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Asthma is one of the most common breathing conditions veterans claim, and one of the easiest to rate too low. An asthma VA rating depends on two things: your breathing test results and the medication you need. Many veterans do not realize that the medication alone can set the rating. A daily controller inhaler, for example, meets the 30% level even if your breathing tests look close to normal.
For veterans who served in the Gulf War region or after 9/11, asthma diagnosed after service is also a presumptive condition under the PACT Act.
The short version
- Asthma is rated 10%, 30%, 60% or 100% under Diagnostic Code 6602.
- The rating can come from breathing tests (FEV-1 or FEV-1/FVC) or from your treatment, whichever supports the higher level.
- A rescue inhaler used as needed: 10%. A daily inhaler or an inhaled steroid: 30%.
- Three or more courses of oral steroids a year, or monthly doctor visits for flare-ups: 60%.
- Asthma diagnosed after service is presumptive for many Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans under the PACT Act.
- Asthma and sleep apnea cannot be rated separately. VA assigns one rating for the two.
On this page
The rating criteria
| Rating | Breathing test results | Or treatment and attacks |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | FEV-1 below 40% of predicted, or FEV-1/FVC below 40% | More than one attack a week with episodes of respiratory failure, or daily high-dose oral or injected steroids or immunosuppressive medication |
| 60% | FEV-1 of 40% to 55% of predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 40% to 55% | At least monthly doctor visits for required care of flare-ups, or at least three courses a year of oral or injected steroids |
| 30% | FEV-1 of 56% to 70% of predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 56% to 70% | Daily inhaled or oral bronchodilator therapy, or inhaled anti-inflammatory medication |
| 10% | FEV-1 of 71% to 80% of predicted, or FEV-1/FVC of 71% to 80% | Intermittent inhaled or oral bronchodilator therapy |
Each level is met by any one of the items listed. You do not need both a test result and a treatment.
What the medication terms mean
- Bronchodilator. A medicine that opens the airways. A rescue inhaler you use only when you have symptoms is intermittent therapy (10%). A bronchodilator you are prescribed to take every day is daily therapy (30%).
- Inhaled anti-inflammatory medication. Usually an inhaled corticosteroid, the “controller” inhaler many people use every day, alone or combined with a long-acting bronchodilator. Under the rating schedule, this treatment by itself meets the 30% level.
- Systemic corticosteroids. Steroids taken by mouth or by injection, such as a short course of prednisone for a flare-up. These are different from inhaled steroids. Three or more courses in a year meets 60%. Taking them daily at high dose is one route to 100%.
Your pharmacy records and medical records are the proof. If your prescription says “use daily,” make sure the examiner sees it.
The breathing tests
VA usually orders a pulmonary function test (PFT) for asthma. The two numbers that matter are:
- FEV-1: how much air you can force out in one second, compared with what is expected for someone of your age, height and sex
- FEV-1/FVC: that first second of air as a share of everything you can breathe out
A few rules in the regulation affect how those results are used:
- After the inhaler. When the test is done for a VA rating, VA generally uses the results after you take a bronchodilator during the test, unless those results are worse than the ones before.
- When the numbers disagree. If one result points to a higher rating than another, VA uses the result the examiner says best reflects your disability.
- Normal day, real condition. Asthma comes and goes, so a test on a good day can look normal. That is why the treatment criteria exist. If you are rated on medication, your test results do not have to be abnormal.
- No attack during the exam. If the examiner finds no signs of asthma that day, the rating needs a verified history of asthma attacks in your records. Make sure your treatment records show your flare-ups.
Getting asthma service connected
You need a current diagnosis, something in service, and a link between the two. There are three common routes.
1. The PACT Act presumption
Under the PACT Act, asthma that was diagnosed after service is presumed to be caused by burn pits and other airborne hazards for veterans with qualifying service. VA lists qualifying service as:
- On or after August 2, 1990: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, or the airspace above them
- On or after September 11, 2001: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen, or the airspace above them
If you qualify, you do not need a medical opinion linking your asthma to service. You need the diagnosis and proof of where you served. See the PACT Act explained, and if you were denied before, the PACT Act lets you file again.
2. Direct service connection
Asthma that began or was diagnosed during service, or was caused by something in service, such as exposure to fumes, fuel, dust or chemicals in your job. Your service treatment records, a personal statement about when symptoms began, and buddy statements from people who saw it all help.
If you had asthma before service, VA can still grant it if service made it permanently worse. That claim needs medical evidence showing the worsening.
3. Secondary service connection
Less common, but possible. Asthma or worse asthma that is caused or aggravated by a condition you are already service connected for, supported by a medical opinion. See secondary conditions.
Asthma and other conditions: what can and cannot be combined
Sleep apnea and asthma are rated together. The regulation does not allow separate ratings for most lung conditions and sleep apnea. VA assigns one rating under the condition that is the most disabling, and can raise it one level if your overall breathing disability is more severe than that rating alone reflects. Many veterans expect two ratings and get one. See sleep apnea ratings.
The same rule applies to asthma combined with COPD, chronic bronchitis or emphysema: one rating, not several.
Sinus and nose conditions are separate. Chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are rated under different codes, outside that rule, so they can be rated in addition to asthma. They often go together, and several are also presumptive under the PACT Act. See sinusitis and rhinitis ratings.
What evidence helps
- A diagnosis of asthma from a doctor, ideally confirmed by a breathing test
- Your prescription history. It shows whether your inhaler use is daily or as needed, and every course of oral steroids. For the 60% level, those courses must be documented.
- Records of flare-ups: urgent care, emergency or doctor visits for attacks. Monthly visits for flare-ups meet the 60% level.
- Proof of service location for a PACT Act claim: DD214, deployment orders or personnel records
- A personal statement describing attacks, triggers and what you cannot do. The statement writer can help you organize it.
At the C&P exam
- Bring your medication list, with how often you use each inhaler. “As needed” and “every day” lead to different ratings.
- Count your steroid courses for the past year, and say when they were.
- Tell the examiner how often you see a doctor for flare-ups.
- Follow the test instructions and give full effort on the breathing test. Poor effort makes results unreliable.
- If you are having a bad day, say so. If you are having a good day, explain what a bad day looks like.
See C&P exam tips.
Common mistakes
- Not mentioning a daily controller inhaler. It meets 30% by itself.
- Leaving out steroid courses. Three oral steroid courses in a year means 60%, but only if they are in your records.
- Relying on a single good test day. Your treatment records carry the claim when tests look normal.
- Not using the PACT Act. If you served in a covered location and were diagnosed after service, you may not need a nexus opinion at all.
- Expecting separate ratings for asthma and sleep apnea. You get one rating for the two, so plan your evidence around the more disabling condition.
Common questions
Is asthma a presumptive condition? For veterans with qualifying Gulf War or post-9/11 service, yes, if it was diagnosed after service. See the service locations above.
What is the most common asthma rating? Many veterans who use a daily controller inhaler qualify for 30%. Veterans who use only a rescue inhaler now and then are usually at 10%.
Can my asthma rating go up? Yes. If you start daily medication, need more steroid courses or see your doctor more often for flare-ups, you can file for an increase.
Has VA changed the respiratory rating rules? VA has proposed rewriting the respiratory rating schedule. As of this writing the proposal is not final, and the criteria above are still the ones VA applies.
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.