Tinnitus — that constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears — is one of the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans. And no matter how severe it feels, the VA rates it at exactly one level: 10%. That sounds like a ceiling, and it is — but the 10% is often worth more than it looks.
The 10% rule
Under Diagnostic Code 6260 (38 CFR §4.87), the VA assigns a single 10% rating for recurrent tinnitus — and that's the maximum. It doesn't matter whether you hear it in one ear, both ears, or “in your head”: it's still one 10% rating. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld this interpretation, so there's no separate rating for each ear, and no severity ladder the way conditions like PTSD or sleep apnea have.
There's also no meaningful 0% step in practice. Either the tinnitus is recurrent and service-connected — which produces the 10% — or it isn't service-connected at all. That makes tinnitus unusually binary: the fight is almost never about the percentage, only about whether the claim is granted.
What tinnitus pays in 2026
A standalone 10% rating pays $180.42 per month in 2026 (effective December 1, 2025) — $2,165.04 per year, tax-free. At 10%, the amount is flat: dependents don't change it, because dependent additions only begin at a combined rating of 30% or higher.
| Situation | 2026 monthly pay |
|---|---|
| Tinnitus alone (10%) | $180.42 |
| Tinnitus 10% + spouse | $180.42 (no addition below 30%) |
| Tinnitus 10% + a separate 10% (combined 20%) | $356.66 |
For every rating level, see the 2026 pay chart.
Why tinnitus still matters a lot
The real value of a tinnitus rating usually isn't the 10% itself — it's how it combines with everything else and what it can lead to:
- It's often the anchor claim. Tinnitus is frequently the first condition a veteran gets service-connected. Once it's granted, the noise-exposure history is on the record, which makes related and secondary claims easier to build.
- Hearing loss is rated separately. Tinnitus (DC 6260) and hearing loss (DC 6100) are different conditions with different codes, so you can be rated for both — often from the same noise exposure.
- Secondary conditions. Sleep disturbance and mental-health conditions such as anxiety or depression are commonly claimed as secondary to chronic tinnitus — and those can carry much higher ratings than the tinnitus itself. Whether a secondary claim succeeds depends on the medical evidence linking the two.
- It combines with your other ratings. Through VA math, a 10% still nudges your combined total upward — and near a rounding line, it can be the difference between one rating band and the next.
How a 10% moves your combined rating: worked examples
VA math combines ratings by “efficiency” rather than addition: each rating removes its percentage of what remains, and the result rounds to the nearest 10 only at the end. That makes a 10% tinnitus rating worth a lot in some positions and almost nothing in others.
| Your other ratings | Without tinnitus | With 10% tinnitus | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 0% | 10 → 10% | The whole rating |
| One 10% | 10% | 10 + 10 = 19 → 20% | Moves you up a band |
| 30% + 30% | 51 → 50% | 51 + 4.9 = 55.9 → 60% | Tips the rounding line |
| 90% | 90% | 90 + 1 = 91 → 90% | No change |
Walk through the middle row: 30% + 30% combines to 51 (30 + 0.3 × 70 = 51), which rounds to 50%. Add tinnitus and the 10% takes a tenth of the remaining 49 points of efficiency: 51 + 4.9 = 55.9 — which rounds to 60%. Same 10% rating, but here it's worth a full band. At the top of the scale, the opposite: a veteran at 90% who adds tinnitus reaches only 91, which still rounds to 90%. That plateau is exactly why the jump from 90% to 100% is the hardest one in the system.
Proving a tinnitus claim — and the C&P exam
Because tinnitus is subjective — only you can hear it — claims rely on your credible statement plus evidence of an in-service cause and a current diagnosis. Three elements do most of the work:
- A consistent lay account. When did the ringing start, what does it sound like, how often does it occur? Your statement is primary evidence here, so consistency matters: if your claim says the ringing began in service, your exam answers and medical records should tell the same story. Contradictions are a common reason otherwise solid claims fail.
- Documented noise exposure. Weapons fire, aircraft, engines, machinery — describe the sources specifically. The VA maintains a listing of military occupational specialties with their probability of noise exposure, so an MOS known for hazardous noise supports the in-service element even without a documented complaint in your service records.
- A nexus. Something connecting today's tinnitus to that exposure. Many tinnitus claims are granted on a strong lay statement combined with documented noise exposure; a supportive medical opinion strengthens closer cases.
At the C&P exam itself, expect the examiner to ask about onset, frequency, and impact. Answer plainly and completely — including how the ringing affects sleep or concentration. Those effects don't raise the 10%, but they build the record for possible secondary claims later.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get more than a 10% rating for tinnitus?
No. DC 6260 caps recurrent tinnitus at a single 10%, and the Federal Circuit has upheld that reading. A higher combined rating comes from separately rated conditions — hearing loss under its own code, or conditions claimed as secondary to tinnitus — not from a higher tinnitus percentage.
Is tinnitus in both ears rated 20%?
No. One ear, both ears, or “in the head” — it's one 10% evaluation. There is no per-ear rating and no bilateral bump for tinnitus.
How much is tinnitus worth per year?
At the 2026 rate of $180.42 a month, a standalone 10% comes to $2,165.04 a year, tax-free. Dependents add nothing at 10% — dependent additions start at a combined 30%.
What should I expect at the C&P exam?
Mostly questions, not tests: when the tinnitus started, what it sounds like, how often it occurs, and what noise you were exposed to in service. Because the condition is subjective, your credibility and consistency carry the exam. If you also claim hearing loss, audiometric testing will be part of the same visit.
Will 10% for tinnitus actually change my combined rating?
Sometimes dramatically, sometimes not at all. Near a rounding threshold it can lift you a full band (30% + 30% + 10% reaches 60% where 30% + 30% alone is 50%); at 90% it changes nothing (91 rounds back to 90%). Run your exact numbers in the calculator.