Yes, you can complete the DOL Form OWCP-957A yourself, and doing it correctly is the single biggest factor that decides whether the U.S. Department of Labor pays back your medical travel mileage on time or denies it.
The form, officially titled
Medical Travel Refund Request – Mileage (Part A), is the federal mileage reimbursement claim used across all four programs run by the
Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, including the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICPA), and the Black Lung Benefits Program.
According to the
DOL Annual Performance Report, OWCP processes more than 200,000 medical travel reimbursement requests every year, and roughly 1 in 5 are returned for correctable errors on the first pass. Most of those returns trace back to the same handful of mistakes on the OWCP-957A.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 🧾 How to fill out every line of OWCP-957A Part A without triggering a denial
- 🚗 How OWCP calculates mileage using the GSA Privately Owned Vehicle rate
- 🗓️ How the one-year deadline under 20 C.F.R. §10.315(b) works and how to protect it
- ⚠️ The seven most common errors that cause denials and how to fix them before mailing
- 📬 How to submit through ECOMP, the Energy Document Portal, the Longshore portal, and by mail
What Is DOL Form OWCP-957A?
The
OWCP-957 is a three-part federal form that claimants use to ask the Department of Labor to pay back out-of-pocket costs tied to authorized medical care.
Part A is the mileage log,
Part B is the reimbursable expenses worksheet (parking, tolls, public transit, taxi, rideshare, and similar costs), and
Part C covers overnight lodging and meals when long-distance travel is required. This article focuses on Part A, the mileage page, but it also explains how Part A interacts with the other two parts so you do not split a single trip across the wrong forms.
The form applies across all four OWCP programs. The Division of Federal Employees’, Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation (
DFELHWC) uses it for FECA claimants, the Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation uses it for maritime workers, the
Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation uses it for nuclear weapons and uranium workers, and the
Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation uses it for Black Lung claimants. Each program has its own claim number format, but the OWCP-957A itself is identical across programs.
The legal hook is
20 C.F.R. §10.315, which says OWCP “shall pay” reasonable mileage when the trip is to a doctor, hospital, pharmacy, physical therapy session, or other authorized provider. The plain-English version is simple: if your treating doctor is approved by OWCP and the visit is for the accepted condition, your mileage to and from the appointment is reimbursable. The consequence of skipping the form is real money lost, since OWCP will not pay mileage from memory, phone calls, or emails. A common misconception is that the employing agency reimburses travel; it does not. Only OWCP pays, and only through the OWCP-957A.
Part A vs. Part B vs. Part C
Knowing which part to use stops one of the most common rejections, which is mixing expense types on the wrong page. Part A is
only for round-trip mileage in a personal vehicle, measured in miles, and it pays at the
federal POV rate set by the General Services Administration. Part B is for receipts: parking lot fees, bridge tolls, bus fare, train fare, taxi, Uber, Lyft, and similar costs. Part C is for hotel rooms and meals when the round-trip exceeds 50 miles or requires an overnight stay under the
FECA Procedure Manual Chapter 5-0204.
The consequence of putting parking on Part A is a partial denial, because the examiner will pay only the mileage and ignore the parking line. A real-world example: Maria, a postal clerk in Dallas, listed a $14 parking fee in the “Miles” column of Part A and never filed a Part B; OWCP paid her mileage but not the parking, and she had to refile a separate Part B to recover the $14.
When You Can Use OWCP-957A
You can use the form any time you drive your own car to receive authorized medical care for an accepted OWCP claim. The trip must connect to the accepted condition, the provider must be enrolled with OWCP under the
provider enrollment rules, and the visit must occur on or after the date OWCP accepted the claim. If you travel before acceptance, you can still file, but reimbursement is contingent on later acceptance.
The trip categories that qualify are broad. They include doctor visits, hospital admissions and discharges, surgery, physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling tied to a
psychological component, pharmacy pickups, durable medical equipment fittings, diagnostic imaging, lab draws, and second opinion exams ordered by OWCP itself. Travel for an OWCP-directed
Second Opinion or Referee exam is always reimbursable, even if the claimant does not want to go.
There are limits. Travel for non-medical errands, social visits to providers, or wellness appointments unrelated to the accepted condition are not reimbursable. The consequence of submitting a non-qualifying trip is more than a denial of that line; repeated false entries can trigger a fraud referral under
18 U.S.C. §1920, which carries criminal penalties. A common misconception is that “any drive to a doctor counts,” but OWCP only pays for trips tied to the accepted injury or illness on the specific claim number listed at the top of the form.
