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Chronic hives have a dedicated code, DC 7825. The current rating turns on the treatment needed to control them. Antihistamines, second line treatment and third line treatment after earlier failures correspond to the 10, 30 and 60 percent rows.
This page covers the current rule, the records that distinguish those levels and how to show a connection to service. Other rashes have different criteria; see eczema and psoriasis. The Board section below covers urticaria appeals.
Chronic hives VA rating criteria (DC 7825)
38 CFR § 4.118 first defines chronic urticaria for this code:
For the purposes of this diagnostic code, chronic urticaria is defined as continuous urticaria at least twice per week, off treatment, for a period of six weeks or more
The rating table reads as follows (DC 7825):
| Rating | DC 7825 |
|---|---|
| 60% | "Chronic refractory urticaria that requires third line treatment for control (e.g., plasmapheresis, immunotherapy, immunosuppressives) due to ineffectiveness with first and second line treatments" |
| 30% | "Chronic urticaria that requires second line treatment (e.g., corticosteroids, sympathomimetics, leukotriene inhibitors, neutrophil inhibitors, thyroid hormone) for control" |
| 10% | "Chronic urticaria that requires first line treatment (antihistamines) for control" |
These are the current treatment-based criteria. An annual episode-count table quoted from an older version of DC 7825 does not state the current rule. For a claim spanning a rule change, check which version VA applied to each period.
What separates the treatment levels
Antihistamines and the 10 percent row
The first line row names antihistamines. Keep the diagnosis and the record showing that you need them for control. A medicine appearing on a list does not tell VA whether it is prescribed for hives or for a different condition.
The definition refers to symptoms off treatment. Describe the documented history before treatment or during prescribed changes. Do not stop a prescribed medicine to produce symptoms for a claim.
Second line treatment and 30 percent
The 30 percent row names examples of second line treatment, including corticosteroids and leukotriene inhibitors. Ask the treating clinician to identify the treatment's role in your urticaria care. The same drug can be used for another illness, so connect the prescription to this diagnosis.
Third line treatment and 60 percent
The top row requires more than a third line medicine's name. It describes refractory disease, meaning disease that has resisted treatment, and requires that first and second line treatment were ineffective. Records of the earlier trials, their results and the reason for escalation explain that part of the claim.
A 2025 systematic review examined 93 studies of systemic treatments for chronic urticaria. It found differences in symptom benefit, quality of life evidence and adverse effects across the treatments (Chu and colleagues, 2025). Those findings describe treatment research; they do not assign a VA percentage to a particular drug. Use the actual DC 7825 wording and your clinician's explanation.
How much VA pays for chronic hives
At VA's rates effective December 1, 2025, a veteran without dependents receives $180.42 a month at 10 percent, $552.47 at 30 percent and $1,435.02 at 60 percent. Other disability ratings are combined rather than added; the combined rating calculator shows that calculation. When a code has no 0 percent row, § 4.31 provides a 0 percent evaluation if the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
How to prove chronic hives are service connected
Hives that began in service
Under 38 CFR § 3.303, records of symptoms and treatment in service can support a direct claim when the evidence links them to the current condition. Gather sick-call records, prescriptions, dated photographs and the specialist's diagnosis. If the diagnosis came later, ask the clinician to explain whether the earlier episodes represented the same condition.
Hives secondary to a service-connected condition or treatment
Section 3.310 allows service connection for disability caused or aggravated by an already service-connected condition. If a clinician attributes your hives to that condition or its treatment, submit the medical explanation and the relevant medication timeline. Do not assume that two diagnoses appearing together prove that one caused the other.
The opinion should address whether the hives were aggravated by the veteran's service-connected condition, meaning they would be less severe but for that condition. El-Amin v. Shinseki explains why an opinion that does not adequately address claimed aggravation can be insufficient. Section 3.310(b) also addresses the evidence needed to establish baseline severity.
Gulf War skin symptoms and a named diagnosis
Section 3.317 lists skin signs among possible manifestations of an undiagnosed illness. That route requires an illness that cannot be attributed to a known clinical diagnosis, as well as the rule's other requirements. A diagnosis of urticaria does not itself establish an undiagnosed illness claim.
The regulation separately covers qualifying medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses. A named diagnosis does not automatically establish or rule out that separate route. The medical findings and the regulation's definition must support it. See Gulf War illness.
The C&P exam and the Skin Diseases DBQ
Use the Skin Diseases DBQ guide to prepare your records.
- Document frequency and duration. Include the history supporting the twice-weekly, six-week definition.
- Bring dated photographs. They can show episodes absent on the exam day.
- List each treatment and its purpose. Include start and stop dates and the prescribing clinician.
- Show earlier treatment failures. These matter specifically to the 60 percent row.
- Describe effects on daily life. Include sleep, work and activities without assuming a particular rating follows from them.
Raven Scan can help you review your uploaded medical records as you prepare this history.
Why VA denies chronic hives claims
The Board section below shows the available urticaria appeal results, including reasons for remand when the data supports that breakdown. It does not currently include a detailed denial breakdown. The evidence issues below follow from the rules described above.
The chronic history is missing. A single episode does not establish the frequency and duration in DC 7825. Document the course over time.
The link to service is not explained. A current diagnosis and an old rash need a medical explanation connecting them when that relationship is in question.
The treatment record is incomplete. The 60 percent row specifically depends on earlier treatment failures. A current prescription alone may leave that requirement unanswered.
The wrong criteria were applied. Compare the decision with the rule applicable to the period being rated, rather than relying on an undated rating chart.
Questions veterans ask about chronic hives
What is the VA rating for chronic urticaria?
DC 7825 provides 10, 30 and 60 percent levels based on treatment needed for control. The code also defines the frequency and duration required for chronic urticaria.
Can antihistamines support a 10 percent rating?
Yes. The 10 percent row describes chronic urticaria requiring antihistamines for control. You must also establish service connection and the chronic condition.
Does an injection automatically qualify for 60 percent?
No. The top row requires third line treatment because first and second line treatments were ineffective. The diagnosis, treatment role and earlier failures should be documented.
What if my skin is clear at the C&P exam?
Submit treatment records, a symptom history and dated photos of episodes. They give the examiner evidence beyond that day's appearance. Do not stop treatment to make the rash visible.
Are hives rated by the percentage of skin affected?
DC 7825 uses its own treatment criteria rather than the general skin formula's body-area percentages. Make sure the decision identifies the correct diagnosis and code.
Are diagnosed hives an undiagnosed Gulf War illness?
The undiagnosed illness route requires that symptoms cannot be attributed to a known clinical diagnosis. A urticaria diagnosis therefore does not itself satisfy that route. Other service-connection theories still require their own evidence.
Sources
- 38 CFR § 4.118, DC 7825 (opens in a new tab), eCFR current through October 5, 2026
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations (opens in a new tab)
- 38 CFR § 3.303, service connection (opens in a new tab)
- 38 CFR § 3.310, secondary service connection (opens in a new tab)
- 38 CFR § 3.317, Persian Gulf veterans (opens in a new tab)
- El-Amin v. Shinseki, 26 Vet. App. 136 (2013) (opens in a new tab)
- Chu AWL and colleagues. Comparative efficacy and safety of biologics and systemic immunomodulatory treatments for chronic urticaria: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2025;156:1008-1023. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2025.06.004 (opens in a new tab)
- VA disability compensation rates (opens in a new tab), effective December 1, 2025
- Skin Diseases DBQ guide