Rating guide · Hearing
Tinnitus: Small Rating, Big Impact
Ringing, buzzing or hissing that never really stops is the single most common service-connected condition. The rating is capped at 10%, but it’s often the easiest claim to win, and it can unlock others.
- The 10% rule
- Noise exposure proof
- Effect on combined rating
- Conditions it can cause
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The Tinnitus Rating
There is one rating level for recurrent tinnitus.
Your Noise Exposure Is the Evidence
No test can measure tinnitus. Your description of what you hear is evidence on its own. The VA needs a reason to connect it to service, and for most veterans that’s hazardous noise:
- Flight lines and maintenance: B-52 operations at Minot, flight-line work at Grand Forks, and the 119th Wing in Fargo
- Weapons ranges and artillery, including Guard training
- Generators, engines and heavy equipment
The VA keeps a list rating every military job’s likelihood of noise exposure. If yours is rated high or moderate, exposure is generally conceded. Be clear about when the ringing started, even if you never mentioned it in service.
How 10% Changes Your Combined Rating
Because the VA combines ratings with a “whole person” formula, 10% can push you over a rounding line. A veteran at 50% who adds tinnitus combines to 55%, which rounds up to 60%. That’s $302.12 more a month for a veteran alone in 2026. Run your numbers in the calculator.
Tinnitus can also lead to anxiety, depression and sleep problems that can be service-connected secondary to it. See our depression & anxiety guide. Hearing loss is rated separately.
Tinnitus VA Rating: Common Questions
Is tinnitus rated per ear?
No. It’s a single 10% rating whether you hear it in one ear, both ears, or in your head.
I worked on the flight line at Minot or Grand Forks. Does that help?
Yes. Flight-line and aircraft maintenance jobs typically involve hazardous noise, which supports the in-service noise exposure the VA looks for.
Do I need a doctor’s diagnosis?
Tinnitus is identified mainly from your own description. The VA usually schedules an audiology exam, which documents both tinnitus and any hearing loss.
Is the VA eliminating tinnitus ratings?
The VA has proposed changing how tinnitus is rated, but as of October 2026 it’s still rated 10% on its own.
North Dakota Veterans: Get the Rating You Earned
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