Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
Diagnostic Code 6260 • 38 CFR § 4.87
Recurrent tinnitus is evaluated under DC 6260
Diagnostic Code
6260
How VA rates recurrent tinnitus
Under DC 6260, recurrent tinnitus has one 10% schedular evaluation. VA assigns a single evaluation whether the sound is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.
Veteran-alone rate. DC 6260 does not provide a higher schedular tier for more severe recurrent tinnitus.
Complete regulatory criteria, CFR citations, and official rating notes
What this guide can help you review
Often documented with noise exposure
Tinnitus is subjective. Lay testimony plus in-service noise exposure can support a claim. Service connection is still decided case-by-case from the record.
Often claimed with hearing loss
The $180.42/month 10% evaluation is a flat schedular rate for recurrent tinnitus. Hearing loss, if present, is a separate evaluation under 38 CFR §§ 4.85–4.86 — not a higher tinnitus rating.
Document the full impact
Describe truthful effects on sleep, concentration, work, and daily life. Those effects do not raise the DC 6260 evaluation and do not establish a separate diagnosis or secondary condition by themselves.
Combined-rating math
If tinnitus is service connected, its 10% evaluation combines with other evaluations under 38 CFR § 4.25. VA math is not simple addition, and the final combined value depends on the complete rating record.
How tinnitus relates to hearing loss and other conditions
Tinnitus Only
Tinnitus (10%)
$180.42/mo
TOTAL
$180.42/mo
Tinnitus + hearing loss (how VA actually rates it)
Hearing loss is generally one schedular evaluation under 38 CFR §§ 4.85–4.86 (Tables VI / VIa / VII), using audiogram results for both ears — not a separate 10% line for each ear that then stacks.
Recurrent tinnitus (DC 6260) is a separate flat 10% that may combine with that hearing-loss evaluation under § 4.25. Exceptional patterns of hearing impairment are in § 4.86.
Combined results depend on the audiogram tables and other ratings. This page does not invent a stacked 10%+10%+10%=30% example.
A separate diagnosed condition
Recurrent tinnitus remains a flat 10% under DC 6260. Another diagnosed condition is evaluated under its own schedule only if the evidence independently establishes service connection, including any claimed secondary link.
Secondary service connection is case-by-case. This is not a 10% → 50% or 60% path.
Evidence VA may consider for tinnitus
1. Your Statement of Symptoms
Describe the ringing, buzzing, or other sounds you hear. Frequency (constant vs. intermittent), which ear(s), how it affects sleep and concentration.
Your statement is evidence. VA weighs it with the rest of the record.
2. Noise Exposure in Service
Document noise exposure from:
- • MOS requiring use of loud equipment (artillery, aviation, heavy machinery)
- • Combat exposure to explosions/gunfire
- • Lack of adequate hearing protection
- • Buddy statements confirming noise exposure
3. Audiogram Test Results
If VA schedules a hearing examination, audiometry may document a separate hearing-loss condition and help the examiner evaluate possible causes. An audiogram does not directly measure subjective tinnitus.
4. Nexus Letter (if needed)
A private nexus letter is not required in every case. A well-supported opinion from a qualified clinician may help when onset is disputed, documentation begins long after service, or the record contains other possible causes. Occupational noise evidence alone does not establish the link.
Separate conditions sometimes raised with tinnitus
An association is a research lead, not proof of causation or aggravation. Each separate condition needs a diagnosis and individualized evidence supporting the claimed service-connection theory:
😴 Sleep symptoms or a diagnosed sleep disorder
EXAMPLEDocument symptoms accurately. A clinician must distinguish symptoms from a separate diagnosis and address causation or aggravation.
🤕 Migraines
EXAMPLEA migraine theory needs its own diagnosis and medical evidence addressing causation or aggravation and other possible causes.
🧠 Anxiety / Depression
EXAMPLECoexisting distress does not establish a separate mental-health diagnosis or a secondary link.
👂 Hearing Loss
RELATEDDC 6100 • 0-100% • Often from the same noise exposure; rated separately under §§ 4.85–4.86
Not a secondary to tinnitus — a separate evaluation if the audiogram supports it.
What to review with an accredited representative
Document the recurrent symptoms
Describe the sound you experience, when it began, how often it occurs, and whether it is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head. Use your actual history rather than regulatory wording.
