Reference: 38 CFR 4.87

Sources & Related Guides

What is the VA rating for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome?

VA disability ratings for vestibular disorders range from 10% to 100% under 38 CFR 4.87. Diagnostic Code 6204 evaluates peripheral vestibular disorders based on dizziness and occasional staggering (30%) or occasional dizziness (10%) with required objective findings of vestibular disequilibrium, while Diagnostic Code 6205 rates Meniere's syndrome across 30%, 60%, and 100% tiers based on vertigo attack frequency, with cerebellar gait required at the 60% and 100% levels.

Condition Overview & Clinical Scope

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DC 6204 (peripheral vestibular disorders) and DC 6205 (Meniere's syndrome, also called endolymphatic hydrops) are two separate diagnostic codes under 38 CFR 4.87. DC 6204 rates dizziness severity at 30 percent (dizziness and occasional staggering) or 10 percent (occasional dizziness). DC 6205 rates vertigo-attack frequency at 100, 60, or 30 percent. This hub covers both codes, side-agnostic like Tinnitus and Hearing Loss -- there is no dominant or nondominant axis here.

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Overview

About this condition

DC 6204 (peripheral vestibular disorders) and DC 6205 (Meniere's syndrome, also called endolymphatic hydrops) are two separate diagnostic codes under 38 CFR 4.87. DC 6204 rates dizziness severity at 30 percent (dizziness and occasional staggering) or 10 percent (occasional dizziness). DC 6205 rates vertigo-attack frequency at 100, 60, or 30 percent. This hub covers both codes, side-agnostic like Tinnitus and Hearing Loss -- there is no dominant or nondominant axis here.

Regulatory authority: 38 CFR 4.87, Schedule of Ratings - Ear, DC 6204/6205

This guide is educational only. It does not diagnose peripheral vestibular disorders or Meniere's syndrome, does not infer missing findings, does not determine service connection, and does not predict a VA decision. DC 6204's objective-findings requirement is disclosed as an undefined term, not resolved. DC 6205's alternate vertigo/hearing/tinnitus comparison path is disclosed only -- RatingScope does not compute that three-code combination.

Percentage Guides

Understanding Your Percentage

Select a pathway to see what the published criteria ask about, what records may clarify it, and what should not be assumed.

30% (DC 6204)

Highest listed pathway

Peripheral vestibular disorders with dizziness and occasional staggering is rated at 30 percent under DC 6204.

What separates the next level: Dizziness without documented occasional staggering is the lower, 10 percent tier under this same code instead.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence

Official CFR language: DC 6204 lists peripheral vestibular disorders with dizziness and occasional staggering at 30 percent.
Qualification explanation: The record needs to document dizziness together with occasional staggering, and objective findings supporting a diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium. The regulation does not define what counts as an objective finding.
Examples: Documented dizziness episodes accompanied by occasional staggering when walking.; Vestibular testing or examiner findings supporting disequilibrium, alongside dizziness and staggering.
Medical evidence: ENT or neurology notes documenting dizziness and staggering; Vestibular or balance testing findings; Objective findings supporting vestibular disequilibrium
Functional impact examples: Difficulty walking steadily, especially on uneven surfaces or in low light.; Increased fall risk described in treatment records.
Common misconceptions: Dizziness alone, without documented occasional staggering, does not reach this level -- it stays at the 10 percent tier.; A hearing-impairment finding documented at the same time is not folded into this percentage -- it is separately rated and combined.
Related topics: peripheral vestibular disorders; objective findings; DC 6204
Source context: 38 CFR 4.87; 6204; Current as of access date 2026-07-28. RIN 2900-AQ72 proposes restructuring DC 6204 to a 3-tier self-care-impact structure (10%/30%/100%); not yet finalized.

10% (DC 6204)

Next: 30%

Peripheral vestibular disorders with occasional dizziness is rated at 10 percent under DC 6204.

