diff --git a/app/controllers/nominate_practices_controller.rb b/app/controllers/nominate_practices_controller.rb
index 7d1e1f73e..7dc8777a1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/nominate_practices_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/nominate_practices_controller.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ def email
       handle_nomination
     else
       begin
-        recaptcha_result = verify_recaptcha(action: 'email', minimum_score: 0.3)
+        recaptcha_result = verify_recaptcha(action: 'email', minimum_score: 0.5)
 
         if recaptcha_result
           handle_nomination
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_email_form.html.erb b/app/views/shared/_email_form.html.erb
index 91700d422..7289a5e3c 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_email_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/shared/_email_form.html.erb
@@ -19,5 +19,8 @@
     <input type="submit" value="Send message" class="usa-button margin-right-0">
   </div>
 
-  <%= recaptcha_v3(action: 'email', turbo: 'true', site_key: ENV['RECAPTCHA_SITE_KEY_V3']) if ENV['RECAPTCHA_SITE_KEY_V3'] %>
+  <% unless current_user.present? %>
+    <span id="recaptcha-placeholder"></span>
+    <%= recaptcha_v3(action: 'email', turbo: 'true', site_key: ENV['RECAPTCHA_SITE_KEY_V3']) if ENV['RECAPTCHA_SITE_KEY_V3'] %>
+  <% end %>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/spec/features/nominate_practices/nominate_a_practice_page_spec.rb b/spec/features/nominate_practices/nominate_a_practice_page_spec.rb
index 40371a4bd..4d707f88a 100644
--- a/spec/features/nominate_practices/nominate_a_practice_page_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/nominate_practices/nominate_a_practice_page_spec.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     it 'renders form' do
       visit '/nominate-an-innovation'
       expect(page).to be_accessible.according_to :wcag2a, :section508
+      expect(page).to have_css('#recaptcha-placeholder', visible: false)
       expect(page).to have_content('Nominate an innovation')
       expect(page).to have_content('VA staff and collaborators are welcome to nominate active innovations for consideration on the Diffusion Marketplace using the form below.')
     end
@@ -13,6 +14,13 @@
       visit '/nominate-a-practice'
       expect(page).to have_current_path(nominate_an_innovation_path)
     end
+
+    it 'does not render reCAPTCHA for VA users' do
+      @user = User.create!(email: 'spongebob.squarepants@va.gov', password: 'Password123', password_confirmation: 'Password123', skip_va_validation: true, confirmed_at: Time.now, accepted_terms: true)
+      login_as(@user, :scope => :user, :run_callbacks => false)
+      visit '/nominate-an-innovation'
+      expect(page).not_to have_selector('#recaptcha-placeholder')
+    end
   end
 
   context 'Email' do