The One-Year Filing Deadline
The single most important date on the form is the trip date, because
20 C.F.R. §10.315(b) gives you exactly one year from the date of the trip to file. File on day 366, and OWCP will deny the line as untimely. The clock runs per trip, not per bill, so older trips on the same form can be denied while newer trips on the same page are paid.
The consequence of missing the deadline is total forfeiture of that mileage; there is no equitable tolling and no good-cause exception in the regulation. A real-world example: James, a Department of Energy site worker, sat on a stack of 2024 trip receipts until March 2026; OWCP paid his 2025 trips and denied every 2024 line older than 12 months. The fix is simple: file every 30 to 60 days.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out OWCP-957A Part A
Use a black or blue pen if you print and mail, or type directly into the
fillable PDF before printing. Do not use pencil, do not use white-out, and do not cross out entries; an unreadable line is a denied line.
Box 1: Claimant Name
Print your full legal name exactly as it appears on your OWCP claim acceptance letter. Last name first, then first name, then middle initial. The consequence of using a nickname or married name that does not match the file is a routing error inside the
OWCP Imaging System, which can delay payment by 30 to 60 days. A common misconception is that the system “figures out” name variations; it does not, because matching is keyed to the case file.
A real-world example:
Jennifer A. Lopez-Martinez married and started signing as
Jennifer Martinez. She wrote
Martinez, Jennifer on the form. OWCP’s system flagged the case as “name mismatch” and held the payment for a manual review. She fixed it by attaching a copy of her marriage certificate and a
CA-5 update to her file.
Box 2: OWCP File Number
Write the nine-digit OWCP claim number, with no dashes unless the form provides them. FECA numbers usually start with a regional code, EEOICPA numbers begin with letters, Longshore numbers follow a different pattern, and Black Lung numbers begin with the letter B. The consequence of writing the wrong number is routing the form to the wrong division, where it sits unprocessed until a clerk re-routes it.
Box 3: Date of Injury
Enter the date of injury for traumatic FECA cases, the date of last exposure for occupational disease cases, the date of diagnosis for EEOICPA, or the date of last coal mine employment for Black Lung. Use MM/DD/YYYY. A common misconception is that this is the trip date; it is not. The trip dates go in the table below.
Box 4: Address, Phone, and Email
Provide your current mailing address, daytime phone, and an email address that you check. OWCP increasingly sends correspondence through
ECOMP and email under the
Paperwork Reduction Act notice printed on the form. The consequence of an outdated address is a check or EOB sent to a stranger, which under
Treasury check rules can take 90+ days to reissue.
Box 5: The Mileage Table
This is the heart of the form. Each row records one round trip and contains six fields:
- Date of Travel — the actual trip date, MM/DD/YYYY
- From (Address) — your starting address, usually home
- To (Address) — the provider’s full street address
- Purpose of Travel — short reason, such as “PT session” or “Pharmacy pickup”
- Number of Miles — round-trip miles, calculated by Google Maps or another mapping tool
- Provider Name — the doctor, clinic, or pharmacy you visited
Write one trip per row. Do not combine multiple trips into a single line. The consequence of combining is a denial of the entire row, because OWCP cannot match it to a specific authorized service in the
OWCP Medical Bill Processing system. A real-world example: David, a Longshore claimant, wrote “PT, 12 visits, 240 miles” on one line; OWCP denied the line and asked him to refile with 12 separate rows showing each date.
Box 6: Provider Certification
For FECA claims, the medical provider’s office signs and dates the certification block to confirm the visits actually occurred. Some providers refuse to sign, in which case you can attach a copy of the visit summary, appointment card, or
CMS-1500 billing form as proof. The consequence of skipping certification without proof is a denial for “lack of evidence of attendance.” For EEOICPA and Black Lung, provider signatures are not always required, but attaching proof is still the safer path.
Box 7: Claimant Signature
Sign and date the form yourself; an attorney or representative cannot sign for you under
20 C.F.R. §10.700. The consequence of an unsigned form is automatic rejection with no payment, even if every other box is perfect.
How OWCP Calculates Your Mileage Payment
OWCP pays mileage at the
GSA Privately Owned Vehicle rate in effect on the date of each trip. As of January 1, 2026, the rate is the GSA-published POV automobile rate, which is updated annually and sometimes mid-year. The consequence of using the wrong year’s rate is a partial payment; OWCP recalculates and pays only the correct amount.
