VA Rating for Migraines: 0% to 50% Criteria and 2026 Pay
VA rates migraines under diagnostic code (DC) 8100 in 38 CFR § 4.124a. The schedule has 4 levels: 0%, 10%, 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
Migraine rating criteria in 38 CFR § 4.124a
Diagnostic code: DC 8100 Migraine. 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% | With less frequent attacks | Attacks that are less frequent than the 10% level. |
| 10% | With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over last several months | Characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over the last several months. |
| 30% | With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over last several months | Characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once a month over the last several months. |
| 50% | With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability | Very frequent, completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that cause severe economic inadaptability. |
2026 VA monthly pay at each migraine 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% |
| 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 8100 has no note that defines "prostrating", and the schedule does not give a number of attacks for the 50% level beyond "very frequent". How the criteria apply to a particular veteran is decided by VA from the evidence in the claim.
The wording refers to attacks "over last several months", so the frequency VA looks at is a recent pattern rather than a single attack.
VA publishes Disability Benefits Questionnaires for this area (benefits.va.gov): Headaches (including Migraines) DBQ.
Is this the current rule?
Source text. § 4.124a Schedule of ratings—neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. 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. 79 FR 2099 (final rule), VA Compensation Service and Pension and Fiduciary Service Nomenclature Changes, published January 13, 2014, effective January 13, 2014. Latest entry in the section's amendment history in the eCFR.
- DC 8100: Evaluation June 9, 1953.
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 a revision of the neurological conditions section on November 12, 2024 (89 FR 88917). It is only a proposal: it has not been finalized, so the CFR text above is the rule that applies and no proposed criteria are shown here. 89 FR 88917
Related conditions
- Sinusitis: Its criteria (DC 6510 to 6514) also refer to headaches, rated under § 4.97.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: Another condition rated on how often episodes occur and how severe they are (DC 6354).
- All VA disability ratings by condition
Questions about the Migraine rating
What diagnostic code does VA use for migraines?
Migraines are rated under diagnostic code (DC) 8100 in 38 CFR § 4.124a, 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 migraines?
The schedule has 4 levels for migraines: 0%, 10%, 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 migraine 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); 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 migraines 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 migraine rating depend on how often attacks happen?
Yes. DC 8100 ties the 10% and 30% levels to characteristic prostrating attacks, one in 2 months and once a month on average over the last several months. The 50% level is for very frequent, completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The 0% level is for less frequent attacks.
Does the CFR define "prostrating" for migraine?
No. DC 8100 in 38 CFR § 4.124a has no note defining prostrating, so the term is applied by VA when it evaluates the evidence.
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.