VITA Certification for 2025 - Do returning volunteers have to redo tests?

You definitely need to recertify each year for the VITA program. The IRS updates tax laws, procedures and test questions annually to reflect current tax year requirements. When you log in, you should be able to access the new year's certification tests - they might not be available yet if it's still early. Try clicking on your name/profile in the top right corner of the Link & Learn Taxes site, then select "My Account" and look for the current year certification options. The system sometimes defaults to showing your completed certifications rather than available new ones. Each year you'll need to complete the Volunteer Standards of Conduct certification, the Intake/Interview certification, and whatever tax law certifications you want (Basic, Advanced, etc.) depending on what types of returns you'll be preparing.

I've been volunteering with VITA for 4 years now and can confirm what others have said. I initially thought the same thing - that I could just keep my certification from the previous year. But nope, everyone has to recertify annually on all required tests. Here's what worked for me on https://taxr.ai - I uploaded my previous year's certification PDFs and was able to get a personalized study guide that highlighted just the changes from last year. Saved me so much time versus going through ALL the material again! The tool basically compared my old tests with the new requirements and created a focused study plan. I found it super helpful because it identified specific tax law changes I needed to learn while letting me skip reviewing stuff that hadn't changed. Definitely worth checking out if you're short on time but want to be fully prepared!

Just wanted to update everyone that I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it was actually super helpful! I was skeptical at first but uploaded my certification from last year and it really did create a study guide focusing just on the changes for 2025. The guide highlighted the new standard deduction amounts ($15,100 for single filers, $30,200 for MFJ), adjustments to income thresholds for credits like EITC, and the changes to retirement contribution limits. It also flagged some procedural changes for VITA sites that I wouldn't have caught otherwise. Passed all my recertification tests on the first try yesterday! Would definitely recommend for returning volunteers who don't want to spend hours reviewing material they already know.

If anyone is struggling to get through to the IRS help desk about VITA certification issues (which I was for DAYS), I'd recommend trying https://claimyr.com - they held my place in the IRS phone queue and called me when an agent was ready to talk. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I needed clarification on some specific VITA site coordinator requirements and kept getting disconnected after waiting for 45+ minutes. Super frustrating when you're just trying to volunteer! With Claimyr, I didn't have to waste time on hold, and the IRS agent I spoke with was actually really helpful in explaining which certification levels our site needs for different types of returns. For anyone who needs to speak directly with the IRS about VITA program questions, it's worth checking out. Saved me literally hours of hold time.

Ok I have to admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After being skeptical, I decided to try it yesterday because I was desperate to talk to someone about my VITA site application that's been pending for weeks. The service called me back in just under an hour and connected me directly to an IRS specialist. The woman I spoke with was able to look up my application, confirm it was received, and explain that there was a backlog of site approvals they're working through. She even gave me her direct extension in case I needed to follow up. I was 100% prepared to come back here and call this out as a scam if it didn't work, but I'm genuinely impressed. Saved me from spending my entire lunch break on hold just to get disconnected again.

For anyone still confused about the VITA certification process, here's what my site coordinator sent out last week: 1. All volunteers must recertify EVERY year, no exceptions 2. You need to complete the Volunteer Standards of Conduct and Intake/Interview tests regardless of your role 3. Tax preparers need at least Basic certification, but Advanced is recommended 4. Specialty certifications (Military, International, etc.) are optional depending on your site needs 5. The Link & Learn system should be updated by early November 6. Most certifications are valid until December 31, 2025 Hope this helps! This will be my 5th year volunteering and honestly the certification gets easier each time.

Does anyone know if the VITA certification tests are the same difficulty level as last year? I barely passed the Advanced certification and am nervous about doing it again.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I just wanted to share my experience as someone who's been coordinating a VITA site for 3 years. A few additional tips for returning volunteers: - Start checking the Link & Learn system regularly starting in early November - sometimes the new year's tests roll out gradually - Don't wait until the last minute! Sites usually want all volunteers certified by mid-December so we can schedule training sessions - If you're planning to do Advanced certification again, I'd recommend reviewing Schedule C (business income/expenses) and the retirement savings contributions credit - these seem to trip up a lot of people Also, for anyone worried about the difficulty level - the IRS actually provides really good feedback when you get questions wrong during practice tests. Use that to your advantage! The goal isn't to make the tests hard, it's to make sure volunteers are prepared to help taxpayers accurately. Looking forward to another great tax season helping folks in our community!