YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Urethra, stricture of VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Urethra, stricture of under diagnostic code 7518, in 38 CFR § 4.115b (genitourinary system), and the schedule provides six evaluation levels for it: 60%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% 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 Urethra, stricture of
A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra that obstructs the flow of urine. DC 7518 carries no criteria of its own; the schedule directs "Rate as voiding dysfunction", and § 4.115a in turn directs that the particular condition be rated as urine leakage, frequency, or obstructed voiding. The ladder published for this code covers all three: urine leakage (up to 60 percent), urinary frequency (up to 40 percent), and obstructed voiding (up to 30 percent).
DC 7518 has no rows of its own — the entry reads "Rate as voiding dysfunction", and § 4.115a in turn directs that the particular condition be rated as urine leakage, frequency, or obstructed voiding. Urine leakage runs highest: an appliance, or absorbent materials changed more than 4 times per day, is 60 percent; 2 to 4 times per day is 40 percent; and less than 2 times per day is 20 percent. Urinary frequency gives 40, 20 or 10 percent by daytime voiding interval and nighttime awakenings. The obstructed voiding table provides three levels. Zero percent is obstructive symptomatology with or without stricture disease requiring dilatation 1 to 2 times per year. Ten percent is marked obstructive symptomatology — hesitancy, slow or weak stream, decreased force of stream — with any one or combination of the following: post-void residuals greater than 150 cc; uroflowmetry showing a markedly diminished peak flow rate (less than 10 cc/sec); recurrent urinary tract infections secondary to obstruction; or stricture disease requiring periodic dilatation every 2 to 3 months. Thirty percent, the top of that table, is urinary retention requiring intermittent or continuous catheterization. Dilatation frequency therefore decides the 0-versus-10 percent line only, and only as one of four alternatives; catheterization for retention is what reaches 30 percent.
- Diagnostic code
- 7518
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.115b
- Schedule levels
- 60%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% 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
Urethra, stricture of VA rating criteria (DC 7518)
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.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Urethra, stricture of 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 Urethra, stricture of?
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 Urethra, stricture of 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
Dilatation frequency is one route, not the only one. At 10 percent it is one of four alternatives, alongside a post-void residual greater than 150 cc, a uroflowmetry peak flow rate under 10 cc/sec, and recurrent urinary tract infections secondary to obstruction — any one of them will do.
- 02
Ask for a post-void residual measurement and uroflowmetry by name. Both are numbers the table uses, and neither appears in a record unless the test is ordered.
- 03
If urinary retention has required intermittent or continuous catheterization, get the catheterization documented as prescribed for retention. That is the fact the 30 percent level is built on.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
An examination recording obstructive symptoms — hesitancy, slow or weak stream, decreased force of stream — without any of the four objective findings the 10 percent level pairs them with.
- 02
No post-void residual and no uroflowmetry in the file, so two of the four routes to 10 percent cannot be evaluated at all.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Lack of documentation of the actual dilation procedures performed.
- 02
No specialist (urology) input to confirm the diagnosis and treatment pattern.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Urethral strictures commonly develop after a prior surgery or infection that caused scarring and narrowing of the urethra.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Urethra, stricture of by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High
- Veterans service-connected
- ~3,100 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 Urethra, stricture of
Is Urethra, stricture of a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Urethra, stricture of under VASRD diagnostic code 7518 (Genitourinary System). A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra that obstructs the flow of urine. DC 7518 carries no criteria of its own; the schedule directs "Rate as voiding dysfunction", and § 4.115a in turn directs that the particular condition be rated as urine leakage, frequency, or obstructed voiding. The ladder published for this code covers all three: urine leakage (up to 60 percent), urinary frequency (up to 40 percent), and obstructed voiding (up to 30 percent).
What VA disability rating can I get for Urethra, stricture of?
Possible VA ratings for Urethra, stricture of are 60%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 60%: Rated as voiding dysfunction, continual urine leakage, post surgical urinary diversion, urinary incontinence, or stress incontinence: requiring the use of an appliance or the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed more than 4 times per day; 40%: Rated as voiding dysfunction, urine leakage: requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed 2 to 4 times per day; or rated as voiding dysfunction, urinary frequency: daytime voiding interval less than one hour, or; awakening to void five or more times per night; 30%: Rated as voiding dysfunction, obstructed voiding: urinary retention requiring intermittent or continuous catheterization.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Urethra, stricture of?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Urethra, stricture of at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 3,100 veterans are service-connected for Urethra, stricture of. Estimated approval outlook: High.
What evidence helps prove Urethra, stricture of for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Urethra, stricture of claim includes: Urology records stating the dilatation schedule — 1 to 2 times per year, or every 2 to 3 months — since that interval separates the 0 and 10 percent levels; A post-void residual measurement in cc and a uroflowmetry report giving peak flow in cc/sec, both named in the 10 percent criteria; Documentation of intermittent or continuous catheterization for urinary retention, which is the 30 percent criterion; Urinalysis and treatment records for recurrent urinary tract infections attributed to the obstruction, which is another of the 10 percent alternatives.
Which DBQ is used for Urethra, stricture of?
VA's Urinary Tract 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 Urethra, stricture of?
Common pitfalls when filing for Urethra, stricture of: Lack of documentation of the actual dilation procedures performed; No specialist (urology) input to confirm the diagnosis and treatment pattern.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.115b, Schedule of ratings, genitourinary system (Diagnostic Code 7518)
- 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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