YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Chronic renal disease VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Chronic renal disease under diagnostic code 7530, in 38 CFR § 4.115b (genitourinary system), and the schedule provides five evaluation levels for it: 100%, 80%, 60%, 30% and 0%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Chronic renal disease
Chronic renal disease is long-term, progressive damage to the kidneys' ability to filter waste from the blood. DC 7530 carries no criteria of its own — the schedule directs "Rate as renal dysfunction" — so the evaluation comes from the § 4.115a table, which is graded by glomerular filtration rate. Each band has to hold for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months, and requiring regular routine dialysis or being an eligible kidney transplant recipient reaches 100 percent on its own.
DC 7530's entry reads "Rate as renal dysfunction", so the § 4.115a table supplies every percentage. That table is measured by glomerular filtration rate (GFR), each band required for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months: 30 percent for GFR from 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2, 60 percent for 30 to 44, 80 percent for 15 to 29, and 100 percent for GFR less than 15 — or for requiring regular routine dialysis, or being an eligible kidney transplant recipient, either of which reaches 100 percent without reference to a GFR value. The 0 percent row is GFR from 60 to 89 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months together with recurrent red blood cell (RBC) casts, white blood cell (WBC) casts, or granular casts; or structural kidney abnormalities (cystic, obstructive, or glomerular); or an albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) of 30 mg/g or greater. Creatinine clearance and general urine protein are not measures in this table; GFR and ACR are. The table's note accepts GFR, estimated GFR (eGFR), and creatinine-based approximations of GFR when determined to be appropriate and calculated by a medical professional.
- Diagnostic code
- 7530
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.115b
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 80%, 60%, 30% and 0%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Chronic renal disease VA rating criteria (DC 7530)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Chronic renal disease
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note: GFR, estimated GFR (eGFR), and creatinine-based approximations of GFR will be accepted for evaluation purposes under this section when determined to be appropriate and calculated by a medical professional.”Renal dysfunction
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Chronic renal disease claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Chronic renal disease?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Chronic renal disease claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Submit GFR results across time rather than a single value. Every band requires at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months, so the duration is as much a criterion as the number itself.
- 02
If dialysis is regular and routine, or you are an eligible kidney transplant recipient, make sure the record says so directly. Either fact reaches 100 percent by itself, with no GFR threshold to meet.
- 03
Ask for an albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) where GFR is still between 60 and 89. An ACR of 30 mg/g or greater is one of the three findings that establish the 0 percent row.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Using only one-time lab results, which doesn't establish the chronic, progressive nature this rating depends on.
- 02
No nephrology notes included, leaving the diagnosis without specialist confirmation.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Failing to include dialysis documentation when applicable, since this is direct evidence of the most severe tier.
- 02
Inconsistent lab values across different sources without an explanation, which can undermine the claim's credibility.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Chronic renal disease usually progresses slowly, and is frequently linked to underlying diabetes or hypertension.
SECONDARY TO SOMETHING ELSE
Conditions that can lead to Chronic renal disease
Each links to a page on claiming Chronic renal disease as secondary to that condition.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Chronic renal disease by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High
- Veterans service-connected
- ~4,400 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~80%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Chronic renal disease
Is Chronic renal disease a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Chronic renal disease under VASRD diagnostic code 7530 (Genitourinary System). Chronic renal disease is long-term, progressive damage to the kidneys' ability to filter waste from the blood. DC 7530 carries no criteria of its own — the schedule directs "Rate as renal dysfunction" — so the evaluation comes from the § 4.115a table, which is graded by glomerular filtration rate. Each band has to hold for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months, and requiring regular routine dialysis or being an eligible kidney transplant recipient reaches 100 percent on its own.
What VA disability rating can I get for Chronic renal disease?
Possible VA ratings for Chronic renal disease are 100%, 80%, 60%, 30%, 0%. Examples: 100%: Chronic kidney disease with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months; or requiring regular routine dialysis; or eligible kidney transplant recipient; 80%: Chronic kidney disease with GFR from 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months; 60%: Chronic kidney disease with GFR from 30 to 44 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Chronic renal disease?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Chronic renal disease at around 80%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 4,400 veterans are service-connected for Chronic renal disease. Estimated approval outlook: High.
What evidence helps prove Chronic renal disease for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Chronic renal disease claim includes: Serial GFR or eGFR results with dates, spanning at least 3 consecutive months within the past 12 months; Dialysis records showing the treatment is regular and routine, or documentation of eligibility as a kidney transplant recipient — each reaches 100 percent independently; An albumin/creatinine ratio result, urinalysis reporting red blood cell, white blood cell or granular casts, and imaging of any structural kidney abnormality, which are the findings named at the 0 percent level; Nephrology records documenting the diagnosis and its course.
Which DBQ is used for Chronic renal disease?
VA's Kidney Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Chronic renal disease?
Common pitfalls when filing for Chronic renal disease: Failing to include dialysis documentation when applicable, since this is direct evidence of the most severe tier; Inconsistent lab values across different sources without an explanation, which can undermine the claim's credibility.
What conditions can be secondary to Chronic renal disease?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Chronic renal disease, when a medical opinion links them, include: Hypertension. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.115b, Schedule of ratings, genitourinary system (Diagnostic Code 7530)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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