38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.97

Sarcoidosis — VA Diagnostic Code 6846

Respiratory

Diagnostic code

6846

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38 CFR § 4.97 lists Diagnostic Code 6846 as “Sarcoidosis.” It prints 100, 60, 30, and 0. It also says to rate active disease or residuals as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) and extra-pulmonary involvement under the specific body system involved. Section 4.96(d), the pulmonary-function rule for codes 6600, 6603, 6604, 6825-6833, and 6840-6845, does not name DC 6846.

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 § 4.97 source note prints 61 FR 46728, Sept. 5, 1996, as amended at 71 FR 28586, May 17, 2006. The versioner content versions for § 4.97 list a substantive amendment date of 2016-12-14. The § 4.96 source note prints 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969, as amended at 61 FR 46727, Sept. 5, 1996; 71 FR 52459, Sept. 6, 2006.

The rating criteria at each level

Sarcoidosis — DC 6846

Rating %: 100

Criteria (verbatim). Cor pulmonale, or; cardiac involvement with congestive heart failure, or; progressive pulmonary disease with fever, night sweats, and weight loss despite treatment

Rating %: 60

Criteria (verbatim). Pulmonary involvement requiring systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms requiring chronic low dose (maintenance) or intermittent corticosteroids

Rating %: 0

Criteria (verbatim). Chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
100	Cor pulmonale, or; cardiac involvement with congestive heart failure, or; progressive pulmonary disease with fever, night sweats, and weight loss despite treatment
60	Pulmonary involvement requiring systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control
30	Pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms requiring chronic low dose (maintenance) or intermittent corticosteroids
0	Chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment

Or rate active disease or residuals as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) and extra-pulmonary involvement under specific body system involved.

DC 6846 prints a 0 percent line. The zero-percent rule in § 4.31 applies where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation. This code does provide one.

38 CFR § 4.96(a) says ratings under diagnostic codes 6600 through 6817 and 6822 through 6847 will not be combined with each other. A single rating will be assigned under the diagnostic code which reflects the predominant disability, with elevation to the next higher evaluation where the severity of the overall disability warrants such elevation. In cases protected by Pub. L. 90-493, the graduated ratings of 50 and 30 percent for inactive tuberculosis will not be elevated.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6846, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids

That is the entire 60 percent line: pulmonary involvement requiring systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control.

Chronic low dose (maintenance) or intermittent corticosteroids

That is the steroid phrase on the 30 percent line. The line also requires pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms.

Rate as chronic bronchitis

The schedule says to rate active disease or residuals as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) and extra-pulmonary involvement under the specific body system involved. DC 6600’s lines are the FEV-1, FEV-1/FVC, and DLCO lines, plus the heart, respiratory-failure, and oxygen alternatives. Section 4.96(a) still says a DC 6600 rating is not combined with a DC 6846 rating.

When two lines are close

38 CFR § 4.7 (Higher of two evaluations) 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 (Evaluation of evidence) requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

Evidence that speaks to each level

100

What the rater needs to see. Cor pulmonale, or cardiac involvement with congestive heart failure, or progressive pulmonary disease with fever, night sweats, and weight loss despite treatment.

Where that usually lives. Cardiology or pulmonology notes that use those findings.

What the rater needs to see. Pulmonary involvement requiring systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control.

Where that usually lives. The medication list and the note that describes the dose as systemic high dose (therapeutic).

What the rater needs to see. Pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms requiring chronic low dose (maintenance) or intermittent corticosteroids.

Where that usually lives. The same medication and symptom notes.

What the rater needs to see. Chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment.

