YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Degenerative Arthritis VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Degenerative Arthritis under diagnostic code 5003, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides two evaluation levels for it: 20% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Prepare for your examTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Degenerative Arthritis
Degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) is the gradual breakdown of the cartilage that cushions a joint, producing pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced motion. DC 5003 is not primarily a ladder of its own: the schedule rates degenerative arthritis established by X-ray "on the basis of limitation of motion under the appropriate diagnostic codes for the specific joint or joints involved", so most evaluations come from the affected joint's own code and DC 5003 supplies a floor.
The schedule's own opening sentence sets the order of operations: "Degenerative arthritis established by X-ray findings will be rated on the basis of limitation of motion under the appropriate diagnostic codes for the specific joint or joints involved (DC 5200 etc.)." Only "when however, the limitation of motion of the specific joint or joints involved is noncompensable under the appropriate diagnostic codes" does DC 5003 supply "a rating of 10 pct ... for each such major joint or group of minor joints affected by limitation of motion, to be combined, not added" — and that limitation "must be objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion." The 20 and 10 percent rows printed under the code apply only "in the absence of limitation of motion", and Note (1) says they "will not be combined with ratings based on limitation of motion." Note (2) is the sentence that governs a whole block of this schedule: "The 20 pct and 10 pct ratings based on X-ray findings, above, will not be utilized in rating conditions listed under diagnostic codes 5013 to 5024, inclusive" — so bursitis, myositis, tenosynovitis, gout, osteoporosis, osteomalacia and Paget's disease cannot use them. 38 CFR 4.45(f) defines which joints count as major joints and which as groups of minor joints. 38 CFR 4.59 supplies a separate floor: actually painful, unstable or malaligned joints are "entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint." A decision letter usually shows a hyphenated code such as 5003-5260 because the evaluation is assigned on the affected joint (38 CFR 4.27).
- Diagnostic code
- 5003
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 20% and 10%
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.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Degenerative Arthritis VA rating criteria (DC 5003)
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 Degenerative Arthritis
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 (1): The 20 pct and 10 pct ratings based on X-ray findings, above, will not be combined with ratings based on limitation of motion.”DC 5003
- “Note (2): The 20 pct and 10 pct ratings based on X-ray findings, above, will not be utilized in rating conditions listed under diagnostic codes 5013 to 5024, inclusive.”DC 5003
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Degenerative Arthritis 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.
A LITTLE PREPARATION HELPS
What the C&P examiner will ask about Degenerative Arthritis
Think through your own experience before exam day. Open a question to see what the examiner is assessing and which details are useful to describe accurately.
Daily functionWhich joints are affected by arthritis and how do they limit your daily activities?
Evaluating joint involvement and functional limitations for arthritis rating.
- List all affected joints - spine, knees, hips, shoulders, hands
- Describe morning stiffness duration and how long it takes to 'loosen up'
- Mention specific activities that are difficult: stairs, lifting, gripping
- Bring X-ray or MRI reports showing joint damage
- Only mentioning the most painful joint, not all affected areas
- Not describing how weather affects symptoms
- Forgetting to mention medication use and effectiveness
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Degenerative Arthritis?
VA publishes its questionnaires by body system; find the one for this condition on VA's list.
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
THE EVERYDAY PICTURE
What the Degenerative Arthritis examination has to record
The criteria above are read off an examination, and three sections of Part 4 govern what that examination has to contain. None of them is a diagnostic code, so none of them appears in the 5003 table, and all three apply to it. 38 CFR § 4.40: “Weakness is as important as limitation of motion, and a part which becomes painful on use must be regarded as seriously disabled.”
38 CFR § 4.45 lists what an examination of a joint is directed to consider:
- Less movement than normal (due to ankylosis, limitation or blocking, adhesions, tendon-tie-up, contracted scars, etc.).
- More movement than normal (from flail joint, resections, nonunion of fracture, relaxation of ligaments, etc.).
- Weakened movement (due to muscle injury, disease or injury of peripheral nerves, divided or lengthened tendons, etc.).
- Excess fatigability.
- Incoordination, impaired ability to execute skilled movements smoothly.
- Pain on movement, swelling, deformity or atrophy of disuse.
38 CFR § 4.59: “It is the intention to recognize actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury, as entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint.” So a joint that is painful on use is not a finding of nothing, even where the measured motion is close to normal.
