VA Rating for TBI: 0% to 100% Criteria, Lookup and 2026 Pay
VA rates residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) under diagnostic code (DC) 8045 in 38 CFR § 4.124a. DC 8045 has no rating rows of its own: it sends cognitive impairment and subjective symptoms to a table of 10 facets, each with levels 0 to 3 and, for most facets, "total", and the CFR sets the percentage from the highest facet level (0, 10, 40, 70 or 100). This page quotes DC 8045, its five notes and the facet table word for word from the current CFR text, lets you pick a level for each facet to see which percentage the CFR sentence gives, and shows the 2026 VA monthly compensation at each percentage the table can produce.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Criteria checked against the eCFR and Federal Register October 26, 2026 · Methodology & sources
TBI rules in 38 CFR § 4.124a, DC 8045
Diagnostic code: DC 8045 Residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI). DC 8045 and its five notes are quoted from the current CFR; it has no rating rows of its own, because the percentage comes from the facet table below.
DC 8045 as printed: 8045 Residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI):
There are three main areas of dysfunction that may result from TBI and have profound effects on functioning: cognitive (which is common in varying degrees after TBI), emotional/behavioral, and physical. Each of these areas of dysfunction may require evaluation.
Cognitive impairment is defined as decreased memory, concentration, attention, and executive functions of the brain. Executive functions are goal setting, speed of information processing, planning, organizing, prioritizing, self-monitoring, problem solving, judgment, decision making, spontaneity, and flexibility in changing actions when they are not productive. Not all of these brain functions may be affected in a given individual with cognitive impairment, and some functions may be affected more severely than others. In a given individual, symptoms may fluctuate in severity from day to day. Evaluate cognitive impairment under the table titled “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified.”
Subjective symptoms may be the only residual of TBI or may be associated with cognitive impairment or other areas of dysfunction. Evaluate subjective symptoms that are residuals of TBI, whether or not they are part of cognitive impairment, under the subjective symptoms facet in the table titled “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified.” However, separately evaluate any residual with a distinct diagnosis that may be evaluated under another diagnostic code, such as migraine headache or Meniere's disease, even if that diagnosis is based on subjective symptoms, rather than under the “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified” table
Evaluate emotional/behavioral dysfunction under § 4.130 (Schedule of ratings—mental disorders) when there is a diagnosis of a mental disorder. When there is no diagnosis of a mental disorder, evaluate emotional/behavioral symptoms under the criteria in the table titled “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified.”
Evaluate physical (including neurological) dysfunction based on the following list, under an appropriate diagnostic code: Motor and sensory dysfunction, including pain, of the extremities and face; visual impairment; hearing loss and tinnitus; loss of sense of smell and taste; seizures; gait, coordination, and balance problems; speech and other communication difficulties, including aphasia and related disorders, and dysarthria; neurogenic bladder; neurogenic bowel; cranial nerve dysfunctions; autonomic nerve dysfunctions; and endocrine dysfunctions.
The preceding list of types of physical dysfunction does not encompass all possible residuals of TBI. For residuals not listed here that are reported on an examination, evaluate under the most appropriate diagnostic code. Evaluate each condition separately, as long as the same signs and symptoms are not used to support more than one evaluation, and combine under § 4.25 the evaluations for each separately rated condition. The evaluation assigned based on the “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified” table will be considered the evaluation for a single condition for purposes of combining with other disability evaluations
Consider the need for special monthly compensation for such problems as loss of use of an extremity, certain sensory impairments, erectile dysfunction, the need for aid and attendance (including for protection from hazards or dangers incident to the daily environment due to cognitive impairment), being housebound, etc
Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Subjective Symptoms
The table titled “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified” contains 10 important facets of TBI related to cognitive impairment and subjective symptoms. It provides criteria for levels of impairment for each facet, as appropriate, ranging from 0 to 3, and a 5th level, the highest level of impairment, labeled “total.” However, not every facet has every level of severity. The Consciousness facet, for example, does not provide for an impairment level other than “total,” since any level of impaired consciousness would be totally disabling. Assign a 100-percent evaluation if “total” is the level of evaluation for one or more facets. If no facet is evaluated as “total,” assign the overall percentage evaluation based on the level of the highest facet as follows: 0 = 0 percent; 1 = 10 percent; 2 = 40 percent; and 3 = 70 percent. For example, assign a 70 percent evaluation if 3 is the highest level of evaluation for any facet.
