38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR §§ 4.85–4.87

Tympanic membrane, perforation of — VA Diagnostic Code 6211

Auditory / ENT

Diagnostic code

6211

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38 CFR § 4.87 lists Diagnostic Code 6211 as “Tympanic membrane, perforation of” with a rating of 0. The row has no colon. Appendix B to Part 4 says “Tympanic membrane.” The index drops “perforation of.” No note is printed under this row.

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

6211 Tympanic membrane, perforation of

Rating %: 0

Criteria (verbatim). Tympanic membrane, perforation of

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
0	Tympanic membrane, perforation of

The rating cell is 0. The row does not print another percentage, and it does not print a note.

The next row is Diagnostic Code 6260, “Tinnitus, recurrent,” at 10. Its Note (1) names diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204, or another diagnostic code. That note is printed under DC 6260. It does not print “6211.” DC 6260 has its own public page. DC 6100 is hearing impairment. DC 6201 and DC 6202 say “Rate hearing impairment.” DC 6211 does not print those words. 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 6211 prints a 0 percent line and no compensable 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. The zero on this code is the line the table prints.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6211, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

One line, at 0

The schedule title and the rating are the whole row: perforation of the tympanic membrane, 0. There is no 10 percent line under DC 6211.

Appendix B drops the rest of the title

Appendix B says “Tympanic membrane.” The § 4.87 row says “Tympanic membrane, perforation of.” The rating is the 0 on that row.

Hearing impairment is a different instruction

DC 6201, chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion, says “Rate hearing impairment.” DC 6202, otosclerosis, says the same. Those words are not on the DC 6211 row.

Evidence that speaks to each level

What the rater needs to see. Perforation of the tympanic membrane, which is the finding the row names.

Where that usually lives. The ear examination.

A neighboring ear code

What the rater needs to see. Hearing impairment, tinnitus, or another ear finding only when the decision uses that other code. DC 6211 does not print those criteria.

Where that usually lives. The code the decision cites, and the examination for that code.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
0	Perforation of the tympanic membrane, which is the finding the row names.	The ear examination.
A neighboring ear code	Hearing impairment, tinnitus, or another ear finding only when the decision uses that other code. DC 6211 does not print those criteria.	The code the decision cites, and the examination for that code.

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 6211 prints one percentage, 0. This page does not say the form replaces that line.

Related codes and how they interact

Tinnitus and hearing loss are the neighboring evaluations.

DC 6260 is recurrent tinnitus at 10, with its own notes. DC 6100 is hearing impairment. The DC 6211 row does not tell the reader to rate those conditions under DC 6211.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “tympanic” or “perforation.” DC 6211 is not a chronic-disease row in that section.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for a perforated tympanic membrane?

Under 38 CFR § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6211 rates perforation of the tympanic membrane at 0 percent. The row does not print a higher line. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is tinnitus rated on this line?

DC 6260 rates recurrent tinnitus at 10 percent and prints its own notes. Those notes are not the DC 6211 row. Note (1) under DC 6260 does not print the number 6211.

FAQ

What percentage does DC 6211 print?

0. The row is “Tympanic membrane, perforation of.” It has no other percentage and no note. Education only.

Why does the index say only “Tympanic membrane”?

Appendix B says “Tympanic membrane.” The rating table says “Tympanic membrane, perforation of” and prints 0.

Does this row say to rate hearing impairment?

No. DC 6201 and DC 6202 say “Rate hearing impairment.” DC 6211 does not. Hearing impairment is DC 6100. Recurrent tinnitus is DC 6260.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6211 and for any separate ear code it cites, including hearing impairment or tinnitus.
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.

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 6211 • 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.