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    <submissionType>N-CEN</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0000881437</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </issuerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <flags>
        <returnCopyFlag>false</returnCopyFlag>
        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
        <confirmingCopyFlag>false</confirmingCopyFlag>
      </flags>
      <investmentCompanyType>N-4</investmentCompanyType>
    </filerInfo>
    <seriesClass>
      <reportClass>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000085905</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000085906</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000085907</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000085908</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000085909</classId>
        </classInfo>
      </reportClass>
    </seriesClass>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <generalInfo reportEndingPeriod="2018-12-31" isReportPeriodLt12="N"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>NATIONWIDE PROVIDENT VA SEPARATE ACCOUNT A</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-06484</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0000881437</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>AM9FLTUTLEC73M6N7I37</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>One Nationwide Plaza</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>Columbus</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>43215-2226</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-OH</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>6142497111</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.nationwide.com"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>One Nationwide Plaza</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Columbus</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-OH" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>43215-2226</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>6142497111</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>The accounts, books, and other documents relating to the business of Nationwide Provident VA Separate Account A which constitute the record forming the basis for financial statements required to be filed pursuant to section 30 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and of the auditor's certificates relating thereto.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>Y</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <registrantFamilyInvComp isRegistrantFamilyInvComp="Y" familyInvCompFullName="Nationwide Registered Separate Accounts"/>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-4</registrantClassificationType>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>James Jay Rabenstine</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>002025566</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>One Nationwide Plaza</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>Columbus</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoState="US-OH" ccoCountry="US"/>
          <ccoZipCode>43215-2226</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="Arborial Artisans, LLC" ccoEmployerId="03-0507043"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <isExemptionFromAct>N</isExemptionFromAct>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Nationwide Investment Services Corporation</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-20254</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000007110</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterState="US-OH" principalUnderWriterCountry="US"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>KPMG, LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>00184</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>N/A</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-DE" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>N/A</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>ICSX0W9TMO01JS5ZWX89</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorState="US-OH" depositorCountry="US"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company</depositorUltimateParentname>
        </depositor>
      </depositors>
      <uitAdmins>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>ICSX0W9TMO01JS5ZWX89</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-OH" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>Y</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
      </uitAdmins>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000009757"/>
      <numOfContracts>1758</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="NLAIC VIP" separateAccountContractId="C000085905" separateAccountTotalAsset="989768.900000000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="0.000000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="0.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="NLAIC Options VIP" separateAccountContractId="C000085906" separateAccountTotalAsset="9094700.780000000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="8591.590000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="0.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="NLAIC VIP Premier DCA" separateAccountContractId="C000085907" separateAccountTotalAsset="1372043.870000000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="0.000000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="0.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="NLAIC VIP Extra Credit" separateAccountContractId="C000085908" separateAccountTotalAsset="4520043.530000000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="15000.000000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="70000.000000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="0.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="NLAIC Market Street VIP/2" separateAccountContractId="C000085909" separateAccountTotalAsset="45484038.770000000000" numContractsSold="0" grossPremiumReceived="192080.460000000000" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="294041.580000000000" numContractsAffected="0" contractValueRedeemed="0.000000000000" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0.000000000000" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="10"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <signature registrantSignedName="NATIONWIDE PROVIDENT VA SEPARATE ACCOUNT A" signedDate="2019-03-15" signature="Alice F. Brookshire" title="AVP - Finance"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
