How the VA rates asthma, COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema under 38 CFR § 4.97 — the exact pulmonary function test thresholds that decide your percentage, the anti-combination rule that traps most veterans, and how to prepare for your breathing exam.
Forced Expiratory Volume in one second — the amount of air you can force out in the first second of a hard exhale, shown as a percent of what a healthy person your age and size would produce. This is the primary number the VA uses.
The ratio of your one-second volume to your total forced exhale (Forced Vital Capacity). A low ratio signals obstruction — air getting trapped because your airways cannot empty efficiently.
Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide — how well oxygen passes from your lungs into your blood. Veterans with emphysema-predominant disease often qualify for a higher rating on DLCO than on spirometry alone.
| Rating | FEV-1 (% predicted) | FEV-1/FVC | DLCO (% predicted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 71–80% | 71–80% | 66–80% |
| 30% | 56–70% | 56–70% | 56–65% |
| 60% | 40–55% | 40–55% | 40–55% |
| 100% | FEV-1 <40%, or FEV-1/FVC <40%, or DLCO <40%, or max exercise capacity <15 ml/kg/min, or cor pulmonale, or right ventricular hypertrophy, or pulmonary hypertension, or acute respiratory failure, or requires outpatient oxygen therapy. | ||
A 60% rating may also be assigned for maximum oxygen consumption of 15–20 ml/kg/min with a cardiorespiratory limit. Source: 38 CFR § 4.97.
Asthma is unique: you can reach a rating on medication use alone, even with decent PFT numbers. This is one of the most under-claimed paths to a higher rating.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is rated purely on the general PFT schedule above (10/30/60/100). COPD is a PACT Act presumptive for many burn-pit and airborne-hazard veterans — if you deployed to a covered location, service connection may be presumed.
Rated on the general PFT schedule. Persistent productive cough with confirmed airflow limitation on spirometry is the typical presentation. Often appears alongside COPD and toxic-exposure claims.
Also rated on the general PFT schedule, but emphysema is the condition where DLCO matters most. Gas exchange is impaired even when spirometry looks fair, so a complete PFT with DLCO frequently unlocks a higher rating.
Rated differently — on incapacitating episodes of infection rather than PFTs. Ratings run 10% (antibiotics twice a year) up to 100% (incapacitating infection of at least six weeks total per year), or by pulmonary impairment as for chronic bronchitis, whichever is higher.
Rated separately: 0% (documented but asymptomatic), 30% (persistent daytime sleepiness), 50% (requires a CPAP), 100% (chronic respiratory failure, cor pulmonale, or tracheostomy). See our full Sleep Apnea Rating Guide.
Conditions rated under diagnostic codes 6600–6817 and 6822–6847 cannot be combined with each other. If you have both asthma and COPD, the VA rates you under the single code that gives the higher percentage — not both added together.
A respiratory condition can be combined with conditions outside that range — such as sinusitis (DC 6510–6514) or rhinitis (DC 6522). These are separate ratings that build your combined total instead of competing with it.
Chronic respiratory disease and the weight gain from steroid treatment are well-documented contributors to obstructive sleep apnea — frequently a 50% add-on with a CPAP.
Upper-airway conditions sit outside the anti-combination range, so they stack on top of your lung rating. Common after burn-pit and airborne-hazard exposure.
Acid reflux both aggravates asthma and develops as a side effect of long-term respiratory medication. It is rated separately under the digestive system.
Chronic breathlessness and activity limits frequently lead to a service-connectable mental health condition — often one of the largest secondary ratings.
Advanced lung disease strains the right side of the heart. These findings can independently support a 100% respiratory evaluation.
Low oxygenation and disrupted sleep drive persistent fatigue that affects work capacity and can support a TDIU argument.
Ask that FEV-1, FEV-1/FVC, and DLCO are all measured. If DLCO is skipped, your rating is built on incomplete data — and that usually means a lower number than you deserve.
Most codes rate on post-bronchodilator results. Make sure the examiner records both, and that the correct set is used for your rating.
For asthma, your medication regimen alone can drive the rating. Bring a current list: daily inhalers, anti-inflammatories, and any oral steroid courses with dates.
Monthly physician visits for flare-ups or three steroid courses a year support 60%. Keep a record of every urgent visit, ER trip, and prescription.
Explain how breathing limits your daily life and work — stairs, walking distance, sleep, missed workdays. This supports secondary claims and TDIU.
If you had airborne-hazard or burn-pit exposure, say so. Many respiratory conditions are PACT Act presumptive, which can establish service connection without a separate nexus fight.
Many respiratory conditions are presumptive under the PACT Act for veterans exposed to burn pits and airborne hazards. See exactly which conditions qualify and how to file.
Toxic Exposure & PACT Act Guide →Book a free 15-minute strategy call. We will review your PFT results, identify every condition that stacks, and build the evidence plan for your maximum rating.
305-897-2805Last updated: February 25, 2026
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Last updated: February 25, 2026
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