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VA rating guide · Mental health

Depression & Anxiety VA Rating: Criteria & 2026 Pay

Depression and anxiety are rated under the same formula as PTSD, and they’re among the most common secondary conditions: chronic pain, tinnitus and other service-connected conditions often take a mental toll.

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The basics

How the VA Rates Depression and Anxiety

Major depressive disorder (DC 9434), generalized anxiety disorder (DC 9400) and other mental health conditions are all rated under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders in 38 CFR 4.130, the same formula used for PTSD.

One rating covers all your mental health conditions. If you have depression and anxiety, or depression and PTSD, the VA assigns a single rating based on your overall symptoms.
The symptom lists are examples. The VA looks at your overall level of occupational and social impairment, including how often symptoms happen, how severe they are and how long they last.

38 CFR 4.130

Mental Health Rating Criteria, 0% to 100%

The exact rating levels from the VA rating schedule, with 2026 monthly pay for a veteran with no dependents.

Criteria quoted from 38 CFR 4.130 (current as of October 2026). Pay effective December 1, 2025; dependents add more at 30% and above.
Rating	VA criteria	2026 pay (alone)
100%	Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.	$3,938.58
70%	Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.	$1,808.45
50%	Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.	$1,132.90
30%	Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).	$552.47
10%	Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.	$180.42
0%	A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.	$0.00

Service connection

Three Ways to Service-Connect Depression or Anxiety

1. Directly

If symptoms started in service, or you were seen for mental health while serving, the condition may be connected directly. Records of behavior changes, counseling, or disciplinary issues can help.

2. Secondary to a physical condition

Living with chronic pain or a limiting condition can cause or worsen depression and anxiety. Common examples include depression secondary to a back condition, knee injuries, migraines, or tinnitus. A medical opinion should explain the connection.

3. Aggravation

If you had depression or anxiety before service and it got worse because of service, or a service-connected condition made it worse, the increase in severity can be compensated.

Your C&P exam

Preparing for a Mental Health Exam

Be honest about your worst days. Many veterans downplay symptoms during exams.
Describe the impact on work and relationships, which is what the formula measures.
Bring a written summary and, if possible, a statement from someone close to you.

FAQ

Depression & Anxiety VA Rating: Common Questions

Can I get separate ratings for depression and PTSD?

No. The VA assigns one rating for all mental health conditions, based on the overall effect of your symptoms. Physical conditions related to them, like sleep apnea or migraines, can be rated separately.

Can depression be secondary to chronic pain?

Yes. Depression or anxiety caused or worsened by a service-connected physical condition, such as a back injury or migraines, can be service-connected on a secondary basis with a supporting medical opinion.

Do I need a diagnosis from a VA doctor?

No. A diagnosis from a qualified private provider can support your claim. The VA will usually schedule its own C&P exam as well.

Will taking medication lower my rating?

Not necessarily. The criteria specifically include symptoms controlled by continuous medication at the 10% level, and higher ratings depend on the impairment you still experience.

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