YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Kidney removal (nephrectomy) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Kidney removal (nephrectomy) under diagnostic code 7500, 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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)
This code covers surgical removal of one kidney. The schedule assigns a 30 percent minimum evaluation for the removal itself. If the remaining kidney has nephritis, infection, or other pathology, this same code is instead rated as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a, which is graded by glomerular filtration rate.
DC 7500 has two routes. The first is the code's own single row: a 30 percent minimum evaluation for removal of one kidney. The second is the schedule's direction to "rate as renal dysfunction if there is nephritis, infection, or pathology of the other" — meaning the remaining kidney. The § 4.115a renal dysfunction table is graded by glomerular filtration rate (GFR), each band required for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months: GFR from 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2 is 30 percent, 30 to 44 is 60 percent, 15 to 29 is 80 percent, and GFR less than 15 — or requiring regular routine dialysis, or being an eligible kidney transplant recipient — is 100 percent. That 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. So the condition of the remaining kidney is what decides whether the evaluation stays at the 30 percent minimum or moves up the renal dysfunction table under this same code.
- Diagnostic code
- 7500
- 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.
This guide describes four of those levels in detail; for 0%, read the criteria in 38 CFR § 4.115b.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Kidney removal (nephrectomy) VA rating criteria (DC 7500)
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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)
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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy) 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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy) 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
Get the condition of the remaining kidney documented specifically. Nephritis, infection, or pathology of the other kidney are the three findings the code names as the trigger for rating as renal dysfunction.
- 02
If the renal dysfunction route applies, the labs have to span time: each GFR band requires at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months, so one reading cannot establish a band.
- 03
A creatinine-based estimate is acceptable — the renal dysfunction note accepts GFR, eGFR and creatinine-based approximations of GFR when a medical professional determines them appropriate.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind1 tips
- 01
No lab reports showing the current function of the remaining kidney, leaving the claim without confirmation of your present renal status.
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
Assuming impairment of the remaining kidney is rated under a different, more severe code. It is rated under this same code, as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a.
- 02
Submitting a single lab draw, when each band of the renal dysfunction table requires the value to hold for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
- 03
No proof of the nephrectomy itself in the evidence file.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Kidney removal is most often necessitated by trauma sustained during service or by a tumor requiring surgical treatment.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Kidney removal (nephrectomy) by the numbers
- Veterans service-connected
- ~4,278 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~30%
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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)
Is Kidney removal (nephrectomy) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Kidney removal (nephrectomy) under VASRD diagnostic code 7500 (Genitourinary System). This code covers surgical removal of one kidney. The schedule assigns a 30 percent minimum evaluation for the removal itself. If the remaining kidney has nephritis, infection, or other pathology, this same code is instead rated as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a, which is graded by glomerular filtration rate.
What VA disability rating can I get for Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
Possible VA ratings for Kidney removal (nephrectomy) are 100%, 80%, 60%, 30%, 0%. Examples: 100%: Nephritis, infection, or pathology of the other kidney, rated as renal dysfunction: chronic kidney disease with 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%: Nephritis, infection, or pathology of the other kidney, rated as renal dysfunction: 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%: Nephritis, infection, or pathology of the other kidney, rated as renal dysfunction: 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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Kidney removal (nephrectomy) at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 4,278 veterans are service-connected for Kidney removal (nephrectomy).
What evidence helps prove Kidney removal (nephrectomy) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Kidney removal (nephrectomy) claim includes: The surgical report documenting the nephrectomy; Lab results (creatinine, GFR) showing the remaining kidney's current function; A renal ultrasound assessing the remaining kidney's structure and health.
Which DBQ is used for Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
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 Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Kidney removal (nephrectomy): Assuming impairment of the remaining kidney is rated under a different, more severe code. It is rated under this same code, as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a; Submitting a single lab draw, when each band of the renal dysfunction table requires the value to hold for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months; No proof of the nephrectomy itself in the evidence file.
What conditions can be secondary to Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Kidney removal (nephrectomy), when a medical opinion links them, include: Hypertension; Chronic kidney disease. 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 7500)
- 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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