VA Disability Rating for Tinnitus: The 10% Rating and 2026 Pay
VA rates tinnitus under diagnostic code (DC) 6260 in 38 CFR § 4.87. The schedule has a single level, 10%. 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
Tinnitus rating criteria in 38 CFR § 4.87
Diagnostic code: DC 6260 Tinnitus, recurrent. 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% | Tinnitus, recurrent | Recurrent tinnitus carries one 10% evaluation, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears or the head. |
All 3 notes printed with these criteria (quotation):
Note (1): A separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation under diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204, or other diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an evaluation under one of those diagnostic codes.
Note (2): Assign only a single evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.
Note (3): Do not evaluate objective tinnitus (in which the sound is audible to other people and has a definable cause that may or may not be pathologic) under this diagnostic code, but evaluate it as part of any underlying condition causing it.
2026 VA monthly pay at each tinnitus rating
| Rating | Veteran alone | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | Same as alone; spouse amounts start at 30% |
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 6260 has one level, 10%. Note (2) says to assign only a single evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head, so the rating does not double for two ears.
Note (1) says a separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation under DC 6100, 6200, 6204 or another diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an evaluation under one of those codes. Note (3) says objective tinnitus, where the sound is audible to other people and has a definable cause, is not evaluated under this code but as part of any underlying condition causing it.
Is this the current rule?
Source text. § 4.87 Schedule of ratings—ear. 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. 68 FR 25822 (final rule), Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Evaluation of Tinnitus, published May 14, 2003, effective June 13, 2003. Latest entry in the section's amendment history in the eCFR.
Rule that set these criteria. 68 FR 25822, effective June 13, 2003. The 2003 final rule on tinnitus set the single 10 percent evaluation and its notes.
- DC 6200-6260: revised and re-designated § 4.87 June 10, 1999.
- DC 6260: Added October 1, 1961; criterion October 1, 1961; evaluation March 10, 1976; removed December 18, 1987; re-designated § 4.87a December 18, 1987.
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 on February 15, 2022 (87 FR 8474) to evaluate tinnitus only as part of an underlying condition and to delete DC 6260. It is only a proposal: it has not been finalized, so the CFR text above is the rule that applies. 87 FR 8474
Related conditions
- Sleep apnea: Another condition with a short rating table (DC 6847 lists four levels).
- All VA disability ratings by condition
Questions about the Tinnitus rating
What diagnostic code does VA use for tinnitus?
Tinnitus is rated under diagnostic code (DC) 6260 in 38 CFR § 4.87, 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 tinnitus?
The schedule has one level for tinnitus: 10%. 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 tinnitus rating in 2026?
VA's 2026 monthly rates for a veteran alone are 10%: $180.42. Rates took effect December 1, 2025. The amount you are paid depends on your combined rating, not on this condition alone.
Are ratings for tinnitus 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.
Is there a VA tinnitus rating higher than 10%?
No. DC 6260 in 38 CFR § 4.87 lists a single 10% evaluation for recurrent tinnitus. A higher combined rating can come from other service-connected conditions, which VA combines using its combined ratings table.
Does VA rate tinnitus separately for each ear?
No. Note (2) under DC 6260 says to assign only a single evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.
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.