38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.114

Colitis, ulcerative — VA Diagnostic Code 7323

Digestive

Diagnostic code

7323

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38 CFR § 4.114 lists Diagnostic Code 7323 as “Colitis, ulcerative:”. The next cell does not print a percentage. It says: “Rate as Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease (DC 7326).” The apostrophe in “Crohn's” is the straight apostrophe printed in the 2026-10-01 XML. The 100, 60, 30, and 10 lines are printed under DC 7326.

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

7323 Colitis, ulcerative

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Rate as Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease (DC 7326).

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Rate as Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease (DC 7326).

7326 Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease — the scale DC 7323 names

Rating %: 100

Criteria (verbatim). Severe inflammatory bowel disease that is unresponsive to treatment; and requires hospitalization at least once per year; and results in either an inability to work or is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with at least two of the following: (1) six or more episodes per day of diarrhea, (2) six or more episodes per day of rectal bleeding, (3) recurrent episodes of rectal incontinence, or (4) recurrent abdominal distension

Rating %: 60

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate inflammatory bowel disease that is managed on an outpatient basis with immunosuppressants or other biologic agents; and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain, four to five daily episodes of diarrhea; and intermittent signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease that is managed with oral and topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents); and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain with three or less daily episodes of diarrhea and minimal signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Minimal to mild symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease that is managed with oral or topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents); and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain with three or less daily episodes of diarrhea and no signs of systemic toxicity

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
100	Severe inflammatory bowel disease that is unresponsive to treatment; and requires hospitalization at least once per year; and results in either an inability to work or is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with at least two of the following: (1) six or more episodes per day of diarrhea, (2) six or more episodes per day of rectal bleeding, (3) recurrent episodes of rectal incontinence, or (4) recurrent abdominal distension
60	Moderate inflammatory bowel disease that is managed on an outpatient basis with immunosuppressants or other biologic agents; and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain, four to five daily episodes of diarrhea; and intermittent signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia
30	Mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease that is managed with oral and topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents); and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain with three or less daily episodes of diarrhea and minimal signs of toxicity such as fever, tachycardia, or anemia
10	Minimal to mild symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease that is managed with oral or topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents); and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain with three or less daily episodes of diarrhea and no signs of systemic toxicity

Note (1), printed under DC 7326: Following colectomy/colostomy with persistent or recurrent symptoms, rate either under DC 7326 or DC 7329 (Intestine, large, resection of), whichever provides the highest rating.

Note (2), printed under DC 7326: VA requires diagnoses under DC 7326 to be confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies.

Note (3), printed under DC 7326: Inflammation may involve small bowel (ileitis), large bowel (colitis), or inflammation of any component of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus.

DC 7323’s own cell is the rate-as sentence. It ends with a period. It does not print 100, 60, 30, or 10. Those four lines, and Notes (1) through (3), are under DC 7326. The 60 percent line names immunosuppressants or other biologic agents. The 30 percent line says “oral and topical agents (other than immunosuppressants or other biologic agents).” The 10 percent line says “oral or topical agents,” with “or,” and it says “Minimal to mild symptomatic.” None of the four percentage lines ends with a period. 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 7326’s lowest printed line is 10. DC 7323 does not print a 0 percent line of its own.

The opening sentence of § 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 7323 and DC 7326 are both inside “7301 through 7329 inclusive.” DC 7329 is also inside that span. Note (1) says to rate colectomy or colostomy with persistent or recurrent symptoms under DC 7326 or DC 7329, whichever provides the highest rating. DC 7325 says to rate chronic enteritis as irritable bowel syndrome or as DC 7326, depending on the predominant disability. DC 7323 does not name irritable bowel syndrome. The public page for that code is the IBS guide. 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.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Codes 7323 and 7326, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

The percentage lines sit under 7326

DC 7323 says to rate as DC 7326. The severe, moderate, mild-to-moderate, and minimal-to-mild lines are the DC 7326 lines. An older description that used malnutrition and “health only fair during remissions” is not the 2026-10-01 text of either code.

And versus or, on the treatment lines

The 30 percent line says “oral and topical agents.” The 10 percent line says “oral or topical agents.” Both exclude immunosuppressants or other biologic agents. The 60 percent line is the line that names those agents.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 7323 instruction

What the rater needs to see. Ulcerative colitis rated as DC 7326, which is the sentence DC 7323 prints.

Where that usually lives. The diagnosis the record uses, read against that sentence.

100, 60, 30, or 10 under DC 7326

What the rater needs to see. Treatment response, hospitalization, the diarrhea or bleeding counts the line names, and the signs of toxicity the 60 and 30 lines name. Note (2) says VA requires diagnoses under DC 7326 to be confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies.

Where that usually lives. The endoscopy or radiologic study Note (2) names, and the treatment record.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 7323 instruction	Ulcerative colitis rated as DC 7326, which is the sentence DC 7323 prints.	The diagnosis the record uses, read against that sentence.
100, 60, 30, or 10 under DC 7326	Treatment response, hospitalization, the diarrhea or bleeding counts the line names, and the signs of toxicity the 60 and 30 lines name. Note (2) says VA requires diagnoses under DC 7326 to be confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies.	The endoscopy or radiologic study Note (2) names, and the treatment record.

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

The exam form

DC 7323 prints a rate-as sentence. DC 7326 prints 100, 60, 30, and 10, and three notes. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Chronic enteritis names two possible codes. Ulcerative colitis names one.

DC 7325 says to rate as irritable bowel syndrome or as DC 7326, depending on the predominant disability. DC 7323 names only DC 7326.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “colitis.” DC 7323 is a rating-schedule line.

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 ulcerative colitis?

Under 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7323 says to rate it as Crohn’s disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease, Diagnostic Code 7326. That code prints 100, 60, 30, and 10. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does the schedule still use a malnutrition line for this code?

The 2026-10-01 text does not. DC 7323 is the rate-as sentence. The DC 7326 lines use treatment, hospitalization, episode counts, and signs of toxicity.

FAQ

Does DC 7323 print its own percentages?

No. The cell says to rate as Crohn’s disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease, DC 7326. DC 7326 prints 100, 60, 30, and 10. Education only.

What confirms the DC 7326 diagnosis the instruction names?

Note (2), printed under DC 7326, says VA requires diagnoses under DC 7326 to be confirmed by endoscopy or radiologic studies.

Can ulcerative colitis and DC 7326 be combined?

The § 4.114 opening sentence says not to combine ratings under diagnostic codes 7301 through 7329 inclusive with each other. DC 7323 and DC 7326 are both in that span. DC 7323 says to rate as DC 7326.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7323 or DC 7326, the line it used, and whether endoscopy or a radiologic study is in the record Note (2) names.
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 7323 • 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.