Hearing Loss VA Disability Rating Guide
How the VA rates hearing loss under Diagnostic Code 6100 — including audiogram requirements, Tables VI and VIa, and why most veterans receive a 0% rating.
DC 6100
Tables VI / VIa
Free Guide
File Your Hearing Loss Claim with Vet100
What the VA Considers Hearing Loss
The VA recognizes hearing loss as a disability when audiometric testing shows that hearing thresholds meet specific criteria. Under 38 CFR 3.385, impaired hearing is considered a disability when:
- The auditory threshold in any of the frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000 Hz is 40 decibels or greater
- The auditory thresholds for at least three of those frequencies are 26 decibels or greater
- Speech recognition scores using the Maryland CNC test are less than 94%
Meeting any one of these three criteria qualifies as hearing loss for VA purposes. However, meeting the threshold for service connection is different from receiving a compensable rating.
VA Rating Criteria for Hearing Loss (DC 6100)
Hearing loss is rated under DC 6100 using a mechanical, formula-based system defined in 38 CFR 4.85 and 4.86. The rating is determined entirely by two measurements from an audiogram:
- Puretone threshold average — the average of hearing thresholds at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz
- Speech discrimination score — percentage correct on the Maryland CNC word recognition test
These two numbers are plugged into the VA's rating tables to determine your hearing level designation for each ear, and then your overall percentage rating.
How Tables VI and VIa Work
Table VI — Standard Rating Table
Table VI cross-references your puretone threshold average with your speech discrimination percentage to assign a Roman numeral designation (I through XI) for each ear. Level I represents the best hearing; Level XI represents the worst.
Table VIa — When Speech Discrimination Cannot Be Tested
Table VIa is used when the examiner certifies that speech discrimination testing is not appropriate (due to language barriers, inconsistent scores, etc.) or when an exceptional pattern of hearing loss exists under 38 CFR 4.86. Table VIa uses only the puretone threshold average. When both tables apply, the VA uses whichever table results in the higher (better for the veteran) Roman numeral designation.
Table VII — Combined Rating
Once each ear has a Roman numeral designation from Table VI or VIa, those two numbers are cross-referenced in Table VII to determine the percentage rating (0% through 100%).
Example: Left ear = Level III, Right ear = Level II
Table VII: III + II = 0%
Example: Left ear = Level VI, Right ear = Level V
Table VII: VI + V = 20%
Why Most Hearing Loss Ratings Are 0%
This is the most frustrating aspect of hearing loss claims for veterans. The VA's rating thresholds are extremely high. A veteran can have measurable, service-connected hearing loss that is clearly worse than normal — and still receive a 0% rating.
Here is why: the rating formula requires very significant hearing loss to reach even 10%. Most veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss will receive Level I or Level II designations in each ear, which results in 0% under Table VII.
However, a 0% rating still matters. A service-connected 0% rating:
- Establishes service connection — this cannot be taken away
- Qualifies you for VA healthcare for that condition
- Allows you to file for an increase if your hearing worsens over time
- Supports secondary claims (tinnitus, balance disorders)
- Can be combined with other ratings using VA math
Exceptional Patterns of Hearing Loss (38 CFR 4.86)
Two exceptional patterns allow the VA to use Table VIa (which can result in a higher rating):
- Pattern 1: Puretone threshold is 55 dB or more at each of the four frequencies (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hz)
- Pattern 2: Puretone threshold is 30 dB or less at 1000 Hz and 70 dB or more at 2000 Hz
If either pattern is present, the VA evaluates under both Table VI and Table VIa and uses whichever results in a higher Roman numeral designation.
Combat Noise Presumption (38 USC 1154(b))
If you are a combat veteran, 38 USC 1154(b) provides that the VA must accept lay evidence of noise exposure consistent with the circumstances of your combat service. This means you do not need specific documentation of a noise event — your combat service itself establishes noise exposure.
This applies to veterans with a Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), Combat Action Ribbon (CAR), Purple Heart, or service in a designated combat zone with a qualifying MOS.
Evidence Needed for a Hearing Loss Claim
- Audiogram — a current audiogram with puretone thresholds at 500-4000 Hz and Maryland CNC speech discrimination scores
- In-service audiograms — entrance and separation audiograms showing threshold shifts during service
- MOS documentation — your military occupational specialty and its associated noise exposure level
- Lay statement — describe your noise exposure during service and how hearing loss affects your daily life
- Buddy letters — statements from people who have observed your hearing difficulties
- Nexus letter — medical opinion linking current hearing loss to in-service noise exposure, especially if separation audiogram was normal
Secondary Conditions to Hearing Loss
Tinnitus (DC 6260)
Tinnitus and hearing loss are frequently claimed together. If you have service-connected hearing loss, tinnitus is often granted on a secondary or direct basis. The 10% tinnitus rating adds to your combined rating.
Balance Disorders / Vertigo
Inner ear damage from noise exposure can cause vestibular (balance) disorders. Meniere's disease (DC 6205) and peripheral vestibular disorders (DC 6204) are ratable conditions secondary to hearing loss.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not filing because you expect 0% — a 0% service-connected rating establishes the foundation for future increases, secondary claims, and VA healthcare
- Not mentioning tinnitus — always claim tinnitus alongside hearing loss; it is almost always present with noise-induced hearing loss
- Relying on a private audiogram that does not include Maryland CNC scores — the VA requires Maryland CNC speech discrimination testing, not other word recognition tests
- Not documenting noise exposure — even with a high-noise MOS, a detailed lay statement about specific noise exposure strengthens your claim
- Ignoring threshold shifts — if your entrance and separation audiograms show worsening, that is powerful evidence even if both are within "normal" range
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is my hearing loss rated 0% if I clearly cannot hear well?
- The VA uses a strict mechanical formula (Tables VI, VIa, and VII) that requires severe hearing loss to reach even 10%. Your hearing may be noticeably impaired in daily life but not meet the high thresholds in the rating tables. A 0% rating still gives you service connection and VA healthcare for your hearing.
- Should I still file if I expect a 0% rating?
- Absolutely. A 0% service-connected rating locks in your service connection date, qualifies you for free hearing aids through the VA, and allows you to file for an increase as your hearing worsens with age.
- What audiogram does the VA require?
- The VA requires puretone audiometric testing at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz, plus speech recognition testing using the Maryland CNC word list. Other speech recognition tests (W-22, NU-6) are not accepted.
- Can I use a private audiogram?
- Yes, but it must include Maryland CNC speech discrimination scores and be conducted by a licensed audiologist. The VA will likely also conduct its own audiogram at the C&P exam.
- Does hearing loss get worse over time?
- Yes. Noise-induced hearing loss typically worsens with age. If your hearing deteriorates, you can file for an increased rating. Your service-connected 0% rating makes this a simple increase claim rather than a new claim.
Ready to File Your Hearing Loss Claim?
Vet100 helps you understand your audiogram, prepare for the C&P exam, and build your evidence packet — all free.
File Your Hearing Loss Claim with Vet100
Available in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, and Vietnamese