All 5 notes printed with these criteria (quotation):
Note (1): There may be an overlap of manifestations of conditions evaluated under the table titled “Evaluation Of Cognitive Impairment And Other Residuals Of TBI Not Otherwise Classified” with manifestations of a comorbid mental or neurologic or other physical disorder that can be separately evaluated under another diagnostic code. In such cases, do not assign more than one evaluation based on the same manifestations. If the manifestations of two or more conditions cannot be clearly separated, assign a single evaluation under whichever set of diagnostic criteria allows the better assessment of overall impaired functioning due to both conditions. However, if the manifestations are clearly separable, assign a separate evaluation for each condition.
Note (2): Symptoms listed as examples at certain evaluation levels in the table are only examples and are not symptoms that must be present in order to assign a particular evaluation.
Note (3): “Instrumental activities of daily living” refers to activities other than self-care that are needed for independent living, such as meal preparation, doing housework and other chores, shopping, traveling, doing laundry, being responsible for one's own medications, and using a telephone. These activities are distinguished from “Activities of daily living,” which refers to basic self-care and includes bathing or showering, dressing, eating, getting in or out of bed or a chair, and using the toilet.
Note (4): The terms “mild,” “moderate,” and “severe” TBI, which may appear in medical records, refer to a classification of TBI made at, or close to, the time of injury rather than to the current level of functioning. This classification does not affect the rating assigned under diagnostic code 8045.
Note (5): A veteran whose residuals of TBI are rated under a version of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8045, in effect before October 23, 2008 may request review under diagnostic code 8045, irrespective of whether his or her disability has worsened since the last review. VA will review that veteran's disability rating to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to a higher disability rating under diagnostic code 8045. A request for review pursuant to this note will be treated as a claim for an increased rating for purposes of determining the effective date of an increased rating awarded as a result of such review; however, in no case will the award be effective before October 23, 2008. For the purposes of determining the effective date of an increased rating awarded as a result of such review, VA will apply 38 CFR 3.114, if applicable.
TBI rating lookup: choose a level for each facet
How the CFR turns the facet levels into a percentage (quotation):
Assign a 100-percent evaluation if “total” is the level of evaluation for one or more facets. If no facet is evaluated as “total,” assign the overall percentage evaluation based on the level of the highest facet as follows: 0 = 0 percent; 1 = 10 percent; 2 = 40 percent; and 3 = 70 percent. For example, assign a 70 percent evaluation if 3 is the highest level of evaluation for any facet.
Choose the level of at least one facet to see the percentage the CFR sentence gives.
This applies the table only. It is not a prediction of the rating VA will assign: VA decides the level of each facet from the evidence.
What the table does not rate (quotation from DC 8045):
Evaluate emotional/behavioral dysfunction under § 4.130 (Schedule of ratings—mental disorders) when there is a diagnosis of a mental disorder. When there is no diagnosis of a mental disorder, evaluate emotional/behavioral symptoms under the criteria in the table titled “Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Other Residuals of TBI Not Otherwise Classified.”
Evaluate physical (including neurological) dysfunction based on the following list, under an appropriate diagnostic code: Motor and sensory dysfunction, including pain, of the extremities and face; visual impairment; hearing loss and tinnitus; loss of sense of smell and taste; seizures; gait, coordination, and balance problems; speech and other communication difficulties, including aphasia and related disorders, and dysarthria; neurogenic bladder; neurogenic bowel; cranial nerve dysfunctions; autonomic nerve dysfunctions; and endocrine dysfunctions.