The math is simple: round-trip miles × current POV rate = reimbursement. A 40-mile round trip at a 70-cent rate equals $28.00. OWCP rounds to the nearest cent and totals across all rows on the form. A common misconception is that OWCP pays a flat per-visit fee; it does not, and short trips can result in payments under $5.
A real-world example:
Carla Reyes, a federal nurse in Phoenix with an accepted FECA claim, drove 18 miles round-trip to physical therapy three times a week for 12 weeks. At the 2026 GSA rate, her quarterly OWCP-957A totaled 36 trips × 18 miles × the POV rate, producing a single check that covered all her trips at once.
Mileage Calculation Sources OWCP Accepts
You should use a verifiable mapping tool, because OWCP examiners spot-check trips against
Google Maps,
MapQuest, or
Bing Maps. The consequence of inflating miles, even by a few, is a downward adjustment and, in repeated cases, a fraud flag. A common misconception is that odometer readings beat mapping tools; OWCP prefers the mapping tool because it is reproducible.
Three Common OWCP-957A Scenarios
Below are the three most common situations claimants face, presented as quick-reference tables. Each table shows the claimant action and the OWCP outcome, so you can see exactly how a small choice changes the result.
Scenario 1: Weekly Physical Therapy Trips
| Claimant Action |
OWCP Outcome |
| Files one OWCP-957A every month listing each PT trip on its own row with provider signature |
Full payment within 28 days at the current GSA POV rate |
| Waits 13 months and files all trips at once on one form |
Trips older than 12 months are denied under 20 C.F.R. §10.315(b); newer trips paid |
| Combines all 12 trips on a single row labeled “PT, multiple dates” |
Entire row denied for lack of trip-level detail |
Scenario 2: Long-Distance Specialist Visit
| Claimant Action |
OWCP Outcome |
| Drives 220 miles round-trip to an OWCP-approved specialist, files Part A for mileage and Part C for one hotel night |
Mileage and lodging both paid up to per-diem caps |
| Drives the same trip but only files Part A |
Mileage paid; hotel never reimbursed because Part C was never submitted |
| Flies instead of driving without prior authorization |
Airfare denied; only equivalent driving mileage paid |
Scenario 3: Pharmacy Pickup Trips
| Claimant Action |
OWCP Outcome |
| Logs each pharmacy pickup with the pharmacy address and prescription pickup as the purpose |
Mileage paid at the current POV rate |
| Logs trips to a pharmacy that is not enrolled in OWCP Pharmacy Benefits |
Mileage denied because the pharmacy is non-participating |
| Logs one trip to pick up prescriptions for both the accepted condition and an unrelated illness |
Mileage paid only proportionally; OWCP may apportion |
Three Named-Person Examples
Real cases make the rules easier to apply. The names below are illustrative composites of common fact patterns OWCP examiners describe in the
FECA Procedure Manual.
Example 1: Marcus Johnson, USPS Letter Carrier
Marcus Johnson twisted his knee on his route in Atlanta and OWCP accepted his FECA claim under case number 062345678. He drives 12 miles round-trip to physical therapy three times a week. Marcus files an OWCP-957A every two weeks through
ECOMP, attaches his sign-in sheets, and gets paid within 21 days. His method works because every row has a date, a verified address, a one-trip purpose, and a matching billed visit in OWCP’s system.
Example 2: Linda Park, Newport News Shipyard Welder
Linda Park has an accepted Longshore claim for a shoulder rotator cuff tear. Her orthopedic surgeon is 78 miles away in Norfolk. She files her OWCP-957A directly through the
Longshore Document Upload Portal using her LS case number. She also files Part B for the $9 toll on the
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel each visit. Because she keeps electronic toll receipts, she gets both mileage and tolls reimbursed.
Example 3: Robert Chen, Former Hanford Site Worker
Robert Chen qualified under EEOICPA Part B for chronic beryllium disease. He drives 46 miles round-trip to a pulmonologist in Richland, Washington. Robert files his OWCP-957A through the
Energy Document Portal and includes a copy of his appointment summary. Because EEOICPA does not always require a provider signature, his summary suffices, and he is paid at the GSA POV rate within four weeks.
How and Where to Submit OWCP-957A
You have four submission paths, and the right one depends on your program. FECA claimants should submit through
ECOMP, which is the fastest and creates an electronic timestamp that protects the one-year deadline. Longshore claimants use the
DLHWC document upload portal. EEOICPA claimants use the
Energy Document Portal. Black Lung claimants mail to the
DCMWC district office handling the case.
