How VA Disability Ratings Work and What They Mean for Your Benefits

What a VA disability rating is and how it affects your payment

A VA disability rating is a percentage the Department of Veterans Affairs assigns to a service-connected condition. That percentage — 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 100% — determines how much monthly compensation you receive. The higher the rating, the higher your payment. A 0% rating means the VA recognizes your condition is service-connected but causes no current loss of earning capacity; you receive no monthly payment but may be may have access to to other VA benefits like healthcare. A 100% rating is the highest and comes with the largest monthly payment.

The rating is based on how much the VA believes your condition limits your ability to work and function in daily life — not on how much pain you're in or how much you've suffered. Two veterans with the same diagnosis can receive different ratings depending on their individual symptoms and how those symptoms show up during the VA's evaluation. The rating system uses specific criteria for each condition, and the VA publishes these criteria in a document called the Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

Key Takeaways

• Your VA disability rating is a percentage (10%, 20%, 30%, and so on) that determines your monthly compensation amount; higher ratings mean higher payments.
• The rating reflects how much your service-connected condition limits your ability to work and function, not the severity of pain or emotional impact.
• The VA uses specific medical criteria for each condition to assign ratings, and these criteria are publicly available in the Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
• You can request a higher rating if your condition has worsened, and the VA will re-evaluate you; this process is called a claim for increase.
• Ratings can change over time, and the VA may schedule periodic exams to confirm whether your rating should stay the same or change.

How the VA decides what rating to give you

When you file a claim for VA disability compensation, the VA assigns a rater — a trained employee who reviews your medical records, any evidence you submit, and the results of a Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam. The C&P exam is a medical appointment, usually conducted by a VA doctor or a contracted examiner, where a healthcare provider documents your symptoms, tests your function, and records how your condition affects you on a typical day. This exam is the main source of information the rater uses to match your condition to the rating criteria.

The rater then looks up your condition in the Schedule for Rating Disabilities and finds the criteria for each rating level. For example, the criteria for a lower-back condition might specify that a 20% rating applies if you have occasional episodes of pain with no incapacity, while a 40% rating applies if you have frequent episodes with some incapacity. The rater compares what the C&P examiner found to these criteria and assigns the rating that best fits.

If your medical records show conflicting information or if the C&P exam doesn't clearly match one rating level, the VA is required by law to give you the benefit of the doubt and assign the higher rating. This is called the "benefit of the doubt" rule, and it's one of the few places in the VA system where the rules favor the veteran.

The difference between initial ratings and ratings after re-evaluation

Your initial rating is what the VA assigns when you first file your claim. Once you receive an initial rating, it stays in place unless you or the VA take action to change it. Many veterans keep the same rating for years.

A re-evaluation happens when the VA schedules you for a follow-up C&P exam to see whether your condition has changed. The VA may schedule re-evaluations automatically — for example, if your initial rating was temporary or if the VA suspects your condition might improve over time. You can also request a re-evaluation yourself if you believe your condition has worsened. A request for a higher rating is called a claim for increase. If you request a re-evaluation and the VA finds your condition has improved, your rating could go down, so weigh this risk carefully and gather strong medical evidence before you file.

The VA also conducts Compensation & Pension (C&P) exams at set intervals for certain conditions. For instance, if you received a rating for a condition the VA considers likely to improve — such as a recent surgery recovery — you might be scheduled for an exam one or two years later. If you're rated at 100%, the VA typically does not schedule routine re-evaluations unless there is a specific reason to suspect change.

What happens when your rating changes

If the VA increases your rating, your new monthly payment begins the month after the VA makes the decision. The VA also pays you back pay — a lump sum covering the difference between your old and new payment rate, going back to the date you filed the claim for increase (not back to when your condition actually worsened). Back pay can be substantial, sometimes several thousand dollars.

If the VA decreases your rating, you have the right to appeal. The appeal process is separate from the original rating decision, and you have one year from the date of the decrease to file an appeal. During the appeal, your old rating usually stays in place, so your payment does not drop until the appeal is resolved. This protection is called a "stay," and it means you won't lose income while you're fighting the decrease.