TBI facet table (38 CFR § 4.124a, DC 8045)
Every cell of the table as printed in the CFR: ten facets, each with the levels the CFR lists for it.
| Facets of cognitive impairment and other residuals of TBI not otherwise classified | Level of impairment | Criteria (quotation) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory, attention, concentration, executive functions | 0 | No complaints of impairment of memory, attention, concentration, or executive functions. |
| 1 | A complaint of mild loss of memory (such as having difficulty following a conversation, recalling recent conversations, remembering names of new acquaintances, or finding words, or often misplacing items), attention, concentration, or executive functions, but without objective evidence on testing. | |
| 2 | Objective evidence on testing of mild impairment of memory, attention, concentration, or executive functions resulting in mild functional impairment. | |
| 3 | Objective evidence on testing of moderate impairment of memory, attention, concentration, or executive functions resulting in moderate functional impairment. | |
| Total | Objective evidence on testing of severe impairment of memory, attention, concentration, or executive functions resulting in severe functional impairment. | |
| Judgment | 0 | Normal. |
| 1 | Mildly impaired judgment. For complex or unfamiliar decisions, occasionally unable to identify, understand, and weigh the alternatives, understand the consequences of choices, and make a reasonable decision. | |
| 2 | Moderately impaired judgment. For complex or unfamiliar decisions, usually unable to identify, understand, and weigh the alternatives, understand the consequences of choices, and make a reasonable decision, although has little difficulty with simple decisions. | |
| 3 | Moderately severely impaired judgment. For even routine and familiar decisions, occasionally unable to identify, understand, and weigh the alternatives, understand the consequences of choices, and make a reasonable decision. | |
| Total | Severely impaired judgment. For even routine and familiar decisions, usually unable to identify, understand, and weigh the alternatives, understand the consequences of choices, and make a reasonable decision. For example, unable to determine appropriate clothing for current weather conditions or judge when to avoid dangerous situations or activities. | |
| Social interaction | 0 | Social interaction is routinely appropriate. |
| 1 | Social interaction is occasionally inappropriate. | |
| 2 | Social interaction is frequently inappropriate. | |
| 3 | Social interaction is inappropriate most or all of the time. | |
| Orientation | 0 | Always oriented to person, time, place, and situation. |
| 1 | Occasionally disoriented to one of the four aspects (person, time, place, situation) of orientation. | |
| 2 | Occasionally disoriented to two of the four aspects (person, time, place, situation) of orientation or often disoriented to one aspect of orientation. | |
| 3 | Often disoriented to two or more of the four aspects (person, time, place, situation) of orientation. | |
| Total | Consistently disoriented to two or more of the four aspects (person, time, place, situation) of orientation. | |
| Motor activity (with intact motor and sensory system) | 0 | Motor activity normal. |
| 1 | Motor activity normal most of the time, but mildly slowed at times due to apraxia (inability to perform previously learned motor activities, despite normal motor function). | |
| 2 | Motor activity mildly decreased or with moderate slowing due to apraxia. | |
| 3 | Motor activity moderately decreased due to apraxia. | |
| Total | Motor activity severely decreased due to apraxia. | |
| Visual spatial orientation | 0 | Normal. |
| 1 | Mildly impaired. Occasionally gets lost in unfamiliar surroundings, has difficulty reading maps or following directions. Is able to use assistive devices such as GPS (global positioning system). | |
| 2 | Moderately impaired. Usually gets lost in unfamiliar surroundings, has difficulty reading maps, following directions, and judging distance. Has difficulty using assistive devices such as GPS (global positioning system). | |
| 3 | Moderately severely impaired. Gets lost even in familiar surroundings, unable to use assistive devices such as GPS (global positioning system). | |
| Total | Severely impaired. May be unable to touch or name own body parts when asked by the examiner, identify the relative position in space of two different objects, or find the way from one room to another in a familiar environment. | |
| Subjective symptoms | 0 | Subjective symptoms that do not interfere with work; instrumental activities of daily living; or work, family, or other close relationships. Examples are: mild or occasional headaches, mild anxiety. |
| 1 | Three or more subjective symptoms that mildly interfere with work; instrumental activities of daily living; or work, family, or other close relationships. Examples of findings that might be seen at this level of impairment are: intermittent dizziness, daily mild to moderate headaches, tinnitus, frequent insomnia, hypersensitivity to sound, hypersensitivity to light. | |
