38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.71a
Toes, three or four, amputation of, without metatarsal involvement — VA Diagnostic Code 5173
Musculoskeletal
Diagnostic code
5173
38 CFR § 4.71a lists Diagnostic Code 5173 in the table captioned “Amputations: Lower Extremity.” The title is “Toes, three or four, amputation of, without metatarsal involvement:”. Including the great toe is 20. Not including the great toe is 10. Neither number carries a superscript. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes the code as “Toes, three or more, without metatarsal involvement.”
Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.71a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42536, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11294, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45350, Oct. 2, 1978; 51 FR 6411, Feb. 24, 1986; 61 FR 20439, May 7, 1996; 67 FR 48785, July 26, 2002; 67 FR 54349, Aug. 22, 2002; 68 FR 51456, Aug. 27, 2003; 69 FR 32450, June 10, 2004; 80 FR 42041, July 16, 2015; 85 FR 76460, Nov. 30, 2020, 85 FR 85523, Dec. 29, 2020, 86 FR 8142, Feb. 4, 2021. The § 4.69 source note prints 62 FR 30239, June 3, 1997.
The rating criteria at each level
5173 Toes, three or four, amputation of, without metatarsal involvement
Rating %: 20
Criteria (verbatim). Including great toe
Rating %: 10
Criteria (verbatim). Not including great toe
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 20 | Including great toe |
| 10 | Not including great toe |
The lower-extremity table has one Rating column. It does not split Major and Minor.
The 20 and the 10 do not have a superscript. Footnote 2 of this table reads: Also entitled to special monthly compensation. That footnote is printed on the earlier rows that carry superscript 2, including the thigh amputation rows and loss of use of the foot. It is not printed on the 20 or the 10 of DC 5173.
The title says “three or four” and “without metatarsal involvement.” Appendix B says “three or more” and does not say “amputation of.”
DC 5171 is “Toe, great, amputation of:”. With removal of the metatarsal head it is 30. Without metatarsal involvement it is 10. That 10 is one great toe. It is not the DC 5173 line for three or four toes not including the great toe. DC 5172 is toes other than the great toe, amputation of, with removal of the metatarsal head: one or two is 20, and without metatarsal involvement is 0. DC 5167 is loss of use of the foot, superscript 2 and 40.
38 CFR § 4.68 says the combined rating for disabilities of an extremity shall not exceed the rating for the amputation at the elective level, were amputation to be performed. The example is the 40 percent evaluation, diagnostic code 5165. The example does not name DC 5173. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.
The code prints no 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5173, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.
What the words mean in your records
20 with the great toe, 10 without it
Both lines are “without metatarsal involvement,” which is in the title. The difference between the lines is whether the great toe is included.
No superscript on these two numbers
Footnote 2, “Also entitled to special monthly compensation,” belongs to the rows that print superscript 2. DC 5173’s 20 and 10 do not print that superscript.
Appendix B says “three or more”
The rating table says “three or four.” Appendix B says “Toes, three or more, without metatarsal involvement.”
Evidence that speaks to each level
20
What the rater needs to see. Amputation of three or four toes, without metatarsal involvement, including the great toe.
Where that usually lives. The amputation record, including whether the great toe was removed and whether a metatarsal was involved.
10
What the rater needs to see. The same amputation title, not including the great toe.
Where that usually lives. The same operative record.
VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Amputations” and “Foot Conditions Including Flatfoot (Pes Planus)” under Musculoskeletal. The files are Amputations and Foot Conditions Including Flatfoot (Pes Planus).
The exam form
DC 5173 prints 20 and 10. This page does not say either form replaces those lines.
Related codes and how they interact
One great toe is a different code.
DC 5171 without metatarsal involvement is 10 for the great toe alone. DC 5173’s 10 is three or four toes not including the great toe. DC 5172’s 0 is toes other than the great toe without metatarsal involvement, under a title that otherwise addresses removal of the metatarsal head.
Secondary conditions and presumptions
The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain this toe-amputation title. DC 5173 is a rating-schedule line.
A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.
Short answers
How does VA rate amputation of three or four toes without metatarsal involvement?
Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5173 is 20 including the great toe and 10 not including the great toe. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.
Which footnote says “Also entitled to special monthly compensation”?
Footnote 2 of the lower-extremity amputation table. It is on the rows that print superscript 2. The DC 5173 ratings do not print superscript 2.
FAQ
What are the ratings under DC 5173?
20 for amputation of three or four toes, without metatarsal involvement, including the great toe. 10 when the great toe is not included. Neither number has the special-monthly-compensation superscript. Education only.
Does Appendix B say “three or four”?
No. Appendix B says “Toes, three or more, without metatarsal involvement.” The rating table says “three or four” and “amputation of.”
Is loss of use of the foot this code?
No. Loss of use of the foot is DC 5167, at 40, with superscript 2. DC 5173 does not print that superscript.
Next steps
- Read the decision for DC 5173 and whether the great toe was included.
- The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
- Other musculoskeletal codes are on the musculoskeletal diagnostic-code index. The category page is musculoskeletal conditions.
Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.
Other codes in this body system
Nearby catalog entries in Musculoskeletal, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Musculoskeletal codes
- DC 5163Leg amputation with a defective stump, thigh amputation recommended
- DC 5164Leg amputation not improvable by a prosthesis controlled by natural knee action
- DC 5165Leg amputation at a lower level, permitting a prosthesis
- DC 5166Forefoot amputation proximal to the metatarsal bones (more than one-half of the metatarsal lost)
- DC 5167Foot, loss of use of
- DC 5170Toes, all, amputation of, without metatarsal loss or transmetatarsal, amputation of, with up to half of metatarsal loss
- DC 5171Great toe, amputation
- DC 5172Toes other than the great toe, amputation with removal of the metatarsal head
- DC 5200Scapulohumeral articulation, ankylosis
- DC 5201Arm, limitation of motion
- DC 5202Humerus, other impairment
- DC 5203Clavicle or scapula, impairment
- DC 5205Elbow, ankylosis
- DC 5206Forearm, limitation of flexion
- DC 5207Forearm, limitation of extension
- DC 5208Forearm, flexion limited
Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.
Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 5173 • va.gov
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.