To apply for unemployment in Virginia, file online at Customer Self Service (CSS) or call 1-866-832-2363 (Customer Contact Center); 1-800-897-5630 (Voice Response System for weekly claims and payment changes); TTY 1-800-828-1140 or Virginia Relay 711 in the first week after your last day of work — the claim is dated from the week you file, not the week you were let go.
This guide lists the documents to gather, the steps in order, the identity check, the weekly claim, and the reasons a claim shows “pending” — the things the portal does not explain. Verified against Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) as of October 2026.
Before You Apply For Unemployment In Virginia: At a Glance
| File online | https://uidirect.vec.virginia.gov/ |
| By phone | 1-866-832-2363 (Customer Contact Center); 1-800-897-5630 (Voice Response System for weekly claims and payment changes); TTY 1-800-828-1140 or Virginia Relay 711 (The Customer Contact Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. The Voice Response System runs Sunday through Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Online filing pauses for scheduled maintenance every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) |
| In person | Yes. You can go to a Virginia Works / Virginia Career Works office, where staff point you to the Customer Self Service system on the Resource Room computers. Filing there is the same as filing online. Local staff can explain your claim but cannot make decisions or take action on it. Office list: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/vec-local-offices |
| When to file | VEC advises filing in the same week you lose your job or have your hours cut. The claim’s effective date is always the Sunday of the week you file, and you generally cannot backdate it (16VAC5-60). You can file in Virginia if you did any work in Virginia in the last 18 months. |
| Identity check | VEC uses ID.me to sign in to Customer Self Service and to verify identity when it flags a claim. |
| First payment | VEC says claimants are generally paid within 21 days of filing, though some claims need extra review. |
How to Apply For Unemployment In Virginia — In This Guide:
When to Apply for Unemployment in Virginia
VEC advises filing in the same week you lose your job or have your hours cut. The claim’s effective date is always the Sunday of the week you file, and you generally cannot backdate it (16VAC5-60). You can file in Virginia if you did any work in Virginia in the last 18 months.
Virginia’s first payable week is an unpaid waiting week, and VEC’s materials do not say it is paid later. You still must file a weekly claim and meet all eligibility rules that week.
What You Need to Apply for Unemployment in Virginia
Social Security number, Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen, your mailing address and phone number, your most recent employer’s name, address and phone number, the reason you are no longer working, your choice of payment method (Way2Go debit card or direct deposit), and your bank routing and account numbers if you choose direct deposit
How to Apply for Unemployment in Virginia, Step by Step
- Gather your SSN, employer details and bank information
- Sign in to Customer Self Service at uidirect.vec.virginia.gov using ID.me
- Complete the initial claim (about 45 minutes; incomplete applications are not processed)
- Choose the Way2Go debit card or direct deposit
- Register for work within two weeks of filing your initial claim
- File your first weekly claim at the end of the week you applied, no later than 21 days after filing
- Make at least two work search contacts each week and keep a record of them
Prefer the phone? Call 1-866-832-2363 (Customer Contact Center); 1-800-897-5630 (Voice Response System for weekly claims and payment changes); TTY 1-800-828-1140 or Virginia Relay 711 (The Customer Contact Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays. The Voice Response System runs Sunday through Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Online filing pauses for scheduled maintenance every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.).
Yes. You can go to a Virginia Works / Virginia Career Works office, where staff point you to the Customer Self Service system on the Resource Room computers. Filing there is the same as filing online. Local staff can explain your claim but cannot make decisions or take action on it. Office list: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/vec-local-offices
The Identity Check After You Apply for Unemployment in Virginia
VEC uses ID.me to sign in to Customer Self Service and to verify identity when it flags a claim. If you get a verification notice, you generally must finish within 10 days of the notice, or benefits may be delayed or denied. VEC says processing can take 5–7 business days after you finish.
Your First Weekly Claim After You Apply for Unemployment in Virginia
Benefit weeks run Sunday through Saturday. You file through Customer Self Service or the Voice Response System (1-800-897-5630), within 21 days of the Saturday ending the week you are claiming. Each certification asks whether you worked and what you earned, whether you were able and available for work, your work search contacts (at least two a week) and whether you refused any job offer or referral.
If you go 21 days without filing, the claim becomes inactive and you must reopen it.
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What Happens After You Apply for Unemployment in Virginia
VEC mails a monetary determination showing your weekly benefit amount and the number of weeks you may receive benefits. Your former employer has 10 calendar days to answer the request for separation information (Va. Code § 60.2-121.2; § 60.2-528.1). If there is a separation issue, a deputy holds a fact-finding interview and sends a Notice of Deputy’s Determination to you and the employer.
You may review and comment on what the employer says. VEC says claimants are generally paid within 21 days of filing, though some claims need extra review. The first payment covers the second week claimed, after the waiting week. Money arrives by Way2Go debit card or direct deposit, about two business days after VEC processes the weekly claim.
Why a Virginia Claim Shows Pending
- ID.me identity verification not finished within 10 days of the notice
- An open separation issue that needs a fact-finding interview with a deputy
- Not registering for work within two weeks of filing
- Missing the 21-day window for weekly claims, which makes the claim inactive
- Unreported earnings, severance or vacation pay, or missing work search records
An initial claim cannot be backdated: its effective date is the Sunday of the week you file, and a reactivated claim starts the Sunday of the week you reactivate it, with no earlier weeks payable. Unless VEC says otherwise, you need at least two work search contacts each week, and a repeat contact with the same employer counts only if it is for a different opening.
VEC recommends keeping your work search records for at least one year.
Next step: once you have filed, our Virginia benefits guide shows what the weekly check will be, and the eligibility guide explains the separation rules the agency will apply.
Virginia — the bottom line
- To apply for unemployment in Virginia, file the first week after your last day — the claim starts when you file.
- Gather the documents before you apply for unemployment in Virginia: identity, 18 months of employers, and bank details.
- After you apply for unemployment in Virginia, file every weekly claim and finish the identity check the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for unemployment in Virginia?
Online at the state portal (https://uidirect.vec.virginia.gov/) or by phone. File in the first week after your last day of work; the claim is dated from the week you file, not the week you were let go.
What do I need to apply for unemployment in Virginia?
Social Security number, Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen, your mailing address and phone number, your most recent employer’s name, address and phone number, the reason you are no longer working, your choice of payment method (Way2Go debit card or direct deposit), and your bank routing and…
How long does it take to get unemployment in Virginia?
VEC says claimants are generally paid within 21 days of filing, though some claims need extra review. The first payment covers the second week claimed, after the waiting week. Money arrives by Way2Go debit card or direct deposit, about two business days after VEC processes the weekly claim.
Why is my Virginia unemployment claim pending?
ID.me identity verification not finished within 10 days of the notice; An open separation issue that needs a fact-finding interview with a deputy; Not registering for work within two weeks of filing; Missing the 21-day window for weekly claims, which makes the claim inactive; Unreported earnings, severance or vacation pay, or missing work search records
Official Virginia Sources & Resources
- Virginia Employment Commission (VEC): https://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed
- Virginia unemployment statute: Va. Code 60.2
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
This apply for unemployment in Virginia guide was last verified against official Virginia sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Virginia Unemployment Guides
- Virginia Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
- Virginia Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- Virginia Unemployment Overpayment: Waivers and Repayment
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.