Document Noise Exposure
Provide records showing your occupational code and actual duties, service treatment or hearing-conservation records, and specific lay or buddy statements describing the equipment, events, frequency, and hearing protection involved. An MOS is an exposure lead, not an automatic grant.
Attend the exam if VA schedules one
Describe the sound, frequency, onset, changes over time, functional effects, military exposure, and post-service noise history accurately. Do not minimize, exaggerate, or substitute a scripted answer for your actual history.
Hearing loss is rated separately
If you have hearing difficulty, the audiogram is used for DC 6100 under §§ 4.85–4.86. You may have a tinnitus 10% and a separate hearing-loss evaluation if both are service-connected — hearing loss is not a per-ear 10% stack.
Other conditions still need a nexus
Sleep problems or mental-health symptoms may be relevant evidence. A secondary claim is separate and still requires a current diagnosis and medical nexus — not an increase of the 10% tinnitus rating.
Common Tinnitus Claim Issues
Issue: No In-Service Noise Exposure Documented
An occupational code may not capture the noise from your actual duties, temporary assignments, training, combat, vehicles, or equipment.
Next step: submit specific personnel, service, lay, or buddy evidence describing the event or exposure
Issue: C&P Examiner Doesn't Find Tinnitus
If the report says you denied tinnitus but that does not match what you actually reported, review the exam and identify the factual discrepancy.
Next step: use the appropriate review lane and submit a clear statement or other relevant evidence; an accredited representative can help
Issue: Tinnitus Not Claimed Separately from Hearing Loss
Hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus use different diagnostic codes and evidence. Having one does not automatically establish the other.
Next step: claim only conditions you actually have and describe each accurately
Tinnitus Claim FAQs
▸ Can I get more than 10% for severe tinnitus?
DC 6260 provides one 10% schedular evaluation for recurrent tinnitus. A separate diagnosed condition requires its own evidence and service-connection theory; tinnitus symptoms alone do not establish a secondary award.
▸ Do I need an audiogram showing tinnitus?
Audiograms test hearing thresholds, not tinnitus. Tinnitus is diagnosed based on your report of symptoms to the audiologist or examiner. The audiogram may show hearing loss as a separate condition.
▸ What if my tinnitus started years after service?
Give VA the accurate timeline and evidence of the in-service event or exposure, current recurrent symptoms, and any post-service noise or other possible causes. A reasoned opinion from a qualified clinician may be important, but no single phrase guarantees service connection.
▸ Can I get bilateral ratings for tinnitus in both ears?
No. DC 6260 assigns one 10% evaluation whether tinnitus is perceived in one ear, both ears, or the head. Hearing impairment uses a separate schedule that evaluates both ears together through the audiometric tables.
▸ What does the 10% schedule limit mean?
DC 6260 provides one 10% schedular evaluation for recurrent tinnitus. The current veteran-alone payment associated with a 10% combined rating is $180.42/month (VA.gov, effective December 1, 2025). Whether to file is an individual decision to discuss with a VA-accredited representative; other conditions require their own evidence and service-connection analysis.
How tinnitus relates to other ratings
Step 1: Hearing loss is a separate evaluation
The same noise exposure may be relevant to both. One audiogram is used for hearing loss under §§ 4.85–4.86. Tinnitus stays a flat 10% under DC 6260 if service-connected.
Step 2: Document sleep impact if it exists
If tinnitus affects sleep, say so in a personal statement and to your clinician. That documents symptoms. It does not create a secondary rating by itself.
Step 3: Separate conditions need separate evidence
Effective dates follow 38 CFR § 3.400. A secondary condition is a separate claim, not an increase of the 10% tinnitus evaluation.
What this does not do
Tinnitus remains a flat 10% under DC 6260. Other granted ratings combine under § 4.25. That is not a tinnitus increase and not a 10% to 50–60% funnel.
Related Tools & Resources
Primary sources reviewed
- 38 CFR § 4.87 — DC 6260 and rating notes
- VA.gov — Evidence needed for a disability claim
- VA.gov — How to file a disability claim
Data validated August 19, 2026. Educational information only; not legal or medical advice. VA decides service connection and evaluations from the individual record.
⚠️ 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.