Unemployment Insurance (Virginia)
Last updated August 2026
If you lost your job through no fault of your own, file your Virginia unemployment claim through the VEC's Claimant Self-Service portal the week you stop working, or call 866-832-2363 weekdays 8 to 4:30. The old numbers people quote are stale: the maximum weekly benefit is now $430, and for new claims filed on or after July 5, 2026, it rises to $478. The minimum rises from $112 to $160 on the same date.
The wage math decides your amount. Your weekly benefit comes from your two highest-earning base-period quarters. Qualifying takes at least $3,000 across those two quarters, and the maximum benefit requires about $18,900. Duration runs 12 to 26 weeks depending on your base-period wages, so plan for the possibility of the short end.
The routine after filing is strict, and it is where claims quietly die. You must file a weekly certification every 7 days; let 20 days pass without one and the claim closes. You must also make at least two job contacts every claim week and keep records of each: date, employer name, address, phone. Miss the records and benefits can be denied for that week.
Set up the claim right the first time. Have your Social Security number, two years of work history, and bank details ready. Answer every VEC letter and email by its deadline, and if a determination goes against you, the appeal deadline on it is firm.
If your claim spans early July, pay attention to the filing date: a new claim filed on or after July 5, 2026 uses the higher $478 maximum and $160 minimum. When you have a choice about timing, that difference compounds over months of payments.
Even the maximum does not replace a paycheck, so stack support from week one. Virginia SNAP reaches 200 percent of poverty for most households, Cardinal Care Medicaid picks up health coverage when job insurance ends, and 2-1-1 knows which local funds bridge rent between jobs.
Phone 1-866-832-2363
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Enough recent work and wages in Virginia, and you lost the job through no fault of your own
- You must file weekly claims and stay able, available, and actively looking for work while you claim
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Gather your Social Security number, two-year work history, and bank details.
- 2
File through the VEC Claimant Self-Service portal, or call 866-832-2363, weekdays 8 to 4:30.
- 3
Certify every week within the 7-day cycle; 20 days of silence closes the claim.
- 4
Make and record at least two job contacts each week: date, employer, address, phone.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much is Virginia unemployment?
Between the minimum and maximum for your filing date: up to $430 a week for claims before July 5, 2026, and up to $478 for new claims on or after that date. Your wages in your two best quarters set the exact amount.
How long do benefits last?
12 to 26 weeks depending on your base-period wages. Not everyone gets 26 weeks, so budget for the shorter end until your determination arrives.
What are the work search rules?
At least two job contacts every claim week, with records kept: date, employer name, address, and phone. Benefits can be denied for weeks without them.
Why did my claim close?
Most often, 20 days passed without a weekly certification. File every week, even while waiting on a decision or an appeal.
How do I qualify?
Lose your job through no fault of your own and have at least $3,000 in wages across your two highest base-period quarters.
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