The same section says how the joint is to be tested: “The joints involved should be tested for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing and, if possible, with the range of the opposite undamaged joint.” An examination that records one measurement, taken once, sitting down, has not done what the section asks, and that is worth reading the exam report for.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Degenerative Arthritis 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 X-rays or MRI results for every affected joint, not just the one that hurts most - the rating depends on how many major or minor joint groups are involved.
- 02
Describe specifically how the condition limits mobility or daily function (standing, walking, lifting, climbing stairs), since the VASRD rating hinges on functional loss, not just the imaging finding.
- 03
Include a physical therapy or orthopedic treatment history - an ongoing treatment plan helps show the condition is active and impacts daily life rather than being incidental.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Showing up to the C&P exam without imaging already in the file - examiners rate based on the evidence of record, so missing imaging can result in a lower rating even if the joint clearly hurts.
- 02
Describing symptoms in a way that isn't clearly tied to a specific in-service event or repetitive-stress duty, which can make it harder for the rater to connect the current condition to service.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Filing without imaging proof for every joint being claimed - pain alone, without an X-ray or MRI showing degeneration, is a common reason claims come back lower than expected.
- 02
Failing to describe how often flare-ups happen and how incapacitating they are, which is the specific detail that separates a 10% rating from a 20% rating under this diagnostic code.
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
Degenerative arthritis typically develops gradually from years of joint wear, repetitive stress, or a past joint injury that never fully healed - common in veterans whose duties involved carrying gear, running, or repeated impact.
- 02
Symptoms often worsen slowly with age, which is why documenting an in-service injury or repetitive-stress duty early is important for establishing that the condition began during, or was caused by, military service rather than normal aging alone.
SECONDARY TO SOMETHING ELSE
Conditions that can lead to Degenerative Arthritis
Each links to a page on claiming Degenerative Arthritis as secondary to that condition.
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Degenerative Arthritis
THE BROADER PICTURE
Degenerative Arthritis by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High – common in older or physically active veterans.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~580,000 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
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 Degenerative Arthritis
Is Degenerative Arthritis a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Degenerative Arthritis under VASRD diagnostic code 5003 (Musculoskeletal System). Degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) is the gradual breakdown of the cartilage that cushions a joint, producing pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced motion. DC 5003 is not primarily a ladder of its own: the schedule rates degenerative arthritis established by X-ray "on the basis of limitation of motion under the appropriate diagnostic codes for the specific joint or joints involved", so most evaluations come from the affected joint's own code and DC 5003 supplies a floor.
What VA disability rating can I get for Degenerative Arthritis?
Possible VA ratings for Degenerative Arthritis are 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 20%: In the absence of limitation of motion: "With X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations." Note (1): this rating "will not be combined with ratings based on limitation of motion."; 10%: Two separate bases produce 10 percent. (a) Where limitation of motion of the specific joint is noncompensable under that joint's own code, "a rating of 10 pct is for application for each such major joint or group of minor joints affected by limitation of motion, to be combined, not added" — and limitation of motion "must be objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion." (b) In the absence of limitation of motion, "with X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups." Note (1) bars combining basis (b) with ratings based on limitation of motion.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Degenerative Arthritis?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Degenerative Arthritis at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 580,000 veterans are service-connected for Degenerative Arthritis. Estimated approval outlook: High – common in older or physically active veterans.
What evidence helps prove Degenerative Arthritis for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Degenerative Arthritis claim includes: X-rays or an MRI confirming joint degeneration in each affected joint - this is the evidence the rating schedule is built around; A doctor's notes describing joint pain, swelling, and specific functional limitations, not just general 'joint pain,' in both your own words and your provider's clinical observations; Documentation of any incapacitating episodes or flare-ups, since these are what can raise a claim from the 10% to the 20% tier.
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Degenerative Arthritis?
Common pitfalls when filing for Degenerative Arthritis: Filing without imaging proof for every joint being claimed - pain alone, without an X-ray or MRI showing degeneration, is a common reason claims come back lower than expected; Failing to describe how often flare-ups happen and how incapacitating they are, which is the specific detail that separates a 10% rating from a 20% rating under this diagnostic code.
What conditions can be secondary to Degenerative Arthritis?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Degenerative Arthritis, when a medical opinion links them, include: Depression. 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 § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5003)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.40, functional loss
- 38 CFR § 4.45, the joints
- 38 CFR § 4.59, painful motion
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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