VA BENEFITS REFERENCE
DC 6100: Hearing Impairment
Read VA diagnostic code 6100 for Hearing impairment: published criteria, regulatory notes, related codes and official sources checked October 25, 2026.
Published criteria from 38 CFR 4.85, current through 2026-10-22. Historical decisions may require a different version. This reference does not diagnose a condition or determine an evaluation.
Impairment of Auditory Acuity · All Diagnostic Codes
DC 6100: Hearing Impairment
Diagnostic code 6100 addresses Hearing impairment. Read its specific instructions together with any shared formula, notes and linked provisions. These criteria describe evaluation after the applicable entitlement requirements are met; this reference does not diagnose a condition or determine a claim.
A semantic text table is provided below this original graphic. Its cells, axes and footnotes were checked against the official image; blanks remain source blanks.
Table VI: Numeric Designation Of Hearing Impairment Based On Puretone Threshold Average And Speech Discrimination
| % of discrimination | 0-41 | 42-49 | 50-57 | 58-65 | 66-73 | 74-81 | 82-89 | 90-97 | 98+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92-100 | I | I | I | II | II | II | III | III | IV |
| 84-90 | II | II | II | III | III | III | IV | IV | IV |
| 76-82 | III | III | IV | IV | IV | V | V | V | V |
| 68-74 | IV | IV | V | V | VI | VI | VII | VII | VII |
| 60-66 | V | V | VI | VI | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII |
| 52-58 | VI | VI | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX |
| 44-50 | VII | VII | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX | IX | IX | X |
| 36-42 | VIII | VIII | VIII | IX | IX | IX | X | X | X |
| 0-34 | IX | X | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI | XI |
Columns: Puretone Threshold Average. Rows: % of discrimination (speech discrimination).
Puretone threshold average is the sum of the thresholds at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hertz, divided by four. Read the Roman numeral where the applicable row and column meet.
The ranges are transcribed as printed. No missing range endpoints have been filled in.
Table VIa*: Numeric Designation Of Hearing Impairment Based Only On Puretone Threshold Average
| Designation | 0-41 | 42-48 | 49-55 | 56-62 | 63-69 | 70-76 | 77-83 | 84-90 | 91-97 | 98-104 | 105+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numeric Designation | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI |
* This table is for use only as specified in §§ 4.85 and 4.86.
Columns: Puretone Threshold Average. The designation row contains the corresponding Roman numerals.
Table VIa is not a general alternative to Table VI. Section 4.85(c) addresses examiner certification that speech discrimination testing is inappropriate. Section 4.86 addresses specified exceptional patterns of hearing impairment.
The row label Numeric Designation and its corner heading Designation are added for accessibility; the source graphic has no left-hand label cell.
A semantic text table is provided below this original graphic. Its cells, axes and footnotes were checked against the official image; blanks remain source blanks.
Table VII: Percentage Evaluation For Hearing Impairment (Diagnostic Code 6100)
| Better Ear / Poorer Ear | XI | X | IX | VIII | VII | VI | V | IV | III | II | I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XI | 100* | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| X | 90 | 80 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| IX | 80 | 70 | 60 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| VIII | 70 | 60 | 50 | 50 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| VII | 60 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 40 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| VI | 50 | 50 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 30 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| V | 40 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 20 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| IV | 30 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 10 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| III | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | Blank In Source Table | Blank In Source Table |
| II | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Blank In Source Table |
| I | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Review for entitlement to special monthly compensation under §3.350 of this chapter.
Rows: Better Ear. Columns: Poorer Ear. The numbers in the body of the table are percentage evaluations.
Both axes run from XI to I. Column labels printed below the original grid are placed above the accessible table without changing their order.
Empty cells are blank in the source. They are not zero-percent evaluations and have not been filled by mirroring another cell.
The asterisk on 100* directs review for special monthly compensation; it does not itself establish entitlement.
What The Criteria Measure
- Does the decision identify diagnostic code 6100, and does the medical record describe the condition named by this code?
- Are the required clinical measurements, testing methods and any stated exceptions documented by a qualified clinician?
- Have the code-specific notes and cross-references been read before comparing any listed evaluation?
No public condition DBQ is mapped to this code. Consult the official public DBQ list and examination instructions.
Source Qualifications
- The official source stores Tables VI, VIa and VII as graphics. The original images and checked text tables are provided together here. Text-table blanks preserve blank positions in the source; they do not mean zero.
Shared Rules And Regulatory Context
Context provisions do not create an additional evaluation automatically assigned to every condition.
Related Guides
Official Sources
Last verified 2026-10-25. Source publication or legal effective dates are shown separately where available.
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