You can still mail the form. The official central mailing address for FECA bills and travel forms is the
OWCP Central Mailroom in London, KY. The consequence of mailing without tracking is no proof of timely filing, which can be fatal if OWCP claims they never received the form. A common misconception is that faxing is fast; OWCP’s fax intake is paper-imaged and typically slower than ECOMP by 10 to 20 days.
A real-world example:
Tasha Williams mailed her OWCP-957A on day 364 of her one-year window with no tracking. OWCP imaged it on day 372. Without a postmark or a tracking number, she could not prove timely filing, and the trips were denied. ECOMP would have given her a same-day timestamp.
Processing Times and Payment
Most OWCP-957A forms pay within 28 days of receipt under
DOL bill payment performance standards. FECA claimants who use direct deposit through
Form SF-1199A get funds faster than paper checks. The consequence of not enrolling in direct deposit is a paper check mailed by the U.S. Treasury, which adds 7 to 14 days. A common misconception is that OWCP pays each trip individually; it does not, and you will see one consolidated payment per processed form.
Mistakes to Avoid on OWCP-957A
These are the seven errors OWCP examiners cite most often when returning forms. Each one is preventable in under a minute.
- Missing claim number — The form is routed to a generic queue and may sit for weeks; always write the file number in Box 2.
- Combining trips on one row — OWCP requires one row per round trip; combined rows are rejected for lack of detail.
- Using the wrong year’s GSA rate — OWCP recalculates and pays only the correct rate, so do not pre-fill totals at an outdated rate.
- Missing provider signature on FECA claims — Without a signature or attached proof of visit, the line is denied for lack of evidence.
- Mailing without tracking — You lose proof of timely filing, and missed deadlines are not waivable under 20 C.F.R. §10.315(b).
- Putting parking or tolls on Part A — Those expenses belong on Part B; Part A only pays mileage.
- Filing more than 12 months late — Trips older than one year are denied as untimely with no exception.
Do’s and Don’ts
The following checklist captures the habits that separate paid claimants from frustrated ones, drawn from the
FECA Procedure Manual Chapter 5-0204.
Do’s
- Do file every 30 to 60 days — Frequent filing keeps the one-year clock from ever running out.
- Do use ECOMP whenever possible — It creates a timestamp and prevents lost-mail disputes.
- Do attach proof of attendance — Sign-in sheets, visit summaries, and CMS-1500 copies all count.
- Do keep a copy of every form — You will need it if OWCP requests a refile.
- Do enroll in direct deposit through SF-1199A — Payment lands faster and avoids Treasury check delays.
Don’ts
- Don’t sign with anything other than blue or black ink on paper forms — Other colors image poorly and can be rejected.
- Don’t combine FECA, EEOICPA, or Longshore trips on one form — Each program requires its own form with its own claim number.
- Don’t list trips before the date of injury — Pre-injury trips are not reimbursable.
- Don’t pad mileage — OWCP cross-checks against mapping tools, and inflation can trigger a fraud referral.
- Don’t rely on phone calls — Verbal updates do not protect deadlines; only written or electronic filings do.
Pros and Cons of OWCP-957A
The form is the only path to mileage reimbursement, but it has trade-offs worth understanding.
Pros
- Statutory right to payment — 20 C.F.R. §10.315 makes payment mandatory, not discretionary, when filed correctly.
- Covers all four OWCP programs — One form serves FECA, Longshore, EEOICPA, and Black Lung.
- Pays at the GSA POV rate — The same rate federal employees receive on official travel.
- Electronic filing through ECOMP — Faster, trackable, and protects deadlines.
- No cap on number of trips — As long as each trip is medically necessary, all are reimbursable.
Cons
- One-year hard deadline — There is no good-cause extension under the regulation.
- Requires provider cooperation on FECA claims — Some providers will not sign without prompting.
- Pays only after the trip — There is no advance travel allowance.
- Different submission paths per program — Mailing the wrong office delays payment.
- Manual data entry on every row — Long histories require time-consuming logs.
Comparing OWCP-957 Parts A, B, and C
The three parts of OWCP-957 work together, but they are not interchangeable.
| Part |
Purpose |
Pays For |
| Part A |
Mileage in personal vehicle |
Round-trip miles at the GSA POV rate |
| Part B |
Out-of-pocket expenses |
Parking, tolls, public transit, taxi, rideshare with receipts |
| Part C |
Lodging and meals |
Hotel and per-diem meals when an overnight stay is medically necessary |
Comparing OWCP Programs Using OWCP-957A
Each OWCP program applies the form a little differently, especially around signatures and submission portals.
