38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR §§ 4.85–4.87

Peripheral vestibular disorders — VA Diagnostic Code 6204

Auditory / ENT

Diagnostic code

6204

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38 CFR § 4.87 lists Diagnostic Code 6204 as “Peripheral vestibular disorders:”. The title ends with a colon. The rating cell on that title is empty. Dizziness and occasional staggering is 30. Occasional dizziness is 10. A note follows those two rows. Appendix B to Part 4 uses the same name, with a period. The catalog row cites §§ 4.85–4.87. The code is printed in § 4.87.

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 § 4.87 source note prints 64 FR 25210, May 11, 1999, as amended at 68 FR 25823, May 14, 2003.

The rating criteria at each level

6204 Peripheral vestibular disorders

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Dizziness and occasional staggering

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Occasional dizziness

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
30	Dizziness and occasional staggering
10	Occasional dizziness

Note: Objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium are required before a compensable evaluation can be assigned under this code. Hearing impairment or suppuration shall be separately rated and combined.

Neither percentage line ends with a period. The 30 percent line says “and occasional staggering.” The 10 percent line says “Occasional dizziness” and does not say staggering.

The note requires objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium before a compensable evaluation can be assigned under this code. It then says hearing impairment or suppuration shall be separately rated and combined. It uses the word “combined.” It does not cite 38 CFR § 4.25. That section is the combined ratings table. 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 6204 does not print a 0 percent line. 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.

DC 6205 is “Meniere's syndrome (endolymphatic hydrops):”. Its lines are 100, 60, and 30, and each of those lines names hearing impairment. Its note says: “Note: Evaluate Meniere's syndrome either under these criteria or by separately evaluating vertigo (as a peripheral vestibular disorder), hearing impairment, and tinnitus, whichever method results in a higher overall evaluation. But do not combine an evaluation for hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code 6205.” The parenthetical “as a peripheral vestibular disorder” is in that note. The note says “diagnostic code 6205” in lowercase. It says not to combine an evaluation for hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under that code.

DC 6260 is “Tinnitus, recurrent,” at 10. Note (1) says a separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation under diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204, or other diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an evaluation under one of those diagnostic codes. The public page is the tinnitus guide. DC 6100 is hearing loss. DC 6200 is chronic suppurative otitis media, mastoiditis, or cholesteatoma. Its note says to evaluate hearing impairment, and complications such as labyrinthitis, tinnitus, facial nerve paralysis, or bone loss of skull, separately. That note does not assign labyrinthitis to DC 6204.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6204, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Staggering is the 30 percent word

The 30 percent line is “Dizziness and occasional staggering.” The 10 percent line is “Occasional dizziness.” The schedule does not print a third percentage under DC 6204.

Objective findings before a compensable evaluation

The note requires objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium before a compensable evaluation can be assigned under this code. The word in the note is “disequilibrium.”

Meniere's is DC 6205

DC 6205 is a different title. Its note allows an evaluation under those criteria, or separate evaluations of vertigo as a peripheral vestibular disorder, hearing impairment, and tinnitus, whichever method results in a higher overall evaluation. It forbids combining hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code 6205.

Evidence that speaks to each level

30 or 10

What the rater needs to see. Dizziness and occasional staggering for the 30 percent line, or occasional dizziness for the 10 percent line, plus the objective findings the note requires before a compensable evaluation.

Where that usually lives. The ear examination that records those findings and the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium.

Hearing impairment or suppuration

What the rater needs to see. The DC 6204 note says hearing impairment or suppuration shall be separately rated and combined. It does not print those percentages on the DC 6204 rows.

Where that usually lives. The hearing examination, and the records of suppuration if that is the finding.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
30 or 10	Dizziness and occasional staggering for the 30 percent line, or occasional dizziness for the 10 percent line, plus the objective findings the note requires before a compensable evaluation.	The ear examination that records those findings and the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium.
Hearing impairment or suppuration	The DC 6204 note says hearing impairment or suppuration shall be separately rated and combined. It does not print those percentages on the DC 6204 rows.	The hearing examination, and the records of suppuration if that is the finding.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Ear (including Vestibular and Infectious)” under Ear, Nose, Throat. The file is Ear (including Vestibular and Infectious).

The exam form

DC 6204 prints 30 and 10, and the objective-findings note. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Meniere's syndrome uses a different code.

DC 6205 prints 100, 60, and 30, and each line names hearing impairment. The note on that code is the sentence that names a peripheral vestibular disorder as one way to evaluate vertigo. DC 6204 does not print those hearing-impairment lines.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “vestibular.” This page does not add DC 6204 to a presumptive row.

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

What is the VA rating for peripheral vestibular disorders?

Under 38 CFR § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6204 is 30 percent for dizziness and occasional staggering, and 10 percent for occasional dizziness. A compensable evaluation requires objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does the note assign a code to labyrinthitis?

The DC 6204 note does not use the word labyrinthitis. The DC 6200 note lists labyrinthitis as an example of a complication to evaluate separately, and it does not assign that word to DC 6204.

FAQ

What percentages does DC 6204 print?

Dizziness and occasional staggering is 30. Occasional dizziness is 10. The note requires objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium before a compensable evaluation can be assigned under this code. Education only.

Does this code print a zero percent line?

No. Section 4.31 is the general rule for a code that does not provide a zero percent evaluation when the compensable requirements are not met.

Is Meniere's syndrome this code?

No. DC 6205 is Meniere's syndrome (endolymphatic hydrops). Its note says not to combine an evaluation for hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code 6205.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6204, whether it used the 30 or 10 percent line, and whether hearing impairment or suppuration was rated separately.
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 ear codes are on the auditory diagnostic-code index. The category page is ear and hearing conditions. Tinnitus is the tinnitus 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 Auditory / ENT, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Auditory / ENT codes

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

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6204 • 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.