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Diagnostic Code 6522 · Respiratory

Rhinitis VA Rating

The VA rates allergic and vasomotor rhinitis under diagnostic code 6522 at 0%, 10%, or 30%. Nasal polyps qualify for the 30% rating ($552.47/month in 2026), while obstruction without polyps rates 10% ($180.42/month). Chronic rhinitis is also a PACT Act presumptive for burn pit veterans.

0%Diagnosed, Below Compensable CriteriaNo pay
10%Obstruction Without Polyps$180.42/mo
30%Rhinitis With Nasal Polyps$552.47/mo

Rating Criteria by Level

Under 38 CFR § 4.97, DC 6522, rhinitis is evaluated on two objective findings only: how much of the nasal passage is obstructed, and whether polyps are present. Symptom severity, allergy season frequency, and medication use do not change the percentage on their own.

0%Diagnosed, Below Compensable Criteria
Non-compensable

Criteria: Rhinitis is diagnosed and service-connected, but the exam does not document greater than 50% obstruction of both nasal passages, complete obstruction of one side, or nasal polyps.

A 0% rating pays nothing, but it is still a grant of service connection. It locks in your effective date, preserves the right to file for an increase if obstruction worsens, and lets you claim secondary conditions such as sinusitis or sleep-disordered breathing without relitigating service connection.

10%Obstruction Without Polyps
$180.42/mo

Criteria: Rhinitis without polyps, but with greater than 50% obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides, or complete obstruction on one side.

This is the level most veterans land on. The examiner measures airflow obstruction on each side, so the exam note needs to state the percentage of obstruction per nostril. A note that only says "congestion" or "chronic allergies" without an obstruction measurement is the most common reason a rhinitis claim comes back at 0%.

Most common rating: documented nasal obstruction, no polyps
30%Rhinitis With Nasal Polyps
$552.47/mo

Criteria: Rhinitis with polyps. The presence of polyps alone satisfies the criteria at this level, with no separate obstruction threshold required.

Polyps are the single fact that moves a rhinitis rating from 10% to 30%, and they are documented by nasal endoscopy or CT imaging rather than by symptom report. If polyps have ever been visualized and documented, make sure that record is in the claims file before the C&P exam, because polyps can shrink temporarily on steroid therapy and be missed on a single exam day.

Two neighboring codes rate higher forms of the same disease. Bacterial rhinitis with rhinoscleroma rates 50% under DC 6523, and granulomatous rhinitis (Wegener granulomatosis, lethal midline granuloma) rates 100% under DC 6524. Both are rare, and both require a specific pathology or biopsy diagnosis rather than a general rhinitis finding.

How to Service-Connect Rhinitis

Service connection needs a current diagnosis, an in-service event or exposure, and a nexus linking the two. For rhinitis, one of those three elements is often already satisfied by presumptive law.

PACT Act Presumptive

Chronic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis are named presumptive conditions for burn pit and toxic exposure veterans under the PACT Act. If you served in a covered location and time period, you do not need a nexus opinion: the diagnosis plus qualifying service is enough.

Direct Service Connection

Repeated sick call visits for congestion, an in-service nasal fracture or deviated septum, or documented allergy treatment during active duty all support direct connection. Service treatment records showing recurring upper airway complaints are the strongest evidence here.

Secondary Service Connection

Rhinitis is frequently granted secondary to service-connected chronic sinusitis, to a septal deviation from a service injury, or to GERD where reflux irritates the upper airway. Each route requires a physician nexus opinion tying the rhinitis to the established condition.

What Happens at Your C&P Exam

The VA schedules a compensation and pension exam using the sinusitis, rhinitis and other conditions of the nose, throat, larynx and pharynx questionnaire. For rhinitis, the examiner will typically:

  • Inspect each nasal passage and record the percentage of obstruction per side
  • Look for nasal polyps and note whether any have been seen on prior endoscopy or CT
  • Ask whether the rhinitis is allergic, vasomotor, or bacterial, and review any allergy testing
  • Review sinus imaging and any ENT consult notes already in the record
  • Confirm burn pit or airborne hazard exposure if you are claiming under the PACT Act
  • Provide a nexus opinion when the claim is filed as secondary to another condition

Bring your ENT records, any endoscopy or CT report that documents polyps, and your allergy testing results. Because DC 6522 turns on a measurement, ask that the examiner record the obstruction percentage for each nostril in the exam report rather than a general note about congestion.

