If you’re dealing with a constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ears from your time in service, you’re far from alone. Tinnitus is the single most common service-connected disability in the country — millions of veterans currently receive compensation for it. But the way the VA rates tinnitus surprises a lot of people, and there’s a proposed rule change on the horizon that’s worth understanding before you file. Here’s what you actually need to know.

How the VA Rates Tinnitus

Tinnitus is rated under 38 C.F.R. § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6260, and the rules here are simpler than most VA rating criteria — but also more limited than many veterans expect.

• The maximum rating is 10%.
• You get that 10% whether the ringing is in one ear, both ears, or feels like it’s “in your head.”
• There is no way to combine or “double up” tinnitus ratings for each ear — it’s a single, flat rating.
• Diagnostic Code 6260 only covers subjective tinnitus — the kind only you can hear. If a specific underlying condition is causing an objective, measurable sound, that gets evaluated as part of that condition instead.

That flat 10% can feel like a disappointing number on its own. But don’t let that discourage you from filing — tinnitus is often what’s called a gateway claim. It’s usually easy to service-connect, and once it’s on your record, it can open the door to secondary claims (more on that below) that add up to a lot more than 10%.

What You Need to Prove

Like most VA claims, a tinnitus claim comes down to three elements:

1. A current diagnosis or a competent report of current symptoms. Tinnitus doesn’t show up on standard hearing tests, so your own credible, consistent description of the ringing carries real weight here.
2. An in-service event, injury, or exposure. This is usually hazardous noise exposure — small arms fire, artillery, aircraft engines, generators, machinery. If your job or MOS involved obvious noise exposure, it’s already easier to document.
3. A link between the two. The more clearly you can describe when the ringing started and that it’s continued since service, the stronger your claim.

If your in-service noise exposure is well-documented (combat MOS, flight line, motor pool, etc.), the VA often doesn’t require a separate medical nexus opinion — your own statement about onset and continuity can be enough. If your exposure is less obvious, or the VA pushes back, a nexus letter from a qualified provider can make the difference. Browse the Nexus Letter Directory if you need help finding someone who writes them.

A Word About the Proposed 2026 Rule Change

You may have seen headlines claiming tinnitus “won’t be rated anymore.” Here’s the accurate picture: the VA has published a proposed rule that would eliminate Diagnostic Code 6260 entirely and fold tinnitus into whatever underlying condition causes it (most often hearing loss, rated under DC 6100). Under that proposal, a standalone 10% would only be available if the associated hearing loss doesn’t qualify for its own compensable rating.

As of now, that rule has not been finalized or published as effective in the Federal Register. DC 6260 is still active, and tinnitus can still be rated as its own condition with a normal audiogram. If you have tinnitus and haven’t filed yet, this is worth treating as a reason to file sooner rather than later, not a reason to wait — proposed rules can take a long time to become final, but if this one goes through, it will likely apply to claims filed after the effective date, not retroactively strip existing ratings.

Tinnitus as a Secondary Condition — and Gateway to More

Tinnitus doesn’t always stand alone. It’s frequently linked to, or a doorway toward, other claims:

• Hearing loss — often develops alongside or after tinnitus from the same noise exposure.
• Migraines and headaches — chronic tinnitus is a documented trigger for headache disorders in some veterans.
• Sleep disturbance and insomnia — persistent ringing, especially at night, is a common and well-recognized secondary complaint.
• Anxiety and depression — the VA does recognize mental health conditions that develop secondary to a chronic, disruptive physical condition like tinnitus.

If you’re already service-connected for tinnitus and are dealing with any of these, it’s worth exploring a secondary claim rather than assuming they’re unrelated.

How to File

1. Document your exposure. Pull your DD-214, MOS, and any unit records that support noise exposure.
2. Write a clear, specific statement. Describe what you hear, when it started, and that it’s been ongoing since service. Vague statements (“my ears ring sometimes”) are far weaker than specific, consistent ones.
3. Attend your C&P exam and describe your symptoms the same way you did in your claim — consistency matters.
4. File through VA.gov, a VSO, or an accredited representative.

Once you’re rated, plug your combined disability picture into the VA Disability Rating Calculator to see how a 10% tinnitus rating affects your overall combined rating and monthly compensation — especially if you’re stacking it with other conditions.