Where that usually lives. Imaging and the exam that records the absence of symptoms or physiologic impairment.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
100	Cor pulmonale, or cardiac involvement with congestive heart failure, or progressive pulmonary disease with fever, night sweats, and weight loss despite treatment.	Cardiology or pulmonology notes that use those findings.
60	Pulmonary involvement requiring systemic high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control.	The medication list and the note that describes the dose as systemic high dose (therapeutic).
30	Pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms requiring chronic low dose (maintenance) or intermittent corticosteroids.	The same medication and symptom notes.
0	Chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment.	Imaging and the exam that records the absence of symptoms or physiologic impairment.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea)” under Respiratory. The file is Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea). Sleep apnea is a separate public form and a separate code, DC 6847.

The exam form

The public respiratory form can record pulmonary findings and steroid treatment. Extra-pulmonary involvement is rated under the body system involved, so the records for that system matter when the “or rate” sentence is in use.

Related codes and how they interact

Chronic bronchitis and extra-pulmonary codes

The “or rate” sentence points active disease or residuals to DC 6600 and extra-pulmonary involvement to the specific body system involved.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

38 CFR § 3.309(a) lists “Sarcoidosis” among the chronic diseases. The time limit is in 38 CFR § 3.307(a)(3): the disease must have become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within 1 year (for Hansen's disease (leprosy) and tuberculosis, within 3 years; multiple sclerosis, within 7 years) from the date of separation from service as specified in paragraph (a)(2). The chronic-disease presumption also requires that the rebuttable presumption provisions of § 3.307 are satisfied.

The herbicide-agent list in 38 CFR § 3.309(e) does not name sarcoidosis. 38 CFR § 3.320(a)(2) lists asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis, to include rhinosinusitis. Paragraph (a)(3) lists nine rare cancers of the larynx, trachea, or lung. Neither paragraph names sarcoidosis. 38 U.S.C. § 1120(b), read on the Legal Information Institute page on 2026-10-05, lists “Sarcoidosis” among the diseases specified for the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with exposure to burn pits and other toxins. Subsection (a) says a disease specified in subsection (b), becoming manifest in a covered veteran, shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated during active service, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such disease during that service, for the purposes of section 1110 and subject to section 1113. Subsection (c) defines covered veteran by reference to section 1119(c). VA’s PACT Act page, read the same day, lists “Sarcoidosis” under “These illnesses are now presumptive” for Gulf War era and post-9/11 Veterans, and it prints the locations and dates for a presumption of exposure. This page does not restate that location list.

The chronic-disease list and § 1120(b) are different authorities. Section 3.309(e) does not name sarcoidosis. Section 3.320 does not name it either.

A secondary question that those sections do not decide 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 sarcoidosis?

Under 38 CFR § 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6846 prints 100, 60, 30, and 0, or active disease or residuals may be rated as chronic bronchitis under DC 6600, with extra-pulmonary involvement under the body system involved. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

What is the 0 percent line?

Chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment.

FAQ

How does VA rate sarcoidosis under DC 6846?

Under 38 CFR § 4.97, DC 6846 prints 100, 60, 30, and 0. The 0 line is chronic hilar adenopathy or stable lung infiltrates without symptoms or physiologic impairment. The schedule also says to rate active disease or residuals as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) and extra-pulmonary involvement under the specific body system involved. Education only.

Is sarcoidosis a chronic disease under § 3.309(a)?

Yes. Section 3.309(a) lists sarcoidosis. The manifest period for that chronic-disease presumption is § 3.307(a)(3). Separately, 38 U.S.C. § 1120(b) lists sarcoidosis for a covered veteran. The herbicide list in § 3.309(e) does not name sarcoidosis.

Do the pulmonary-function special provisions name DC 6846?

Section 4.96(d) names diagnostic codes 6600, 6603, 6604, 6825-6833, and 6840-6845. It does not name DC 6846. If active disease or residuals are rated as DC 6600, that code is on the paragraph (d) list.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 6846, the steroid dose it describes, and whether it rated residuals under DC 6600 or another body system.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the test results, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. C&P prep (Founding Pass) is a separate worksheet. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other respiratory codes are on the respiratory diagnostic-code index. The category page is respiratory 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 Respiratory, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Respiratory codes

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

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 6846 • 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.