Secondary Conditions to Rhinitis

Once rhinitis is service-connected, conditions it causes or aggravates can be claimed secondary. Each carries its own rating and adds to your combined total under VA math.

Chronic Sinusitis

Persistent nasal inflammation blocks sinus drainage and drives recurring infections. Rated 0 to 50% on incapacitating episodes per year under DC 6510 to 6514.

Sleep Apnea

Chronic nasal obstruction is a recognized contributor to obstructive sleep apnea. A CPAP prescription rates 50% under DC 6847, which is far larger than the rhinitis rating itself.

Asthma

Upper and lower airway disease frequently travel together (the united airway pattern). Rated 10 to 100% on FEV-1 results and daily medication requirements.

Headaches

Sinus pressure headaches from chronic congestion can be claimed separately. Prostrating attacks are rated 0 to 50% on frequency and economic impact.

Conjunctivitis

Allergic rhinitis commonly presents with chronic allergic eye involvement, which is rated separately under the eye codes when it is active and documented.

Depression / Anxiety

Chronic congestion, poor sleep, and daytime fatigue can aggravate an existing mental health condition. Rated 0 to 100% on the mental disorders scale.

Allergic rhinitis is one leg of the atopic triad, alongside asthma and eczema or atopic dermatitis. If you have chronic skin involvement as well, it is rated separately under DC 7806 and adds its own percentage to your combined total.

SourcesLast reviewed: July 2026

Rhinitis VA Rating FAQ

What is the VA rating for allergic rhinitis?
Allergic and vasomotor rhinitis are rated under DC 6522 at 10% or 30%. Rhinitis with nasal polyps rates 30% ($552.47/month in 2026). Rhinitis without polyps rates 10% ($180.42/month) when there is greater than 50% obstruction of both nasal passages, or complete obstruction of one side.
Is rhinitis a PACT Act presumptive condition?
Yes. Chronic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis are named presumptive conditions under the 2022 PACT Act for veterans who served in specified burn pit and toxic exposure locations. Qualifying veterans need to establish the diagnosis and the qualifying service, not a medical nexus.
Can you get both a rhinitis rating and a sinusitis rating?
Yes. Rhinitis and sinusitis sit under different diagnostic codes with different criteria, so both can be compensable at the same time. The obstruction findings that support the rhinitis rating must be distinct from the incapacitating episodes that support the sinusitis rating, since the VA will not pay twice for one symptom.
What is the highest VA rating for rhinitis?
DC 6522 caps at 30% for rhinitis with polyps. Adjacent codes go higher: bacterial rhinitis with rhinoscleroma rates 50% under DC 6523, and granulomatous rhinitis such as Wegener granulomatosis or lethal midline granuloma rates 100% under DC 6524.
Does rhinitis need a nasal endoscopy to be rated?
Not strictly, but objective visualization is what wins the claim. The rating turns on measured obstruction and the presence of polyps, so an ENT note, endoscopy report, or sinus CT documenting those findings carries far more weight than a symptom report.
Can rhinitis be service-connected secondary to another condition?
Yes. Common paths are secondary to a deviated septum or nasal fracture from service, secondary to service-connected chronic sinusitis, or secondary to GERD where reflux irritates the upper airway. Each route needs a physician nexus opinion.
Will allergy shots or a daily antihistamine raise my rhinitis rating?
No. Unlike asthma, DC 6522 has no medication-based criterion. Treatment is evidence that the condition is chronic and ongoing, which supports service connection, but the percentage itself is driven only by nasal obstruction and polyps.
Does rhinitis count toward TDIU?
Rhinitis at 10% or 30% will never meet a TDIU threshold on its own, but it combines with your other service-connected conditions under VA math. A 30% rhinitis rating added to existing ratings can be what pushes a combined total to the 70% level that opens the TDIU door.