| 2 | Three or more subjective symptoms that moderately interfere with work; instrumental activities of daily living; or work, family, or other close relationships. Examples of findings that might be seen at this level of impairment are: marked fatigability, blurred or double vision, headaches requiring rest periods during most days. | |
| Neurobehavioral effects | 0 | One or more neurobehavioral effects that do not interfere with workplace interaction or social interaction. Examples of neurobehavioral effects are: Irritability, impulsivity, unpredictability, lack of motivation, verbal aggression, physical aggression, belligerence, apathy, lack of empathy, moodiness, lack of cooperation, inflexibility, and impaired awareness of disability. Any of these effects may range from slight to severe, although verbal and physical aggression are likely to have a more serious impact on workplace interaction and social interaction than some of the other effects. |
| 1 | One or more neurobehavioral effects that occasionally interfere with workplace interaction, social interaction, or both but do not preclude them. | |
| 2 | One or more neurobehavioral effects that frequently interfere with workplace interaction, social interaction, or both but do not preclude them. | |
| 3 | One or more neurobehavioral effects that interfere with or preclude workplace interaction, social interaction, or both on most days or that occasionally require supervision for safety of self or others. | |
| Communication | 0 | Able to communicate by spoken and written language (expressive communication), and to comprehend spoken and written language. |
| 1 | Comprehension or expression, or both, of either spoken language or written language is only occasionally impaired. Can communicate complex ideas. | |
| 2 | Inability to communicate either by spoken language, written language, or both, more than occasionally but less than half of the time, or to comprehend spoken language, written language, or both, more than occasionally but less than half of the time. Can generally communicate complex ideas. | |
| 3 | Inability to communicate either by spoken language, written language, or both, at least half of the time but not all of the time, or to comprehend spoken language, written language, or both, at least half of the time but not all of the time. May rely on gestures or other alternative modes of communication. Able to communicate basic needs. | |
| Total | Complete inability to communicate either by spoken language, written language, or both, or to comprehend spoken language, written language, or both. Unable to communicate basic needs. | |
| Consciousness | Total | Persistently altered state of consciousness, such as vegetative state, minimally responsive state, coma. |
2026 VA monthly pay at each traumatic brain injury 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% |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 |
| 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
DC 8045 names three main areas of dysfunction after TBI: cognitive, emotional/behavioral and physical. The facet table covers cognitive impairment and subjective symptoms, and emotional/behavioral symptoms when there is no diagnosis of a mental disorder. With a diagnosis of a mental disorder, DC 8045 says to evaluate emotional/behavioral dysfunction under § 4.130 instead, and to evaluate physical (including neurological) dysfunction under an appropriate diagnostic code. The lookup on this page applies the facet table only.
The table has 10 facets. Not every facet has every level: Consciousness has only "total", Subjective symptoms stops at level 2, and Social interaction and Neurobehavioral effects have no "total" level. DC 8045 assigns 100 percent if "total" is the level of one or more facets and otherwise maps the highest facet level to 0, 10, 40 or 70 percent, so the table produces only those five percentages.
Note (4) says the terms "mild," "moderate," and "severe" TBI in medical records classify the injury at or near the time of injury rather than the current level of functioning, and that this classification does not affect the rating assigned under DC 8045.
DC 8045 says the evaluation from the facet table is one condition for combining with other evaluations, and that each separately rated condition is combined under § 4.25 as long as the same signs and symptoms are not used to support more than one evaluation. Note (1) says not to assign more than one evaluation based on the same manifestations.
VA's public DBQ list names an "Initial Evaluation of Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury" DBQ and a "Review Evaluation of Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury" DBQ in a group it describes as not available for public use. There is no public PDF to link, so this page links no 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.
Rule that set these criteria. 73 FR 54693, effective October 23, 2008. The 2008 final rule revised DC 8045 and added the facet table; CFR Appendix A dates the change October 23, 2008 ("Criterion and evaluation"). A correcting amendment (73 FR 69554, effective November 19, 2008) added a period at the end of Note (4) and fixed Appendix A and Appendix C; it did not change the criteria.
- DC 8045: Criterion and evaluation October 23, 2008.
