VA Rating for Asthma: 10% to 100% Criteria and 2026 Pay
VA rates asthma under diagnostic code (DC) 6602 in 38 CFR § 4.97. The schedule has 4 levels: 10%, 30%, 60% and 100%. The table below quotes each level word for word from the current CFR text and adds a one-line summary; the 2026 monthly compensation figures that follow are VA's published rates.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Criteria checked against the eCFR and Federal Register October 26, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Asthma rating criteria in 38 CFR § 4.97
Diagnostic code: DC 6602 Asthma, bronchial. Criteria are quoted from the current CFR; the plain-English column is our summary and is not part of the regulation.
| Rating | Criteria as printed in 38 CFR (quotation) | In plain English (our summary) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent, or; intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy | FEV-1 of 71 to 80 percent predicted, FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent, or intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy. |
| 30% | FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication | FEV-1 of 56 to 70 percent predicted, FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, daily bronchodilator therapy, or inhalational anti-inflammatory medication. |
| 60% | FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations, or; intermittent (at least three per year) courses of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids | FEV-1 of 40 to 55 percent predicted, FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, at least monthly physician visits for exacerbations, or at least three courses of systemic corticosteroids a year. |
| 100% | FEV-1 less than 40-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC less than 40 percent, or; more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, or; requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive medications | FEV-1 or FEV-1/FVC below 40 percent, more than one attack a week with respiratory failure, or daily high-dose systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressives. |
Note printed with these criteria (quotation):
Note: In the absence of clinical findings of asthma at time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.
2026 VA monthly pay at each asthma rating
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | Same as alone; spouse amounts start at 30% |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 |
VA does not add ratings together. When a veteran has more than one rated condition, VA combines them with its combined ratings table (38 CFR § 4.25), so the amounts above apply to a combined rating, not to this condition alone. Work out a combined rating with the VA disability calculator at /va-disability-calculator/.
VA disability calculator · Full VA disability pay chart with children and parents
How the criteria are written
Each level lists alternatives joined by "or": a lung function result (FEV-1 as a percent of predicted, or the FEV-1/FVC ratio) or a treatment pattern such as daily bronchodilator therapy, monthly physician visits, or courses of systemic corticosteroids. In the CFR text the criteria for each level are joined by "or".
The note says that in the absence of clinical findings of asthma at the time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.
VA publishes Disability Benefits Questionnaires for this area (benefits.va.gov): Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea) DBQ.
Is this the current rule?
Source text. § 4.97 Schedule of ratings—respiratory system. from the eCFR (38 CFR Part 4), text up to date as of October 22, 2026, retrieved October 26, 2026. Read the section on eCFR.
Latest final rule affecting the section. 71 FR 28585 (final rule), Adjudication; Fiduciary Activities-Nomenclature Changes, published May 17, 2006, effective May 17, 2006. Latest entry in the section's amendment history in the eCFR. A nomenclature change; the criteria below date from the 1996 respiratory rule.
Rule that set these criteria. 61 FR 46720, effective October 7, 1996. The 1996 respiratory final rule set these criteria; CFR Appendix A dates the change October 7, 1996.
- DC 6602: Criterion September 9, 1975; criterion October 7, 1996.
Upcoming changes. Our Federal Register search on October 26, 2026 found no final rule for this section with an effective date after that day.
Proposed rule (not law). VA proposed revisions to the nose, throat and respiratory rating criteria on February 15, 2022 (87 FR 8474), with a supplemental proposal on September 12, 2024 (89 FR 74162). They are only proposals: they have not been finalized, so the CFR text above is the rule that applies and no proposed criteria are shown here. 87 FR 8474
Related conditions
- Sleep apnea: Another condition rated in § 4.97, the respiratory system (DC 6847).
- Sinusitis: Another condition rated in § 4.97, the respiratory system (DC 6510 to 6514).
- Hypertension: Also rated on measured values: blood pressure readings instead of lung function tests (§ 4.104).
- All VA disability ratings by condition
Questions about the Asthma rating
What diagnostic code does VA use for asthma?
Asthma is rated under diagnostic code (DC) 6602 in 38 CFR § 4.97, the Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The code lists are quoted from the eCFR text current as of October 22, 2026.
What are the VA rating levels for asthma?
The schedule has 4 levels for asthma: 10%, 30%, 60% and 100%. Each level has its own criteria, quoted in the table on this page. VA decides which level applies to a claim.
How much is VA disability pay for an asthma rating in 2026?
VA's 2026 monthly rates for a veteran alone, with the with-spouse amount for 30% and higher, are 10%: $180.42; 30%: $552.47 ($617.47 with a spouse); 60%: $1,435.02 ($1,566.02 with a spouse); 100%: $3,938.58 ($4,158.17 with a spouse). Rates took effect December 1, 2025. The amount you are paid depends on your combined rating, not on this condition alone.
Are ratings for asthma added to my other ratings?
No. VA does not add ratings together; it combines them using the combined ratings table in 38 CFR § 4.25. Use the VA disability calculator on this site at /va-disability-calculator/ to see how ratings combine.
Does the VA asthma rating depend on lung function tests?
In part. DC 6602 lists FEV-1 as a percent of predicted and the FEV-1/FVC ratio, and also treatment criteria such as daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, inhalational anti-inflammatory medication, monthly physician visits for exacerbations and courses of systemic corticosteroids. The criteria at each level are alternatives joined by "or".
What if there are no asthma findings at the VA exam?
The note under DC 6602 says that in the absence of clinical findings of asthma at the time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.
Does this page decide my VA rating?
No. FedRateCalc is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. This page quotes the rating schedule and VA's published rates for information only; it is not legal or medical advice. VA decides the rating and the payment.