38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.114

Cholelithiasis, chronic — VA Diagnostic Code 7315

Digestive

Diagnostic code

7315

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38 CFR § 4.114 lists Diagnostic Code 7315 as “Cholelithiasis, chronic:”. The title ends with a colon. The only criteria cell says: “Rate as chronic biliary tract disease (DC 7314).” That sentence ends with a period. DC 7315 prints no 30, 10, or 0 of its own. Those lines are on DC 7314. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Cholelithiasis, chronic.” and indexes 7316 as “[Removed].” The § 4.114 table goes from DC 7315 to DC 7317.

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 § 4.114 source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5063, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11301, Mar. 18, 1976; 66 FR 29488, May 31, 2001; 89 FR 19743, Mar. 20, 2024.

The rating criteria at each level

7314 Chronic biliary tract disease — the table DC 7315 names

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). With three or more clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting during the past 12 months; or requiring dilatation of biliary tract strictures at least once during the past 12 months.

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). With one or two clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting in the past 12 months.

Rating %: 0

Criteria (verbatim). Asymptomatic, without history of a clinically documented attack of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting in the past 12 months.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
30	With three or more clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting during the past 12 months; or requiring dilatation of biliary tract strictures at least once during the past 12 months.
10	With one or two clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting in the past 12 months.
0	Asymptomatic, without history of a clinically documented attack of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting in the past 12 months.

DC 7315’s criteria cell is: “Rate as chronic biliary tract disease (DC 7314).”

Note under DC 7314: This diagnostic code includes cholangitis, biliary strictures, Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, bile duct injury, and choledochal cyst. Rate primary sclerosing cholangitis under chronic liver disease without cirrhosis (DC 7345).

That inclusion note is printed under DC 7314. DC 7315 does not reprint it. Each DC 7314 criteria cell ends with a period. The 30 percent cell says “during the past 12 months.” The 10 and 0 percent cells say “in the past 12 months.”

DC 7314 prints a 0 percent line, so § 4.31 is not what creates that 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.

The opening of 38 CFR § 4.114 says: “Do not combine ratings under diagnostic codes 7301 through 7329 inclusive, 7331, 7342, 7345 through 7350 inclusive, 7352, and 7355 through 7357 inclusive, with each other. Instead, when more than one rating is warranted under those diagnostic codes, assign a single evaluation under the diagnostic code that reflects the predominant disability picture, and elevate it to the next higher evaluation if warranted by the severity of the overall disability.” DC 7315 and DC 7314 are both inside 7301 through 7329.

DC 7318 is complications of cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), such as strictures and biliary leaks. Its lines are 30, 10, and 0, in different words from DC 7314. The 30 percent cell there is recurrent abdominal pain (post-prandial or nocturnal) and chronic diarrhea characterized by three or more watery bowel movements per day. Those words are not the DC 7315 instruction. DC 7317 says to rate gallbladder injury as adhesions of the peritoneum (DC 7301), or chronic gallbladder and biliary tract disease (DC 7314), or DC 7318, depending on the predominant disability. The DC 7317 sentence says “chronic gallbladder and biliary tract disease.” The DC 7314 title is “Chronic biliary tract disease:”. DC 7345 is the code the DC 7314 note names for primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Codes 7315 and 7314, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

One sentence, then another code’s table

DC 7315 does not print 30, 10, or 0. It says to rate as chronic biliary tract disease under DC 7314. The percentages on this page are the DC 7314 lines.

During versus in the past 12 months

The 30 percent DC 7314 cell says “during the past 12 months.” The 10 and 0 percent cells say “in the past 12 months.” The 30 percent cell also has the dilatation clause. The 10 percent cell does not.

7316 is marked removed

Appendix B indexes diagnostic code 7316 as “[Removed].” The rating table does not print a 7316 row between DC 7315 and DC 7317.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 7314 lines DC 7315 uses

What the rater needs to see. Three or more clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting during the past 12 months, or dilatation of biliary tract strictures at least once during the past 12 months, for 30. One or two such attacks in the past 12 months for 10. Asymptomatic, without that history in the past 12 months, for 0.

Where that usually lives. The clinical notes of the attacks, or the procedure note for the dilatation. Those lines are printed on DC 7314.

A different gallbladder code

What the rater needs to see. Complications after gallbladder removal use DC 7318’s own words. Gallbladder injury uses the DC 7317 sentence. Neither sentence is printed under DC 7315.

Where that usually lives. The code the decision cites.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 7314 lines DC 7315 uses	Three or more clinically documented attacks of right upper quadrant pain with nausea and vomiting during the past 12 months, or dilatation of biliary tract strictures at least once during the past 12 months, for 30. One or two such attacks in the past 12 months for 10. Asymptomatic, without that history in the past 12 months, for 0.	The clinical notes of the attacks, or the procedure note for the dilatation. Those lines are printed on DC 7314.
A different gallbladder code	Complications after gallbladder removal use DC 7318’s own words. Gallbladder injury uses the DC 7317 sentence. Neither sentence is printed under DC 7315.	The code the decision cites.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Gallbladder” under Gastrointestinal. The file is Gallbladder.

The exam form

DC 7315 prints one sentence and points at DC 7314. This page does not say the form replaces that sentence or the DC 7314 lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Removal complications are not this rate-as sentence.

DC 7318 has its own 30, 10, and 0. DC 7317 names DC 7301, DC 7314, and DC 7318 and chooses by the predominant disability. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

38 CFR § 3.309(a) lists “Calculi of the kidney, bladder, or gallbladder.” It does not say “Cholelithiasis, chronic.” That calculi name covers three sites. This page does not assign it to DC 7315. Section 3.309(d)(2)(xii) says “Cancer of the gall bladder.” It does not assign DC 7315 either. The words in the regulation are “gall bladder,” two words.

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 chronic cholelithiasis?

Under 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7315 says to rate chronic cholelithiasis as chronic biliary tract disease under DC 7314. DC 7314 is 30, 10, or 0 percent. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Where did diagnostic code 7316 go?

Appendix B indexes 7316 as “[Removed].” The 2026-10-01 rating table does not print a 7316 row.

FAQ

How does VA rate chronic cholelithiasis under DC 7315?

The only criteria cell says to rate it as chronic biliary tract disease under DC 7314. That code is 30, 10, or 0 percent, using the attack counts and the dilatation clause printed on those lines. Education only.

Does DC 7315 reprint the biliary-tract inclusion note?

No. The note that names cholangitis, biliary strictures, Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, bile duct injury, and choledochal cyst is printed under DC 7314. It also sends primary sclerosing cholangitis to DC 7345.

Is gallbladder calculi the same listing?

Section 3.309(a) says “Calculi of the kidney, bladder, or gallbladder.” DC 7315’s title is “Cholelithiasis, chronic.” The page does not treat those as the same name and does not assign the calculi row to this code.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7315 and whether it used the DC 7314 lines, DC 7318, or DC 7345.
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 digestive codes are on the digestive diagnostic-code index. The category page is digestive 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 Digestive, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Digestive codes

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

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7315 • va.gov

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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.