What separates the next level: Dizziness together with documented occasional staggering moves to the higher, 30 percent tier under this same code.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence

Official CFR language: DC 6204 lists peripheral vestibular disorders with occasional dizziness at 10 percent.
Qualification explanation: The record needs to document occasional dizziness and objective findings supporting a diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium, without a documented finding of occasional staggering.
Examples: Documented occasional dizziness episodes without an accompanying staggering finding.; Vestibular testing supporting disequilibrium at a milder, non-staggering level.
Medical evidence: ENT or neurology notes documenting occasional dizziness; Vestibular or balance testing findings; Objective findings supporting vestibular disequilibrium
Functional impact examples: Occasional lightheadedness or unsteadiness that does not affect walking as severely as staggering would.; Symptoms that come and go rather than a constant, more pronounced imbalance.
Common misconceptions: This is the only compensable level below the 30 percent tier -- DC 6204 does not have a listed 0 percent row of its own.; A subjective feeling of dizziness alone, without objective findings, does not establish this level under the regulation's own text.
Related topics: peripheral vestibular disorders; objective findings; DC 6204
Source context: 38 CFR 4.87; 6204; Current as of access date 2026-07-28. RIN 2900-AQ72 proposes restructuring DC 6204 to a 3-tier self-care-impact structure (10%/30%/100%); not yet finalized.

100% (DC 6205)

Highest listed pathway

Meniere's syndrome with vertigo attacks more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus, is rated at 100 percent under DC 6205.

What separates the next level: A documented frequency of one to four times a month is the next lower tier (60 percent) under this same code.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence

Official CFR language: DC 6205 lists Meniere's syndrome with hearing impairment with vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus, at 100 percent.
Qualification explanation: The record needs to document vertigo attacks occurring more than once weekly. Tinnitus may or may not also be present -- its presence or absence does not change this tier.
Examples: Vertigo attacks documented as occurring several times per week.; Frequent vertigo episodes with or without accompanying tinnitus.
Medical evidence: ENT or neurology notes documenting vertigo-attack frequency; Vestibular testing or Meniere's syndrome diagnosis records; Tinnitus documentation, if present (does not change this tier)
Functional impact examples: Frequent vertigo attacks can substantially disrupt work, driving, and daily activities.; Cerebellar gait findings may be documented alongside frequent attacks.
Common misconceptions: Tinnitus presence or absence does not change this tier -- the frequency of vertigo attacks does.; This is the highest tier under DC 6205's own frequency-based criteria; a separate alternate evaluation path exists but is disclosure-only here.
Related topics: Meniere's syndrome; vertigo frequency; DC 6205
Source context: 38 CFR 4.87; 6205; Current as of access date 2026-07-28. RIN 2900-AQ72 proposes changing this tier's frequency threshold from 'more than once weekly' to 'five or more times a month'; not yet finalized.

60% (DC 6205)

Next: 100%

Meniere's syndrome with vertigo attacks one to four times a month, with or without tinnitus, is rated at 60 percent under DC 6205.

What separates the next level: More than once weekly moves to the 100 percent tier; less than once a month moves to the 30 percent tier.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence

Official CFR language: DC 6205 lists Meniere's syndrome with hearing impairment with vertigo and cerebellar gait less frequently than once weekly, with or without tinnitus, occurring one to four times a month, at 60 percent.
Qualification explanation: The record needs to document vertigo attacks occurring one to four times a month, less often than the weekly-or-more tier but more often than the less-than-monthly tier.
Examples: Vertigo attacks documented as occurring a few times per month.; A documented pattern of one to four vertigo episodes monthly, with or without tinnitus.
Medical evidence: ENT or neurology notes documenting vertigo-attack frequency; Vestibular testing or Meniere's syndrome diagnosis records; Tinnitus documentation, if present (does not change this tier)
Functional impact examples: Periodic vertigo attacks that disrupt specific days or activities without being a near-daily occurrence.; Documented impact on work or driving during attack episodes.
Common misconceptions: This mid-range tier is defined strictly by attack frequency, not by how severe any single attack feels.; Tinnitus presence or absence does not change this tier.
Related topics: Meniere's syndrome; vertigo frequency; DC 6205
Source context: 38 CFR 4.87; 6205; Current as of access date 2026-07-28. RIN 2900-AQ72 proposes changes to DC 6205's 100 percent tier and adds new Notes; this 60 percent tier itself is not proposed to change.

30% (DC 6205)

Next: 60%

Meniere's syndrome with vertigo attacks less than once a month, with or without tinnitus, is rated at 30 percent under DC 6205.

What separates the next level: A documented frequency of one to four times a month moves to the higher 60 percent tier.

Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence

Official CFR language: DC 6205 lists Meniere's syndrome with hearing impairment with vertigo less than once a month, with or without tinnitus, at 30 percent.
Qualification explanation: The record needs to document vertigo attacks occurring less than once a month -- the lowest documented frequency tier under DC 6205.
Examples: Vertigo attacks documented as occurring less than monthly.; Infrequent vertigo episodes, with or without tinnitus.
Medical evidence: ENT or neurology notes documenting vertigo-attack frequency; Vestibular testing or Meniere's syndrome diagnosis records; Tinnitus documentation, if present (does not change this tier)
Functional impact examples: Occasional vertigo episodes that disrupt specific days without a frequent recurring pattern.; Documented impact limited to isolated episodes rather than an ongoing pattern.
Common misconceptions: This is DC 6205's own lowest documented compensable tier -- the code does not list a 0 percent row of its own.; Tinnitus presence or absence does not change this tier.
Related topics: Meniere's syndrome; vertigo frequency; DC 6205
Source context: 38 CFR 4.87; 6205; Current as of access date 2026-07-28. RIN 2900-AQ72 does not propose changing this tier's own frequency threshold.

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Understand the details behind the criteria

Use these short guides to connect published terms with the records and observations that may clarify them.

Combining peripheral vestibular disorders with hearing impairment

DC 6204 requires hearing impairment or suppuration to be separately rated and combined, rather than folded into the DC 6204 percentage itself.

DC 6204's own text directs that hearing impairment or suppuration documented alongside peripheral vestibular disorders be separately rated and combined, not blended into the 30 percent or 10 percent finding.
Hearing impairment is rated under DC 6100 -- see the Hearing Loss hub for that mechanism (puretone thresholds, speech discrimination, and Tables VI/VIa/VII). Suppuration would be rated under DC 6200, out of scope for this hub.
This hub's own DC 6204 rating stands alone. RatingScope does not automatically combine it with a separate hearing-loss or suppuration percentage; combining two separately rated percentages uses VA's whole-person combined-ratings method, not simple addition.
Worked example: a veteran has documented peripheral vestibular disorders with dizziness and occasional staggering (DC 6204, 30%) and separately documented hearing loss meeting a DC 6100 percentage based on audiometric testing. Both percentages can typically apply and combine, since they come from independently documented findings under different codes.

Records to review: ENT or neurology notes; audiology records; DC 6100/6200 evaluation records.

The alternate way to evaluate Meniere's syndrome

DC 6205 allows Meniere's syndrome to be evaluated either under its own frequency-based tiers, or by separately evaluating vertigo, hearing impairment, and tinnitus and combining them, whichever gives the higher result.

DC 6205's Note describes this alternate path, but refers to 'vertigo' rather than naming DC 6204 by diagnostic code number -- unlike DC 6260's own tinnitus combination rule, which does name DC 6204 explicitly.
The Note's own text goes beyond offering a choice: 'But do not combine an evaluation for hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code 6205.' The two evaluation methods are mutually exclusive -- whichever one produces the higher result stands alone, and is not added to or combined with a DC 6205 award.
Whether 'vertigo' in this Note means DC 6204 specifically, or a freestanding clinical judgment about vertigo severity, is a genuinely unresolved targeting ambiguity. This hub does not assume it means DC 6204 and does not silently build a computation on that assumption.
Even setting that ambiguity aside, the alternate path is a genuine three-code combination under 38 CFR 4.25: vertigo (under DC 6204, per the unresolved targeting question above), hearing impairment (under DC 6100, see the Hearing Loss hub), and tinnitus (under DC 6260, see the Tinnitus hub), each independently rated and then combined using the Combined Ratings Table -- not simply summed.
This is materially more complex than a two-code 'pick the higher' comparison (like Hip's DC 5255 malunion comparison). RatingScope discloses this alternate path and links to all three relevant hubs, but does not build a comparison tool or attempt the computation.

Records to review: ENT or neurology notes; audiology records; tinnitus diagnosis or complaint history.

Evidence

Evidence that may clarify the published criteria

ENT or neurology diagnosis and history

Establishes the diagnosis (peripheral vestibular disorders or Meniere's syndrome) and documents onset and history.

A passing mention of dizziness is not the same as a documented diagnosis under DC 6204 or DC 6205.

Objective findings supporting vestibular disequilibrium

Required before a compensable DC 6204 evaluation can be assigned, though the regulation does not define what specifically qualifies.

RatingScope does not infer what counts as an objective finding without the record documenting one.

