VA Form 10-4236a, Certificate of Reciprocity, records a personnel-vetting eligibility determination for a named employee, including the sensitivity or public-trust level of the position, the underlying investigation tier and date, and a reference to applicable reinvestigation rules. The form identifies itself as a memorandum for the employee’s official personnel folder. This guide explains the documented audience, completion steps, supporting evidence, cautions and questions based on the official document and relevant agency instructions. Use the PDF resource to review and prepare the document; filing is governed by the agency’s rules.
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What is 10-4236a?
VA Form 10-4236a, Certificate of Reciprocity, records a personnel-vetting eligibility determination for a named employee, including the sensitivity or public-trust level of the position, the underlying investigation tier and date, and a reference to applicable reinvestigation rules. The form identifies itself as a memorandum for the employee’s official personnel folder.
Who needs to file 10-4236a?
This document is relevant to personnel and vetting officials recording an employee’s existing eligibility for a VA position. It is not a general application for a security clearance by the employee.
When to file 10-4236a
The form records that the named employee has been vetted and found eligible as of the certification date. It gives no universal filing deadline. Section 3 separately states that low-risk/nonsensitive incumbents have no reinvestigation requirement, public-trust positions are reinvestigated every five years under 5 CFR 731.106(d), and national-security positions follow Executive Order 12968 under 5 CFR 1400.203(a).
How to fill out 10-4236a
Identify the employee
Enter the employee name and Social Security number in the spaces at the top of the certificate.
Record the eligibility level
In section 1 identify the applicable special-sensitive, critical-sensitive, noncritical-sensitive or non-sensitive/public-trust designation.
Identify the reciprocity basis
In section 2 select the applicable investigation tier, from Tier 1 through Tier 5, or specify the other investigation type.
Enter the investigation date
Record the date associated with the selected reciprocity investigation.
Review reinvestigation rules
Read section 3, which distinguishes reinvestigation treatment according to the position category.
Retain it in the personnel record
The document is labeled as a memorandum for the employee’s official personnel folder.
How to submit 10-4236a
The footer identifies the completed document as a memorandum for the employee’s official personnel folder. The PDF does not provide an external filing portal, mailing address or general public submission procedure.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not confuse position sensitivity or public-trust level with the tier and date of the background investigation: they appear in separate sections.
- Do not treat the reinvestigation examples in section 3 as a universal filing deadline for the certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Certificate of Reciprocity an employee security-clearance application?
No. VA Form 10-4236a records an employee’s vetted eligibility and investigation basis rather than functioning as an initial clearance application.
What investigation tiers are listed?
Section 2 lists Tier 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, plus an Other option requiring the investigation type.
Does the certificate have one mandatory filing deadline?
No general filing deadline is given on the official PDF.
What record is the certificate intended for?
The footer identifies the employee’s official personnel folder.
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