VA Rating for Flat Feet: DC 5276, 0% to 50% Criteria and 2026 Pay
VA rates flat feet under diagnostic code (DC) 5276 in 38 CFR § 4.71a. The schedule has 5 levels: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 50%. 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
Flat feet rating criteria in 38 CFR § 4.71a
Diagnostic code: DC 5276 Flatfoot, acquired. 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Mild; symptoms relieved by built-up shoe or arch support | Mild flatfoot: symptoms relieved by built-up shoe or arch support. |
| 10% | Moderate; weight-bearing line over or medial to great toe, inward bowing of the tendo achillis, pain on manipulation and use of the feet, bilateral or unilateral | Moderate flatfoot: weight-bearing line over or medial to great toe, inward bowing of the tendo achillis, pain on manipulation and use of the feet, bilateral or unilateral. |
| 20% |
| Severe flatfoot (marked deformity, pain on manipulation and use accentuated, swelling on use, characteristic callosities), unilateral. |
| 30% |
| Pronounced flatfoot (marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances), unilateral. |
| 30% |
| Severe flatfoot (marked deformity, pain on manipulation and use accentuated, swelling on use, characteristic callosities), bilateral. |
| 50% |
| Pronounced flatfoot (marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances), bilateral. |
2026 VA monthly pay at each flat feet rating
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | $0.00 | VA's rate table starts at 10%, so a 0% rating has no monthly compensation rate |
| 10% | $180.42 | Same as alone; spouse amounts start at 30% |
| 20% | $356.66 | Same as alone; spouse amounts start at 30% |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 |
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
DC 5276, "Flatfoot, acquired", has four severity descriptions (mild, moderate, severe, pronounced). The severe and pronounced descriptions are each followed by a Bilateral and a Unilateral row, which is why 30% appears twice: unilateral pronounced and bilateral severe both carry 30%.
The CFR prints the severity description once and the Bilateral and Unilateral rows under it. In the table above each row shows the description it belongs to, in italics, so a Bilateral or Unilateral row cannot be read on its own.
The moderate level (10%) is "bilateral or unilateral" in a single row, and the mild level (0%) is a single row, so only the severe and pronounced levels differ by side. VA's rate table starts at 10%, so a 0% rating has no monthly rate.
CFR Appendix A has no entry for DC 5276. That table lists only the codes whose criteria or titles were amended, so no amendment is recorded for this one.
VA publishes Disability Benefits Questionnaires for this area (benefits.va.gov): Foot Conditions Including Flatfoot (Pes Planus) DBQ.
Is this the current rule?
Source text. § 4.71a Schedule of ratings—musculoskeletal 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. 86 FR 8142 (final rule), Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Musculoskeletal System and Muscle Injuries; Correction, published February 4, 2021, effective February 7, 2021. Latest entry in the section's amendment history in the eCFR. It corrects the 2020 musculoskeletal rule (85 FR 76453), which changed several joint, arthritis and foot entries in this section (CFR Appendix A dates those changes February 7, 2021).
- Appendix A (table of amendments since 1946) has no entry for DC 5276.
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 rules. The search found no proposed rule that would change these criteria.
Related conditions
- Plantar fasciitis: Another foot entry in § 4.71a (DC 5269), listed just before DC 5276 in the foot table.
- Knee: Another lower-extremity entry in § 4.71a (DC 5256 to 5263).
- All VA disability ratings by condition
Questions about the Flat feet rating
What diagnostic code does VA use for flat feet?
Flat feet are rated under diagnostic code (DC) 5276 in 38 CFR § 4.71a, 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 flat feet?
The schedule has 5 levels for flat feet: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 50%. 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 a flatfoot 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; 20%: $356.66; 30%: $552.47 ($617.47 with a spouse); 50%: $1,132.90 ($1,241.90 with a spouse). A 0% rating is not in VA's rate table, which starts at 10%. Rates took effect December 1, 2025. The amount you are paid depends on your combined rating, not on this condition alone.
Are ratings for flat feet 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.
What is the difference between pronounced and severe flatfoot in the CFR?
DC 5276 describes pronounced flatfoot as: "Pronounced; marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis on manipulation, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances". It describes severe flatfoot as: "Severe; objective evidence of marked deformity (pronation, abduction, etc.), pain on manipulation and use accentuated, indication of swelling on use, characteristic callosities". Whether a particular foot meets one description or the other is for VA to decide.
Are both feet rated higher than one foot?
In the table, pronounced flatfoot is 50% bilateral and 30% unilateral, and severe flatfoot is 30% bilateral and 20% unilateral. The moderate level, 10%, applies "bilateral or unilateral", and the mild level, 0%, has a single row.
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.