Major Depressive Disorder VA Rating Criteria

The VA rates major depressive disorder (MDD) using a General Rating Formula that applies to all mental disorders. Knowing exactly what each rating level requires, and how to document your symptoms accordingly, is essential for getting the rating that reflects your actual impairment.

The Rating Scale at a Glance

Major depressive disorder is rated under 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 9434. The scale runs: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. There is no 20% or 40% or 60% rating for mental disorders.

Each level is defined by the degree of social and occupational impairment caused by the condition. The specific symptoms listed are examples, not a required checklist. The VA is supposed to assign the rating that most nearly approximates your level of impairment, considering the totality of your symptoms.

Rating Criteria by Level

0 Percent: Service-Connected but Not Compensable

A 0% rating means the condition is service-connected (which preserves future rights) but currently causes no functional impairment. You can still receive free VA mental health care with a 0% rating. Review regularly; if your symptoms worsen, file for an increase.

10 Percent: Mild Impairment

The 10% level applies when mental disorder symptoms are controlled by continuous medication or cause only occupational and social impairment characterized by transient or mild symptoms. This is a threshold many veterans are improperly stuck at when their actual functioning is more significantly impaired.

30 Percent: Moderate Impairment

At the 30% level, the VA expects to see:

• Occasional decrease in work efficiency or periods of inability to perform occupational tasks
• Intermittent symptoms of depression
• Depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often)
• Chronic sleep impairment
• Mild memory loss

Many veterans with recurrent depression and ongoing sleep disruption fit the 30% criteria even if they are managing to maintain employment, with difficulty.

50 Percent: Significant Impairment

The 50% rating reflects reduced reliability and productivity. Characteristic symptoms include:

• Flattened affect
• Circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech
• Panic attacks more than once a week
• Difficulty understanding complex commands
• Impairment of short- and long-term memory
• Disturbances of motivation and mood
• Difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships

At 50%, the veteran is typically struggling to maintain consistent employment and has strained personal relationships due to their depression.

70 Percent: Serious Impairment

The 70% level is one of the most consequential thresholds because it triggers the highest levels of special monthly compensation eligibility and strongly supports TDIU. Symptoms at this level include:

• Suicidal ideation (passive or active)
• Obsessional rituals that interfere with routine activities
• Intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant speech
• Near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently, appropriately, and effectively
• Impaired impulse control
• Spatial disorientation
• Neglect of personal appearance and hygiene
• Difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances
• Inability to establish and maintain effective relationships

The key distinction from 50% is the near-continuous nature of the impairment and the appearance of more severe symptom markers.

100 Percent: Total Impairment

Total occupational and social impairment is required for the 100% rating. This reflects:

• Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
• Persistent delusions or hallucinations
• Grossly inappropriate behavior
• Persistent danger of hurting self or others
• Intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living
• Disorientation to time, place, or situation
• Memory loss for names of close relatives, occupation, or own name

Veterans at the 100% level are typically not working and may need supervised care.

Common Rating Errors and How to Address Them

Symptom Acknowledgment Without Proper Rating

VA raters and examiners sometimes acknowledge significant symptoms but assign a lower rating than the evidence supports. If your C&P report documents near-continuous depression, inability to maintain relationships, or passive suicidal ideation but you received a 30% or 50% rating, that is a potential basis for a rating increase or supplemental claim.

The "Well-Controlled on Medication" Trap

The VA's rating criteria are based on your symptoms and impairment, not on your treatment response. Telling a C&P examiner that your medication helps does not authorize a lower rating if you still have significant residual symptoms. Be honest and complete about what remains impaired even with treatment.

Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scores

While the VA no longer officially uses GAF scores as the sole rating basis, they appear in older records and some current clinical notes. A GAF below 60 generally correlates with 70% or higher impairment under the VA scale. Current VA adjudicators focus on the symptom and functional criteria in the rating formula rather than GAF scores specifically, but a documented GAF below 60 in your records remains useful corroborating evidence when arguing for a 70% or higher rating.

Documenting Your Symptoms for the Rating You Deserve

The symptoms the VA lists are examples, not a complete list. When preparing for your C&P exam or submitting a personal statement:

• Describe specific incidents of impairment, not general labels
• Note how often symptoms occur and how long they last
• Describe any time you missed work, had difficulty completing tasks, or withdrew from family or social activities
• Document sleep disruption, appetite changes, and energy levels
• Be honest about any suicidal thoughts, even passive ones

See Social and Occupational Functioning: Documenting Severity for a practical guide to capturing this in writing.

For help with the C&P exam itself, visit Mental Health C&P Exam Preparation.

If you believe your depression rating does not reflect your actual impairment, a physician-authored independent medical opinion can formally document your symptom severity and support a rating increase request. Visit flatratenexus.com to learn more about nexus letters and physician-signed IMOs.