Veterans often assume tinnitus in both ears means two ratings, or that severe ringing rates above 10 percent. Neither is true. The schedule caps tinnitus at a single 10 percent no matter how many ears or how loud. The real value in a tinnitus claim usually sits next to it, in hearing loss and secondary conditions.
The tinnitus rating under DC 6260
Tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears or head) is rated under diagnostic code 6260 in 38 CFR 4.87, and there is essentially one rating: 10 percent. Recurrent tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, and that is the maximum. It is one of the most claimed conditions in the entire system, and also one of the most misunderstood, because the ceiling is so low.
How the 10 percent cap works
A note to diagnostic code 6260 settles a question that comes up constantly: VA assigns a single 10 percent evaluation for recurrent tinnitus whether you hear it in one ear, both ears, or in your head. You cannot get 10 percent per ear, and you cannot get 20 percent for "severe" tinnitus. The condition either meets the 10 percent criteria or it does not. This single-rating rule has been litigated and upheld, so do not expect a higher schedular number for tinnitus itself.
How it gets service connected
Tinnitus is almost always tied to noise exposure, so the claim usually rises or falls on your exposure history and a current complaint:
- Your military job and duties. Time around aircraft, artillery, weapons fire, engines, or generators is powerful evidence. Your MOS often tells the story.
- Your own report. You are competent to describe ringing in your ears. A layperson does not need a doctor to say they hear it (the Jandreau principle). A consistent, credible account carries real weight.
- A current diagnosis or complaint, usually confirmed at an audiology exam.
Tinnitus and hearing loss travel together, but they are rated under different codes (hearing loss under 6100), so a single claim can produce two separate evaluations.
What veterans often overlook
- Ten percent is the ceiling for tinnitus itself, so do not fight for a higher number on 6260. Spend your energy elsewhere.
- You are competent to report it. A clear lay statement about when the ringing started (loud duty, an explosion) and that it has continued since is often the core evidence.
- It pairs with hearing loss. File both. Hearing loss is rated separately under 6100 and can add to your combined rating.
- It can power strong secondary claims. Chronic tinnitus commonly leads to insomnia or anxiety, which are rated under their own codes. The real value often lies in those secondaries.
- Objective tinnitus is different. Tinnitus that others can hear (from a blood vessel or muscle) is rated as part of the underlying condition, not under 6260.
When you read your rating decision, ask
- Was hearing loss rated separately under DC 6100, or did the claim stop at tinnitus?
- Does the file hold a clear lay statement of when the ringing started and that it has continued since?
- Are the downstream effects, like insomnia or anxiety, diagnosed and claimed as secondary conditions?
- If the tinnitus is objective (audible to an examiner), is it being rated with the underlying condition instead of DC 6260?
Related on this site
- How VA rates vertigo (DC 6204)
- How VA rates Meniere's disease (DC 6205)
- Secondary service connection, explained
- Insomnia secondary to tinnitus
- The C&P exam: what to expect and how to prepare
- Combined VA ratings and the 10 percent rule
Common questions
What is the maximum VA rating for tinnitus?
Ten percent, and that is the ceiling. Recurrent tinnitus is rated at a single 10 percent under diagnostic code 6260 whether you hear it in one ear, both ears, or your head. There is no higher schedular rating for severe tinnitus, and the single rating rule has been litigated and upheld.
Can I get a tinnitus rating for each ear?
No. A note to diagnostic code 6260 settles this: VA assigns a single 10 percent evaluation for recurrent tinnitus regardless of whether it affects one ear, both ears, or the head. You cannot receive 10 percent per ear.
What evidence proves a tinnitus claim?
Noise exposure history and your own consistent report. Time around aircraft, artillery, weapons fire, engines, or generators is powerful evidence, and your military job often tells the story. You are competent to describe ringing in your ears without a doctor confirming you hear it (the Jandreau principle), and a current complaint is usually confirmed at an audiology exam.
Can I claim hearing loss and tinnitus together?
Yes, and you should if you have both. They usually travel together but are rated under different diagnostic codes (hearing loss under 6100, tinnitus under 6260), so a single claim can produce two separate evaluations that both count toward your combined rating.
Is tinnitus worth claiming if it only pays 10 percent?
Often yes. Beyond the rating itself, service connected tinnitus can power strong secondary claims: chronic tinnitus commonly leads to insomnia or anxiety, which are rated under their own codes and can be worth far more than the 10 percent. Objective tinnitus that others can hear is different; it is rated as part of the underlying condition rather than under 6260.