Key Entities You Should Know
The form sits inside an ecosystem of agencies, contractors, and rules. Knowing who does what helps you target the right place when something goes wrong.
The
Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs is the umbrella division at the U.S. Department of Labor, and it sets policy across all four programs. The medical bill processing contractor is
CNSI / Acentra Health, which images and adjudicates the OWCP-957A inside the Medical Bill Processing system. The
General Services Administration sets the POV mileage rate, and the
Internal Revenue Service sets a separate business mileage rate that
does not apply to OWCP claims.
District offices play a frontline role.
FECA District Offices handle claim acceptance, while the
London, Kentucky Central Mailroom handles the paper intake. Claimants’ representatives are governed by
20 C.F.R. §10.700, which sets fee approval rules and prohibits unapproved fees.
Recap of Relevant Rulings and Precedents
ECAB decisions shape how OWCP-957A is read in close cases. In
In re D.M. and similar Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board decisions found in the
ECAB Digest, the Board has repeatedly held that mileage reimbursement is a substantive right when the trip is reasonable and necessary. The consequence of an OWCP denial that ignores a properly filed OWCP-957A is reversal on appeal under the
reconsideration procedures. A common misconception is that mileage denials cannot be appealed; they can, through the same
reconsideration, hearing, or ECAB appeal ladder used for medical denials.
Federal courts have also weighed in on the one-year limit. While the limitation in
20 C.F.R. §10.315(b) is regulatory rather than statutory, courts have generally upheld OWCP’s strict application of it under deference doctrines explained in
Kisor v. Wilkie. The practical takeaway is that
no court is likely to save a late mileage claim; the only safe path is timely filing.
How to Appeal a Denied OWCP-957A
If OWCP denies your mileage, you have three appeal options under
20 C.F.R. Part 10, Subpart E. You can request reconsideration within one year, request an oral hearing or review of the written record within 30 days, or file an appeal with the
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board within 180 days. Pick one path at a time, because the choices are not all simultaneous.
The consequence of skipping appeal deadlines is the same as missing the original filing deadline: total loss of the money. A common misconception is that you must hire an attorney to appeal; you do not, and ECAB regularly decides cases filed pro se. A real-world example:
Anita Brooks lost her mileage on a clerical denial, filed a one-page reconsideration request with her trip log attached, and recovered the full amount within 60 days without a lawyer.
FAQs
Can I file OWCP-957A electronically?
Yes. FECA claimants file through
ECOMP, Longshore claimants use the DLHWC portal, EEOICPA claimants use the Energy Document Portal, and Black Lung claimants typically mail or upload to their district office.
Do I need a provider signature on every trip?
Yes for FECA claims, although you can substitute a sign-in sheet, visit summary, or CMS-1500 copy as proof of attendance when a provider refuses to sign.
Can my representative or attorney sign the form for me?
No. Under
20 C.F.R. §10.700, the claimant must personally sign Box 7 of the OWCP-957A.
Will OWCP pay mileage for trips before claim acceptance?
Yes, but only after the claim is accepted; the trips must still be tied to the eventually accepted condition and filed within one year of each trip date.
Is parking reimbursable on Part A?
No. Parking belongs on Part B of OWCP-957 with a receipt; placing it on Part A causes that line to be denied as outside the mileage scope.
Does OWCP use the IRS mileage rate?
No. OWCP uses the
GSA POV rate, which is generally the same as the federal employee travel rate but different from the IRS business mileage rate.
Can I file one form for multiple OWCP programs at once?
No. Each program requires its own OWCP-957A with its own claim number; mixing programs causes the form to be returned unprocessed.
What happens if I file 13 months after a trip?
No payment for that trip. The one-year limit in
20 C.F.R. §10.315(b) is strict, with no good-cause exception under the regulation.
Can I be reimbursed for a friend driving me?
Yes, the mileage is still paid to you, the claimant, because OWCP reimburses the trip itself, not the driver, when the vehicle is privately owned.
Are airfare and rental cars reimbursable?
Yes, but only with
prior OWCP authorization; without it, only equivalent driving mileage is paid.
How long does payment take?
Yes, most claimants are paid within 28 days when the form is filed through ECOMP and direct deposit is set up via
SF-1199A.
Can OWCP audit my mileage entries?
Yes. Examiners cross-check addresses against
Google Maps and similar tools, and inflated entries can trigger a fraud review under
18 U.S.C. §1920.
