38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.118
Erythema multiforme — VA Diagnostic Code 7827
Skin
Diagnostic code
7827
38 CFR § 4.118 lists Diagnostic Code 7827 as “Erythema multiforme; Toxic epidermal necrolysis:”. The title uses a semicolon and ends with a colon. The lines are 60, 30, and 10. None of those cells ends with a period. A note says what systemic therapy may consist of for this DC only, and that note does not end with a period. DC 7827 is not named in the General Rating Formula for the Skin header. Appendix B indexes “Erythema multiforme.” and drops “Toxic epidermal necrolysis.”
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 § 4.118 source note prints 67 FR 49596, July 31, 2002; 67 FR 58448, 58449, Sept. 16, 2002; 73 FR 54710, Oct. 23, 2008; 77 FR 2910, Jan. 20, 2012; 83 FR 32597, July 13, 2018; 83 FR 38663, Aug. 7, 2018. The § 4.31 source note prints 58 FR 52018, Oct. 6, 1993.
The rating criteria at each level
7827 Erythema multiforme; Toxic epidermal necrolysis
Rating %: 60
Criteria (verbatim). Recurrent mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation occurring four or more times over the past 12-month period despite ongoing immunosuppressive therapy
Rating %: 30
Criteria (verbatim). All of the following
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). Recurrent mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement not impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation, occurring four or more times over the past 12-month period; and requiring intermittent systemic therapy
Rating %: 10
Criteria (verbatim). At least one of the following
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). One to three episodes of mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement not impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation, occurring over the past 12-month period AND requiring intermittent systemic therapy; or
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). Without recurrent episodes, but requiring continuous systemic medication for control
Rating %: —
Criteria (verbatim). Or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 60 | Recurrent mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation occurring four or more times over the past 12-month period despite ongoing immunosuppressive therapy |
| 30 | All of the following |
| — | Recurrent mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement not impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation, occurring four or more times over the past 12-month period; and requiring intermittent systemic therapy |
| 10 | At least one of the following |
| — | One to three episodes of mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement not impairing mastication, use of hands, or ambulation, occurring over the past 12-month period AND requiring intermittent systemic therapy; or |
| — | Without recurrent episodes, but requiring continuous systemic medication for control |
| — | Or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability |
Note: For the purposes of this DC only, systemic therapy may consist of one or more of the following treatment agents: immunosuppressives, antihistamines, or sympathomimetics
The note does not end with a period. It says “this DC only.” It is not § 4.118(a). Section 4.118(a) defines systemic and topical therapy by route for the section. The note lists immunosuppressives, antihistamines, or sympathomimetics as treatment agents systemic therapy may consist of under DC 7827.
The 60 percent cell has no comma before “occurring.” The 30 percent cell has a comma before “occurring” and joins the second requirement with “; and requiring.” The first 10 percent option capitalizes “AND” and ends with “; or”. The second 10 percent option says “continuous systemic medication,” not “systemic therapy.”
The disfigurement-or-scars line under DC 7827 does not say “This rating instruction does not apply to DC 7824.” That exception is on the general skin formula. DC 7827 is not in that formula’s header.
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 7827 does not print a 0 percent line. The lowest printed line is 10. 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.
eCFR prints “All of the following” with 30 in the rating column, and prints the mucosal finding on the next row with an empty rating cell. It prints “At least one of the following” with 10 in the rating column. A blank rating cell on this page marks an option row. It is not an extra level.
The general skin formula’s header is DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, and 7824. DC 7822 is inside that header. DC 7827 is not. DC 7826 also sits outside that header and prints its own lines. The scar codes named in the DC 7827 disfigurement line are DC 7800, DC 7801, DC 7802, DC 7804, and DC 7805.
Source: 38 CFR § 4.118, Diagnostic Code 7827, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.
What the words mean in your records
The comma is on 30, not on 60
The 60 percent line says “ambulation occurring four or more times.” The 30 percent line says “ambulation, occurring four or more times.” Both count four or more times over the past 12-month period. Only the 60 percent line says the involvement impairs mastication, use of the hands, or ambulation.
