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✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.87 (Ear), reviewed 2026-05-15 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE VA|Educational tools only - not legal advice▼
Tinnitus is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 6260 of 38 C.F.R. § 4.87 at a single 10% schedular ceiling. Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure (typically noise or blast), and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. Tinnitus is frequently the gateway to secondary claims for hearing loss, depression, and insomnia under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.
Understanding Tinnitus Ratings
Tinnitus is rated under DC 6260 at 38 C.F.R. § 4.87. The maximum schedular rating is 10% ($180.42/month). Tinnitus is the #1 most commonly claimed VA disability condition. Per Smith v. Nicholson (2006), a single 10% rating applies regardless of whether tinnitus is in one or both ears.
While 10% seems low, tinnitus is a gateway condition. Its real value is in the secondary conditions it supports: hearing loss, mental health conditions, sleep disturbance, and TBI. A veteran with tinnitus at 10% who successfully claims depression secondary to tinnitus at 50% and insomnia at 10% has a combined rating of 60% ($1,435.02/month), all stemming from the tinnitus claim.
For combat veterans, service connection for tinnitus is straightforward under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b). MOS-related noise exposure (infantry, artillery, aviation, armor) is generally conceded by the VA.
Rating Criteria (DC 6260)
10%$180.42/mo
Recurrent tinnitus. This is the maximum schedular rating for tinnitus. Per Smith v. Nicholson, 451 F.3d 1344 (Fed. Cir. 2006), a single 10% rating applies regardless of whether tinnitus is bilateral or unilateral.
10% is the maximum schedular rating | Smith v. Nicholson, 451 F.3d 1344 (Fed. Cir. 2006)
2026 UPDATE | PROPOSED RULE
What Could Change: The Proposed DC 6260 Rule
On February 15, 2022, the VA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("Schedule for Rating Disabilities - Ear, Nose, Throat, and Audiology Disabilities") that would delete DC 6260 as a standalone rating. Under the proposal, tinnitus would be compensated only through the diagnostic code of an underlying condition - for example hearing loss (DC 6100), peripheral vestibular disorders (DC 6204), Meniere's disease (DC 6205), or traumatic brain injury (DC 8045).
In practice, a veteran with tinnitus but no separately ratable underlying condition could receive a 0% rating under the proposed framework, rather than the current standalone 10%.
Status in 2026: this is a PROPOSED rule, not final. The VA has not published a final rule and no effective date has been announced, so the single 10% rating under DC 6260 above still applies. The VA has stated existing ratings would be grandfathered, with any change affecting only new claims filed after implementation. This is educational information, not advice to file or delay any claim.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Tinnitus
Under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. This is where tinnitus becomes valuable
Hearing LossSTRONG
DC 6100 | Typical: 0%, 10%, 20%+
Tinnitus and hearing loss share common etiology (noise exposure, blast). Usually claimed together.
Meniere's DiseaseMODERATE
DC 6205 | Typical: 30%, 60%, 100%
Tinnitus is a primary symptom of Meniere's. Can be rated separately if not already captured.
Depression / AnxietyMODERATE
DC 9434/9413 | Typical: 30%, 50%
Chronic tinnitus causes sleep disruption, concentration problems, and secondary mental health conditions.
InsomniaMODERATE
DC 9422/8099 | Typical: 0%, 10%, 30%
Tinnitus is a well-documented cause of difficulty falling and staying asleep.
TBI (if primary is tinnitus from blast)MODERATE
DC 8045 | Typical: 10%, 40%, 70%
Blast exposure causing tinnitus often also causes mild TBI. Document blast proximity.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.87 (Ear). Source verified 2026-05-15 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team via the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
