Diagnostic code
Diagnostic Code 9411: PTSD Rating Criteria
- CFR section
- 38 CFR § 4.130. General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders
- Rating range
- 0% to 100%
- Rating levels
- 6
- Body system
- Mental disorders
The VA rates PTSD under diagnostic code 9411 in 38 CFR § 4.130. General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The table below is the full set of rating criteria, from the schedule itself, with the evidence factors raters look for at each level.
DC 9411 rating criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 0% | A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication What raters look fordiagnosed; no functional impairment; no medication needed |
| 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 What raters look formild symptoms; impairment only during stress; medication controlled |
| 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) What raters look foroccasional decrease in work efficiency; generally functioning satisfactorily; depressed mood; anxiety; chronic sleep impairment |
| 50% | Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity What raters look forflattened affect; panic attacks weekly or less; difficulty understanding complex commands; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships |
| 70% | Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood What raters look forsuicidal ideation; obsessional rituals; intermittently illogical speech; near-continuous panic or depression; impaired impulse control; spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; inability to establish and maintain effective relationships |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment What raters look forgross 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; disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives or own name |
Condition guide
The rating criteria are only part of the picture for PTSD. The PTSD condition page covers service connection, common evidence problems, secondary conditions, and Board outcome patterns in depth.
What happens to PTSD appeals at the Board
Claim Raven's analysis of 1,609 decided Board of Veterans' Appeals cases with PTSD as the primary issue. The PTSD condition page has the full breakdown, including which evidence types are associated with better outcomes.
Method: outcomes are coded per case from the Board's published decisions, rolled up as granted (including partial grants), denied, or remanded, excluding dismissals. The dataset codes the condition on appeal, not the diagnostic code, so these numbers describe PTSD appeals generally rather than DC 9411 specifically. Board outcomes describe appealed claims, not initial decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What is VA diagnostic code 9411?
Diagnostic code 9411 is the VA rating schedule entry for PTSD, found in 38 CFR § 4.130. General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The VA assigns this code when it rates the condition and applies the criteria listed on this page.
What ratings are possible under DC 9411?
DC 9411 provides ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100%. The percentage depends on which criteria your medical evidence documents, not on the diagnosis alone.
What does the highest rating under DC 9411 require?
The 100% rating for PTSD requires: Total occupational and social impairment.