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Diagnostic Codes 9400, 9403, 9412 · Mental Health

Anxiety Disorders VA Rating

The VA rates generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety on the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders at 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%. A 70% rating pays $1,808.45/month in 2026 and meets the schedular TDIU threshold on its own.

0%Diagnosed but Not ImpairingNo pay
10%Mild or Transient Symptoms$180.42/mo
30%Occasional Decrease in Work Efficiency$552.47/mo
50%Reduced Reliability and Productivity$1,132.90/mo
70%Deficiencies in Most Areas$1,808.45/mo
100%Total Occupational and Social Impairment$3,938.58/mo

Rating Criteria by Level

Under 38 CFR § 4.130, every mental health condition is evaluated on one shared scale: the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder (DC 9400), specific phobia and social anxiety (DC 9403), and panic disorder (DC 9412) are rated identically to PTSD and depression. What determines your percentage is the degree of occupational and social impairment, not the label on the diagnosis.

0%Diagnosed but Not Impairing
Non-compensable

Criteria: An anxiety disorder is formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning, or they are controlled by continuous medication.

A 0% rating is non-compensable, meaning no monthly payment, but the condition is service-connected. That status matters: it preserves your right to file for an increase if symptoms worsen without having to relitigate service connection, and it supports future secondary claims.

10%Mild or Transient Symptoms
$180.42/mo

Criteria: Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.

The 10% level often applies to veterans who function well day to day but decompensate under pressure. Importantly, if your symptoms are managed by daily medication and would otherwise be worse, that alone can support at least a 10% evaluation.

30%Occasional Decrease in Work Efficiency
$552.47/mo

Criteria: Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, though generally functioning satisfactorily with routine behavior and normal self-care.

Typical findings at this level include depressed mood, chronic anxiety, suspiciousness, weekly or less frequent panic attacks, and mild memory loss such as forgetting names or directions. This is one of the two most commonly assigned anxiety ratings.

50%Reduced Reliability and Productivity
$1,132.90/mo

Criteria: Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, driven by symptoms that regularly interfere with the ability to perform work tasks and maintain relationships.

The regulation lists panic attacks more than once a week, flattened affect, impaired judgment or abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. Missing work repeatedly because of anxiety is strong evidence for this level.

70%Deficiencies in Most Areas
$1,808.45/mo

Criteria: Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas: work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.

Findings include suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, near-continuous panic or depression, impaired impulse control, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, and an inability to establish and maintain relationships. A single 70% rating meets the schedular TDIU threshold on its own, which makes this the most consequential level on the scale.

TDIU gateway: a single 70% rating meets the schedular threshold
100%Total Occupational and Social Impairment
$3,938.58/mo

Criteria: Total occupational and social impairment, meaning the veteran cannot function in a work environment or maintain any meaningful social relationships.

The criteria include gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent delusions or hallucinations, grossly inappropriate behavior, persistent danger of hurting self or others, disorientation to time or place, and memory loss for the names of close relatives or the veteran's own name. Schedular 100% for anxiety alone is uncommon; most veterans who cannot work reach the 100% pay rate through TDIU instead.

How to Service-Connect an Anxiety Disorder

Service connection requires three elements: a current diagnosis, an in-service event or circumstance, and a medical nexus linking the two. Unlike a PTSD claim, an anxiety claim does not require a verified stressor. Anxiety is commonly connected in three ways:

Direct Service Connection

Anxiety symptoms were documented during service or within a year of separation. Behavioral health visits, sick call records, a deployment mental health screening, or performance evaluations noting a change in behavior are all strong evidence, even without a formal in-service diagnosis.

Secondary to Chronic Pain

Persistent pain from a service-connected back, neck, or knee condition is a well-recognized cause of chronic anxiety. A nexus opinion stating that the pain condition caused or aggravated the anxiety establishes secondary service connection.

