a hypothetical veteran named Marcus who has a service-connected disability and applies for a competitive federal position. Because he fits the "disabled veteran" definition in 5 USC 2108(3)(C), he is in a 10-point category, so if he passes the examination, 10 points are added to his score under 5 USC 3309. A fellow applicant who is a wartime veteran without a service-connected disability might fall in category (A), a 5-point tier. Both get an edge; the sizes differ because their categories differ. This example is hypothetical and only illustrates the tier structure. Your category and how preference is applied are determined during the official hiring process.
What this does not mean: Veterans' preference does not guarantee you a federal job. It adds points (5 or 10, by category) to a passing score in a competitive examination. The exact documentation you submit and how preference is applied to a given vacancy are set by OPM and the hiring agency, not by this guide.
The official pathway
To claim preference on a real application, follow the instructions on the USAJOBS vacancy announcement and OPM's official veterans' employment guidance, which spell out the documentation and adjudication steps for your specific category. As you plan your transition, our leaving-the-military checklist sequences the federal-hiring track alongside your other tasks, and if you are between jobs, our guide on UCX unemployment after service covers the bridge benefit.
We help you understand and organize your benefits. We never prepare or file a claim or a job application for you.