Vertigo-attack frequency documentation

Establishes how often vertigo attacks occur for the DC 6205 frequency tiers.

A general reference to vertigo is not the same as a documented attack-frequency pattern.

Hearing and related ear condition records

Relevant when peripheral vestibular disorders or Meniere's syndrome co-occurs with hearing loss, to support a separate, combinable rating.

A hearing-loss diagnosis alone does not establish a separate DC 6204/6205 finding, and vice versa.

Personal and firsthand lay evidence

Can describe dizziness, staggering, or vertigo-attack frequency and their impact on daily life.

Lay evidence can describe observed impact, but it does not establish the objective findings DC 6204 requires, or substitute for documented attack-frequency records.

Official VA Forms & DBQs

Downloadable DBQs & Supporting Claim Forms

Take the public DBQ to your private physician or review it prior to your C&P examination.

Terminology

Plain-English terms

Peripheral vestibular disorders

An inner-ear balance problem causing dizziness or unsteadiness.

DC 6204 rates this condition at 30 percent (dizziness and occasional staggering) or 10 percent (occasional dizziness).

ENT or neurology notes; vestibular testing

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Objective findings supporting vestibular disequilibrium

Some kind of clinical or testing evidence of a balance problem, though the rule doesn't spell out exactly what counts.

DC 6204 requires this finding, but RatingScope discloses this as an undefined term rather than guessing at a threshold.

vestibular or balance testing findings

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Meniere's syndrome

An inner-ear condition that causes episodes of vertigo, sometimes with ringing in the ears.

DC 6205 rates Meniere's syndrome by vertigo-attack frequency: 100, 60, or 30 percent.

ENT or neurology notes; Meniere's syndrome diagnosis records

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With or without tinnitus (DC 6205)

Whether you also have ringing in your ears doesn't change which DC 6205 percentage applies -- only vertigo-attack frequency does.

All three DC 6205 tiers explicitly carry this qualifier in the regulation's own text.

tinnitus diagnosis or complaint history

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TDIU

Even if the schedular rating for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome does not reach 100 percent, TDIU may still provide a pathway to compensation at the 100 percent rate, based on unemployability from this and/or other service-connected disabilities combined.

A lower schedular percentage does not by itself foreclose TDIU eligibility -- this hub computes only the schedular percentage for this specific condition and does not determine TDIU eligibility.

Employment history; vocational impact documentation; occupational impairment

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Common Questions

Questions veterans commonly ask

How much does VA pay for peripheral vestibular disorders?

DC 6204 rates dizziness and occasional staggering at 30 percent, and occasional dizziness alone at 10 percent. Objective findings supporting vestibular disequilibrium are required for either compensable level.

How much does VA pay for Meniere's syndrome?

DC 6205 rates vertigo-attack frequency at 100 percent (more than once weekly), 60 percent (one to four times a month), or 30 percent (less than once a month), each with or without tinnitus.

Can I get separate ratings for hearing loss and peripheral vestibular disorders?

Often, yes. DC 6204 requires hearing impairment or suppuration to be separately rated and combined rather than folded into the DC 6204 percentage. See the Hearing Loss hub for how DC 6100 works; combining the two uses VA's whole-person combined-ratings method, not simple addition.

What is the alternate way to evaluate Meniere's syndrome?

DC 6205 allows evaluating vertigo, hearing impairment, and tinnitus separately and combining them instead, if that produces a higher result. The Note refers to 'vertigo' rather than naming DC 6204 by number, which this hub discloses as a genuinely unresolved targeting question. RatingScope does not compute this three-code combination -- see the Hearing Loss and Tinnitus hubs for each component's own mechanism.

Does tinnitus change my Meniere's syndrome percentage?

No. All three DC 6205 frequency tiers apply with or without tinnitus -- tinnitus presence or absence does not change which tier applies.

Is this an active RatingScope assessment?

No. This Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome hub is educational only. Do not enter these findings into another condition's assessment.

If my schedular rating for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome is below 100%, can I still be compensated at the 100% rate?

Possibly, through TDIU (Total Disability rating based on Individual Unemployability, 38 CFR 4.16) -- a separate pathway to 100 percent compensation based on unemployability, from this and/or other service-connected disabilities combined, independent of whether the schedular rating itself reaches 100 percent. This hub computes only the schedular percentage and does not determine TDIU eligibility.