Secondary to TBI or Tinnitus

Traumatic brain injury directly disrupts emotional regulation, and constant tinnitus is strongly associated with anxiety and sleep disruption. Both are frequent and well-supported bases for a secondary anxiety claim.

What Happens at Your C&P Exam

The VA will schedule a compensation and pension exam with a psychologist or psychiatrist, who completes the mental disorders Disability Benefits Questionnaire. For an anxiety claim, the examiner will typically:

  • Confirm the diagnosis against current DSM criteria
  • Ask about panic attack frequency, triggers, and duration
  • Assess sleep quality, concentration, memory, and irritability
  • Probe how symptoms affect work attendance, productivity, and relationships
  • Screen for suicidal ideation, which is an explicit 70% criterion
  • Check the box for the impairment level that best matches the overall picture
  • Provide a nexus opinion if secondary connection is claimed

Describe your worst days, not your average day, and be specific about frequency. Saying "I have panic attacks twice a week and left work early four times last month" maps directly onto the rating criteria in a way that "I get anxious sometimes" does not. Buddy statements from a spouse, coworker, or supervisor carry real weight here, because they document impairment the examiner cannot observe in a single appointment.

Secondary Conditions to Anxiety

Once an anxiety disorder is service-connected, you can file secondary claims for conditions it caused or worsened. Each carries its own rating and adds to your combined total.

Sleep Apnea

Anxiety-driven sleep disruption and medication side effects can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP prescription rates 50%.

Hypertension

Sustained sympathetic nervous system activation from chronic anxiety is a recognized contributor to elevated blood pressure. Rated 10 to 60%.

GERD

Anxiety and the medications used to treat it commonly aggravate acid reflux. Rated 10 to 60%.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The gut-brain axis is well documented, and IBS is a frequent secondary to service-connected anxiety. Rated 0 to 30%.

Migraines

Chronic anxiety and tension are established migraine triggers. Prostrating attacks are rated up to 50%.

Erectile Dysfunction

Both the condition itself and SSRI treatment commonly cause ED, which can qualify for special monthly compensation.

SourcesLast reviewed: July 2026

Anxiety VA Rating FAQ

What is the average VA rating for anxiety?
Most veterans service-connected for an anxiety disorder are rated 30% or 50%. The 30% level pays $552.47/mo and the 50% level pays $1,132.90/mo. There is no fixed average: the rating turns entirely on documented functional impairment, not on the diagnosis itself.
Is anxiety rated the same as PTSD by the VA?
Yes. Generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, PTSD, and depression are all rated under the identical General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Only the diagnostic code differs. The percentage depends on occupational and social impairment, not on which diagnosis you carry.
Can I get a separate rating for anxiety and depression?
No. The VA assigns one rating covering all service-connected mental health conditions, because rating them separately would be pyramiding under 38 CFR 4.14. That said, carrying multiple diagnoses often supports a higher single rating, since the combined symptom burden is greater.
What is the 70% VA rating for anxiety?
The 70% rating requires deficiencies in most areas: work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. Typical findings include panic attacks more than once a week, impaired impulse control, neglect of personal hygiene, suicidal ideation, or an inability to maintain relationships.
Can anxiety qualify for TDIU?
Yes. A single 70% anxiety rating meets the schedular TDIU threshold on its own. If the condition prevents substantially gainful employment, TDIU pays at the 100% rate even though the schedular rating stays at 70%.
Can anxiety be service-connected as secondary to another condition?
Yes, and it is among the most common secondary claims. Chronic pain, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury all commonly cause or aggravate anxiety. A nexus opinion linking the anxiety to an already service-connected condition establishes secondary service connection.
Do I need a combat record to get service-connected for anxiety?
No. Unlike a PTSD claim, an anxiety disorder claim does not require a verified stressor event. You need a current diagnosis, an in-service event, injury, or circumstance, and a medical nexus linking the two. Non-combat service stressors are fully sufficient.