AND is capitalized on the 10 percent option
The first 10 percent option says “AND requiring intermittent systemic therapy; or”. The 30 percent cell says “; and requiring intermittent systemic therapy” with a lowercase “and.” The second 10 percent option says “continuous systemic medication for control.”
This note is for this code
The note says systemic therapy, for the purposes of this DC only, may consist of immunosuppressives, antihistamines, or sympathomimetics. Section 4.118(a) is the route definition for the section. The two sentences are not the same list.
Evidence that speaks to each level
60
What the rater needs to see. Recurrent mucosal, palmar, or plantar involvement that impairs mastication, use of the hands, or ambulation, occurring four or more times over the past 12-month period despite ongoing immunosuppressive therapy.
Where that usually lives. The dated episodes and the immunosuppressive therapy that was ongoing.
30 or 10
What the rater needs to see. The 30 percent cell requires the non-impairing recurrent involvement four or more times and intermittent systemic therapy. The 10 percent block is one to three of those episodes with intermittent systemic therapy, or no recurrent episodes but continuous systemic medication for control.
Where that usually lives. The episode count for the past 12 months and the therapy or medication the selected line names.
VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Skin Diseases” under Dermatological. The file is Skin Diseases.
The exam form
DC 7827 prints 60, 30, and 10, and a note limited to this code. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.
Related codes and how they interact
The general skin formula is a different header.
That header names 7820-7822 and 7824. DC 7827 has its own 60, 30, and 10 lines and its own note. The formula’s DC 7824 exception is not reprinted under DC 7827.
Secondary conditions and presumptions
The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “erythema multiforme” or “toxic epidermal.” It lists “Lupus erythematosus, systemic.” That name is not the DC 7827 title, and this page does not assign it here.
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 erythema multiforme?
Under 38 CFR § 4.118, Diagnostic Code 7827 is 60, 30, or 10 percent on the lines printed there, or disfigurement or scars depending on the predominant disability. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.
Does the index keep toxic epidermal necrolysis?
No. Appendix B says “Erythema multiforme.” The rating title is “Erythema multiforme; Toxic epidermal necrolysis:”.
FAQ
How does VA rate erythema multiforme under DC 7827?
The title also names toxic epidermal necrolysis. The lines are 60, 30, and 10 percent. The 60 percent line is impairing involvement four or more times despite ongoing immunosuppressive therapy. The 30 percent line is non-impairing involvement four or more times and intermittent systemic therapy. The 10 percent block is one to three episodes with intermittent systemic therapy, or continuous systemic medication without recurrent episodes. A separate line says to rate disfigurement or scars depending on the predominant disability. Education only.
Does DC 7827 use the general skin formula?
The general formula header does not name DC 7827. DC 7827 prints its own lines. Its note says systemic therapy, for this DC only, may consist of immunosuppressives, antihistamines, or sympathomimetics. That note does not end with a period.
Why does one line say AND in capital letters?
The first 10 percent option prints “AND requiring intermittent systemic therapy; or”. The 30 percent cell prints “; and requiring” in lowercase. Those are the words in the 2026-10-01 table.
Next steps
- Read the decision for DC 7827, the episode count, whether mastication, hands, or ambulation were impaired, and which therapy the line used.
- 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 skin codes are on the skin diagnostic-code index. The category page is skin 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 Skin, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Skin codes
- DC 7817Erythroderma
- DC 7818Malignant skin neoplasms
- DC 7819Benign skin neoplasms
- DC 7820Infections of the skin
- DC 7821Cutaneous manifestations of collagen-vascular diseases not listed elsewhere
- DC 7822Papulosquamous disorders not listed elsewhere
- DC 7823Vitiligo
- DC 7824Keratinization, diseases
- DC 7825Chronic urticaria
- DC 7826Vasculitis, primary cutaneous
- DC 7828Acne
- DC 7829Chloracne
- DC 7830Scarring alopecia
- DC 7831Alopecia areata
- DC 7832Hyperhidrosis
- DC 7833Malignant melanoma
Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.
Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7827 • 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.