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). The November 12, 2024 proposal for the neurological section (89 FR 88917) proposes no change to DC 8045's criteria; it relocates the facet table (proposal, not law) directly below the DC 8045 criteria, which the proposal calls a non-substantial change. It is only a proposal: it has not been finalized, so the CFR text above is the rule that applies. 89 FR 88917
Related conditions
- PTSD: DC 8045 says to evaluate emotional/behavioral dysfunction under § 4.130, the mental disorders schedule, when there is a diagnosis of a mental disorder.
- Anxiety: Another condition rated under § 4.130, which DC 8045 uses when a mental disorder is diagnosed after a TBI.
- Depression: Another condition rated under § 4.130, which DC 8045 uses when a mental disorder is diagnosed after a TBI.
- Migraine: DC 8045 names migraine headache as a residual with its own diagnosis that is evaluated under its own diagnostic code (see the migraine page).
- Hearing loss: DC 8045 lists hearing loss and tinnitus among the physical residuals to evaluate under an appropriate diagnostic code.
- Tinnitus: DC 8045 lists hearing loss and tinnitus among the physical residuals; tinnitus is rated under DC 6260.
- All VA disability ratings by condition
Questions about the Traumatic brain injury rating
What diagnostic code does VA use for TBI?
Residuals of traumatic brain injury are rated under diagnostic code (DC) 8045 in 38 CFR § 4.124a, the Schedule for Rating Disabilities for neurological conditions. The text is quoted from the eCFR as current as of October 22, 2026.
How does the TBI facet table become a percentage?
DC 8045 says: Assign a 100-percent evaluation if “total” is the level of evaluation for one or more facets. If no facet is evaluated as “total,” assign the overall percentage evaluation based on the level of the highest facet as follows: 0 = 0 percent; 1 = 10 percent; 2 = 40 percent; and 3 = 70 percent. For example, assign a 70 percent evaluation if 3 is the highest level of evaluation for any facet.
What does a 40 percent TBI rating require?
Under the DC 8045 sentence quoted on this page, a 40 percent evaluation is the percentage for level 2 when 2 is the highest level of evaluation for any facet and no facet is "total". VA decides the level of each facet from the evidence in the claim.
What TBI rating levels are possible from the facet table?
The table produces 0%, 10%, 40%, 70% and 100%: level 0 is 0 percent, level 1 is 10 percent, level 2 is 40 percent, level 3 is 70 percent, and "total" on any facet is 100 percent. Other conditions rated separately can be combined with it, which can give other combined percentages.
Are PTSD, headaches, hearing loss or tinnitus rated under the TBI table?
Not necessarily. DC 8045 says to evaluate emotional/behavioral dysfunction under § 4.130 when there is a diagnosis of a mental disorder, to evaluate a residual with a distinct diagnosis that can be rated under another code, such as migraine headache or Meniere's disease, separately, and to evaluate physical dysfunction, including hearing loss and tinnitus, under an appropriate diagnostic code. Note (1) says not to assign more than one evaluation based on the same manifestations.
Does "mild", "moderate" or "severe" TBI in my medical records set the rating?
No. Note (4): The terms “mild,” “moderate,” and “severe” TBI, which may appear in medical records, refer to a classification of TBI made at, or close to, the time of injury rather than to the current level of functioning. This classification does not affect the rating assigned under diagnostic code 8045.
Can a TBI rating from before October 23, 2008 be reviewed?
Note (5) of DC 8045 provides for it: A veteran whose residuals of TBI are rated under a version of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8045, in effect before October 23, 2008 may request review under diagnostic code 8045, irrespective of whether his or her disability has worsened since the last review. VA will review that veteran's disability rating to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to a higher disability rating under diagnostic code 8045. A request for review pursuant to this note will be treated as a claim for an increased rating for purposes of determining the effective date of an increased rating awarded as a result of such review; however, in no case will the award be effective before October 23, 2008. For the purposes of determining the effective date of an increased rating awarded as a result of such review, VA will apply 38 CFR 3.114, if applicable.
How much is VA disability pay for a TBI 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; 40%: $795.84 ($882.84 with a spouse); 70%: $1,808.45 ($1,961.45 with a spouse); 100%: $3,938.58 ($4,158.17 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 TBI 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 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.