PTSD is rated under Diagnostic Code 9411, using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders in 38 CFR 4.130. The same formula applies to every mental health condition the VA rates, which is why a depression or anxiety claim ends up measured the same way. If you are still working through whether the condition can be connected to service, start with our overview of PTSD service connection.
The formula is built around one idea: occupational and social impairment. Not how many symptoms you have - how much the condition interferes with working and relating to other people.
What each level describes
As currently written in 38 CFR 4.130, the levels describe:
- 0 percent - a diagnosed mental condition whose symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication
- 10 percent - occupational and social impairment from mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication
- 30 percent - occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, though generally functioning satisfactorily
- 50 percent - reduced reliability and productivity, with examples such as impaired judgment, disturbances of motivation and mood, panic attacks more than once a week, and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships
- 70 percent - deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood
- 100 percent - total occupational and social impairment
Why the symptom lists are examples, not requirements
Each level in the formula includes illustrative symptoms. Courts and the VA have long treated those as examples of the severity contemplated at that level rather than as a list every veteran must match. What governs is the overall level of impairment the evidence shows.
This is why detailed, specific documentation matters more than symptom labels: a record describing how often a veteran misses work, avoids people, or cannot complete tasks tells the rater more than a list of diagnoses ever will. Our guide on the evidence that supports a mental health claim covers what that documentation looks like.
Where veterans start
Every case is different, and there is no obligation at any step. When veterans want to understand what their records actually support, these are the two most common starting points:
- Medical records review
A licensed physician reviews your records for a $250 flat fee and identifies which conditions the available evidence may support. The fee is refunded in full if nothing supportable is identified.
- Individual Psychological Evaluation Package
A telehealth evaluation with a psychologist licensed in your state. It includes a one-on-one evaluation of your history, symptoms, and functional impact, a DBQ when clinically appropriate, and a nexus opinion section when the evaluation supports one. It starts with a free screening - you pay nothing unless a full evaluation appears clinically appropriate.
One rating for all mental health conditions
The VA assigns a single evaluation covering all service-connected mental health conditions rather than separate ratings for each diagnosis, because rating the same impairment twice is prohibited as pyramiding under 38 CFR 4.14. A veteran service connected for PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder receives one mental health evaluation reflecting their combined effect. See our anxiety and depression ratings guide for how those diagnoses fit in.
How the rating combines with other disabilities
Mental health ratings combine with other service-connected conditions using VA math, not simple addition - 50 percent plus 30 percent does not equal 80. Our VA disability calculator applies the official combined ratings table and the current compensation rates.
Veterans whose service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment may also be considered for a total rating based on individual unemployability under 38 CFR 4.16 - our TDIU guide explains how that works - and a rating that is both total and permanent has its own meaning - covered in our guide to permanent and total ratings.
The rating and the connection are separate questions
Nothing in the rating formula establishes service connection. A well-documented severe condition still needs the three elements met before any percentage is assigned. Where the medical link is the weak point, an independent opinion may help; where the records do not support one, a paid medical records review will say so before a letter is ordered.
Rating criteria are amended periodically. Confirm the current text of 38 CFR 4.130 on the eCFR before relying on any summary.
Frequently asked questions
What are the possible PTSD rating percentages?
Zero, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 100 percent - the levels in the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders in 38 CFR 4.130. There are no in-between percentages for mental disorders.
What does a 70 percent PTSD rating mean?
It describes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas - for example, in work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The symptoms listed at each level are examples, not a checklist.
Why didn't my PTSD rating combine with my depression rating?
All service-connected mental health conditions are covered by a single evaluation under the same rating formula. Mental health ratings combine with physical ratings, not with each other.
How is the rating percentage determined?
Rating officials compare the findings in the record - including examination reports - against the criteria for each level. The evaluation reflects the level of occupational and social impairment the record supports.