What separates the 30% (DC 6204) rating from adjacent levels?

Dizziness without documented occasional staggering is the lower, 10 percent tier under this same code instead.

What separates the 10% (DC 6204) rating from adjacent levels?

Dizziness together with documented occasional staggering moves to the higher, 30 percent tier under this same code.

What separates the 100% (DC 6205) rating from adjacent levels?

A documented frequency of one to four times a month is the next lower tier (60 percent) under this same code.

What separates the 60% (DC 6205) rating from adjacent levels?

More than once weekly moves to the 100 percent tier; less than once a month moves to the 30 percent tier.

What separates the 30% (DC 6205) rating from adjacent levels?

A documented frequency of one to four times a month moves to the higher 60 percent tier.

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Informational guidance only. RatingScope does not predict, decide, or guarantee VA outcomes.

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External source/reference

38 CFR 4.87 - Schedule of Ratings, Ear

Official regulation source for DC 6204 and DC 6205. Use the official source for current rule text.

Open 38 CFR 4.87 - Schedule of Ratings, Ear

RatingScope resource

Claims Process - C&P exams

Educational context for what a C&P exam is and how exam evidence is organized.

Open Claims Process - C&P exams

RatingScope resource

Tinnitus guide

A separate, already-active hub for DC 6260 tinnitus, including its own DC 6204 combination rule.

Open Tinnitus guide

RatingScope resource

Hearing Loss guide

A separate hub for DC 6100 hearing loss, including Tables VI, VIa, and VII.

Open Hearing Loss guide

External source/reference

38 CFR 4.16 - Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability (TDIU)

Official source for TDIU, a separate pathway to 100 percent compensation based on unemployability, independent of the schedular percentage. This hub does not determine TDIU eligibility.

Open 38 CFR 4.16 - Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability (TDIU)

Secondary conditions

Conditions commonly connected to Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome

No commonly documented secondary connections are tracked for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome yet.

Educational Guides & Evidence Resources

In-depth analysis of DBQ forms, medical evidence thresholds, and rating schedules for Peripheral Vestibular Disorders and Meniere's Syndrome.

Peripheral Vestibular Disorders VA Rating: DC 6204 Criteria & Evidence Guide

Learn how the VA rates peripheral vestibular disorders under 38 CFR 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6204, objective balance findings, and staggering criteria.

Meniere's Disease VA Rating: DC 6205 Triad and Anti-Pyramiding Rules

Understand how the VA rates Meniere's disease under 38 CFR 4.87 (DC 6205), vertigo attack frequency tiers, cerebellar gait, and anti-pyramiding rules.

Vertigo vs. Meniere's VA Rating: DC 6204 and DC 6205 Compared

Compare VA disability ratings for vertigo under DC 6204 and Meniere's disease under DC 6205, rating criteria, and anti-pyramiding alternatives.

VA Ear and Vestibular Conditions C&P Exam Guide: Ear DBQ and Testing

Prepare for your vestibular and ear C&P exam with our guide to the official VA Ear Conditions DBQ, clinical testing, and rating rules.

How VA Rates Vertigo and Meniere's Disease: DC 6204 & DC 6205 Guide

Learn how the VA rates vertigo, dizziness, and Meniere's disease under 38 CFR 4.87, Diagnostic Codes 6204 and 6205, staggering gait, and pyramiding rules.

How VA Rates Hearing Loss: DC 6100 Puretone Thresholds and Speech Discrimination Guide

Learn how the VA evaluates hearing impairment under 38 CFR 4.85 (DC 6100) using puretone audiometry thresholds, CNC speech discrimination, and Table VII.

How VA Rates Tinnitus: 10% Standalone Rule and Secondary Connections

Learn how the VA evaluates recurrent subjective tinnitus under 38 CFR 4.87 (DC 6260) using a flat 10 percent rating.

Tinnitus vs. Hearing Loss: VA Rating Differences, Audiograms, and Combined Claims

Understand how the VA rates tinnitus versus hearing loss, audiogram speech discrimination tests, and how to claim both conditions together.

Keep going

Compare a percentage level and combined-rating math, or review evidence context.

VA Math & Combined Ratings

Understand the whole-person method, final rounding, and bilateral limits, then calculate how percentages combine.

Open VA Math guide

Evidence Center

Understand common evidence categories and what they can clarify without treating them as a checklist.

Open Evidence Center