Published VA rule book · 38 CFR § 4.130 · DC 9434 · not your rating · we do not file
VA rating for major depressive disorder, DC 9434: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100%
VA rates major depressive disorder under diagnostic code 9434 in the VA rating schedule, 38 CFR § 4.130. The schedule lists 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%. The table below quotes each published line word for word.
Also called: depression, MDD. Rule-book name: Major depressive disorder.
Last checked against eCFR on 2026-10-10 (eCFR issue 2026-08-27). Official text on eCFR.
The published lines for DC 9434
| Percent in the rule book | Published words (quoted) |
|---|---|
| General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders | |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: 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 (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. |
| 70% | Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. |
| 50% | Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. |
| 30% | Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events). |
| 10% | Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication. |
| 0% | A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. |
Common questions
What percentages does VA list for major depressive disorder?
Under diagnostic code 9434 (38 CFR § 4.130), the rule book lists 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100%. Which line fits is decided by VA from the evidence. This page is not your rating.
Where do these words come from?
They are quoted from the public eCFR copy of 38 CFR § 4.130, Schedule of ratings—Mental disorders. We link the official page so you can check it.
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This page quotes the public VA rule book. It is not your rating and not your pay. We do not say you have this condition. We do not file. You, or a free accredited representative, file with VA.
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