If the VA schedules you for a re-evaluation and you don't show up for the C&P exam without a valid reason, the VA may decrease or even terminate your rating. If you have a legitimate reason you cannot attend — illness, transportation, military duty — contact the VA before the exam date and ask to reschedule.

How monthly payment amounts connect to your rating

The VA publishes a disability compensation rate table each year, usually in December, with the exact dollar amount for each rating level. The amount depends on your rating percentage and whether you have dependents (a spouse or children). A veteran rated at 30% with no dependents receives a different monthly amount than a veteran rated at 30% with a spouse and two children. The rates increase each year to account for inflation.

You can find the current rate table on the VA website under "disability compensation rates." The rates change annually, so if you're comparing your payment to a friend's, remember that the amount also depends on when each of you filed your claim and whether you have dependents. The VA does not publish exact rates in this guide because they change yearly; you'll need to check the VA's official rate table to see the current dollar amounts.

Special ratings and what they mean

Beyond the standard 0% to 100% ratings, the VA has two special designations: Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) and Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL). These apply only to active-duty service members or those medically retired from the military, not to most veterans who file VA disability claims after separation. If you were medically retired, your military discharge paperwork will specify whether you're on TDRL or PDRL.

The VA also uses the term schedular rating to mean a rating assigned based on the Schedule for Rating Disabilities — this is the standard process. A non-schedular rating is less common and applies when your condition doesn't fit neatly into the published criteria; a rater must write a detailed explanation of why the rating was assigned. Non-schedular ratings are more likely to be appealed by the VA, so if you receive one, keep all your medical records.

What to do if you disagree with your rating

If you believe your rating is too low, you can file a claim for increase at any time. There is no waiting period between claims, though filing too frequently without new medical evidence wastes time. Gather recent medical records — ideally from the past year — that show your condition has worsened. Medical records from a VA doctor, a private doctor, or a specialist all count. Write a brief statement explaining how your condition affects you now compared to when you received your current rating.

If you disagree with the VA's decision on your claim, you have the right to appeal. You have one year from the date of the decision letter to file a Notice of Disagreement. The appeal process has multiple steps and can take months or years, so consider whether the potential increase in payment is worth the time and effort. Many veterans work with a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) — a free representative provided by veterans organizations — to help with appeals. VSOs know the rating criteria and can strengthen your case by organizing your medical evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my rating go down if I go to a VA re-evaluation?

Yes. If the VA schedules you for a re-evaluation and the medical exam shows your condition has improved, your rating can decrease. If you request a re-evaluation yourself (a claim for increase), you accept this risk. If the VA schedules you automatically, you still have the right to appeal a decrease, and your old rating stays in place during the appeal.

What's the difference between a 0% rating and no rating at all?

A 0% rating means the VA recognizes your condition is service-connected but determines it causes no loss of earning capacity. You receive no monthly payment, but you may be may have access to to VA healthcare and other benefits. No rating means the VA denied your claim entirely and found no service connection. A 0% rating is better because it establishes service connection, which you can use to file a claim for increase later if your condition worsens.

How long does it take to get a rating decision?

Initial rating decisions typically take two to six months, though some take longer if the VA needs additional medical exams or records. Claims for increase may move faster if your medical evidence is clear. You can check the status of your claim on the VA website using your login credentials.

Do I need a lawyer to appeal my rating?

No. You can appeal on your own, but many veterans find it helpful to work with a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) from organizations like the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars. VSOs are free and know the rating system well. If you hire a lawyer, the VA limits what they can charge, and you must file a fee agreement with the VA first.

If I get a higher rating, do I get paid back to when my condition actually got worse?

No. Back pay goes back to the date you filed your claim for increase, not to when your condition worsened. This is why filing promptly matters — the sooner you file, the further back your back pay extends. If you wait a year to file, you lose a year of back pay even if your condition worsened months earlier.