38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.71a

Clavicle or scapula, impairment of — VA Diagnostic Code 5203

Musculoskeletal

Diagnostic code

5203

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38 CFR § 4.71a lists Diagnostic Code 5203 under The Shoulder and Arm as “Clavicle or scapula, impairment of:”. The columns are Major and Minor. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes the code as “Clavicle or scapula, impairment.” The index drops the word “of.” The last line has no percentage. It says to rate on impairment of function of the contiguous joint.

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 last two amendments are separated by commas in that note.

The rating criteria at each level

5203 Clavicle or scapula, impairment of — Major and Minor columns

Rating %: 20 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Dislocation of

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Nonunion of:

Rating %: 20 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). With loose movement

Rating %: 10 major, 10 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Without loose movement

Rating %: 10 major, 10 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Malunion of

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Or rate on impairment of function of contiguous joint.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
20 major, 20 minor	Dislocation of
—	Nonunion of:
20 major, 20 minor	With loose movement
10 major, 10 minor	Without loose movement
10 major, 10 minor	Malunion of
—	Or rate on impairment of function of contiguous joint.

The table caption is “The Shoulder and Arm.” Rating is the heading over two columns, Major and Minor. The nonunion heading and the contiguous-joint line have empty cells. Those empty cells are not extra percentages.

The contiguous-joint line ends with a period. It does not name a diagnostic code.

38 CFR § 4.69 says handedness for the purpose of a dominant rating will be determined by the evidence of record, or by testing on VA examination. Only one hand shall be considered dominant. The injured hand, or the most severely injured hand, of an ambidextrous individual will be considered the dominant hand for rating purposes. Section 4.69 does not use the words “Major” and “Minor.” Those are the column headings. 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.

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. DC 5203 does not print a 0 percent line.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5203, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Dislocation, nonunion, and malunion

Dislocation is 20 in the Major column and 20 in the Minor column. Nonunion with loose movement is 20 and 20. Nonunion without loose movement is 10 and 10. Malunion is 10 and 10.

Contiguous joint

The alternative line says “Or rate on impairment of function of contiguous joint.” It does not name the joint. DC 5201 is limitation of motion of the arm. Its public page is the shoulder guide. DC 5200 is ankylosis of scapulohumeral articulation. DC 5202 is other impairment of the humerus. Those titles are not the DC 5203 alternative line.

Appendix B drops “of”

The index line is “Clavicle or scapula, impairment.” The § 4.71a row is “Clavicle or scapula, impairment of:”. The criteria are the major and minor lines under that row.

Evidence that speaks to each level

Dislocation, nonunion, or malunion

What the rater needs to see. The finding named on that line, and which shoulder the Major or Minor column is using.

Where that usually lives. The imaging and the examination of the clavicle or scapula.

The contiguous-joint alternative

What the rater needs to see. The impairment of function of the contiguous joint, when that line is the one used.

Where that usually lives. The examination of that joint. The line does not name a code.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
Dislocation, nonunion, or malunion	The finding named on that line, and which shoulder the Major or Minor column is using.	The imaging and the examination of the clavicle or scapula.
The contiguous-joint alternative	The impairment of function of the contiguous joint, when that line is the one used.	The examination of that joint. The line does not name a code.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Shoulder and/or Arm” under Musculoskeletal. The file is Shoulder and/or Arm.

The exam form

DC 5203 prints the major and minor lines above. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Limitation of motion of the arm is not this code.

The shoulder guide covers DC 5201. DC 5203 is the clavicle or scapula table. The schedule does not say to rate every DC 5203 finding as DC 5201.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “clavicle” or “scapula.” DC 5203 is not a chronic-disease row in that section.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for clavicle or scapula impairment?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5203 uses Major and Minor columns. Dislocation and nonunion with loose movement are 20 and 20. Nonunion without loose movement and malunion are 10 and 10. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Which column is the dominant shoulder?

The table labels the columns Major and Minor. Section 4.69 states how a dominant hand is determined. It does not use the words Major and Minor.

FAQ

How does VA rate impairment of the clavicle or scapula under DC 5203?

Dislocation is 20 major and 20 minor. Nonunion with loose movement is 20 and 20. Nonunion without loose movement is 10 and 10. Malunion is 10 and 10. The last line says to rate on impairment of function of the contiguous joint and prints no percentage. Education only.

Does the contiguous-joint line name a diagnostic code?

No. The printed words are “Or rate on impairment of function of contiguous joint.” Limitation of motion of the arm is DC 5201. Ankylosis is DC 5200. Other impairment of the humerus is DC 5202.

Why does the index omit the word “of”?

Appendix B says “Clavicle or scapula, impairment.” The rating table says “Clavicle or scapula, impairment of:”. The percentages are the table lines.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 5203, the major or minor column, and whether the contiguous-joint line was used.
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 shoulder codes are on the musculoskeletal diagnostic-code index. The arm motion page is the shoulder guide.

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

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 5203 • 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.