Rating criteria · 38 CFR §4.71a
Knee Conditions: VA Rating Criteria
The exact rating criteria below are quoted from the Code of Federal Regulations as currently in force — not paraphrased. Compensation amounts come from the current VA rate tables.
By Mario Bailey — U.S. Air Force veteran · current Air National Guard member. Data updated 2026-06-08.
Plain-language guide
What this rating actually turns on
VA rates a knee on what an examiner can measure, not on how much it hurts day to day. Under 38 CFR 4.71a, the main pathways are: limitation of flexion (DC 5260) and extension (DC 5261) measured in degrees; instability (DC 5257); ankylosis — a knee frozen in place (DC 5256); meniscus problems (DCs 5258–5259); and knee replacement or resurfacing (DC 5055).
The instability criteria changed on February 7, 2021, when VA rewrote the musculoskeletal schedule (85 FR 76453). DC 5257 no longer uses “slight/moderate/severe.” It now turns on two documented facts: the status of the ligament (sprain, incomplete tear, or complete tear — repaired, unrepaired, or failed repair) and whether a medical provider has prescribed a brace and/or an assistive device (cane, crutches, walker) for walking. The top 30 percent level requires an unrepaired or failed-repair complete tear plus prescriptions for both bracing and an assistive device.
Two rules work in your favor. Painful motion: 38 CFR 4.59 entitles an actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joint to at least the minimum compensable rating even if your measured motion wouldn’t qualify. Separate ratings: VA General Counsel has held that instability under DC 5257 and arthritis with limited motion may be rated separately on the same knee (VAOPGCPREC 23-97), and that limited flexion and limited extension of the same leg get separate ratings (VAOPGCPREC 9-2004).
What the C&P exam measures
The examiner completes the Knee and Lower Leg DBQ. It requires range of motion in degrees — active and passive, weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing — with the other knee tested for comparison, plus at least three repetitions to check for additional loss. It records your own description of flare-ups (frequency, duration, severity) and instability, and the examiner must estimate your range of motion in degrees during flare-ups based on your statements, even if no flare-up is observed at the exam. The stability section asks specifically whether a ligament is torn, whether repair succeeded or failed, and whether a provider has prescribed canes, crutches, a walker, or braces.
What to have in your file
Per VA’s evidence requirements: service treatment records, surgical and operative reports (they establish repair status under DC 5257), imaging, and the prescription record for any brace or assistive device — under the current criteria, that prescription is what separates 10 from 20 or 30 percent. Lay statements (VA Form 21-10210) describing flare-ups and giving-way episodes feed directly into DBQ questions the examiner must answer.
Common mistakes
- Buying a brace yourself. VA stated in the final rule that self-purchased devices don’t count; the criteria require a medical provider’s prescription (85 FR 76453).
- Underreporting flare-ups at the exam. The DBQ instructs the examiner to estimate degrees lost during flares from your description — silence gets recorded as no functional loss.
- Assuming one knee equals one rating. Instability, limited flexion, and limited extension can each be rated separately where supported.
Worth knowing
After a total knee replacement, DC 5055 assigns 100 percent for four months following implantation, then a minimum of 30 percent — but the regulation says the minimum applies to total replacement only; resurfacing has no minimum. If both knees are compensable, the bilateral factor adds 10 percent of their combined value — the calculator on this site handles that. A VA-accredited representative or VSO can help at no charge.
Rating criteria from the CFR
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Extremely unfavorable, in flexion at an angle of 45° or more | |
| In flexion between 20° and 45° | |
| In flexion between 10° and 20° | |
| Favorable angle in full extension, or in slight flexion between 0° and 10° |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Recurrent subluxation or instability: | |
| Unrepaired or failed repair of complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes both an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) and bracing for ambulation | |
| One of the following: | |
| (a) Sprain, incomplete ligament tear, or repaired complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes a brace and/or assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) for ambulation. | |
| (b) Unrepaired or failed repair of complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes either an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) or bracing for ambulation | |
| Sprain, incomplete ligament tear, or complete ligament tear (repaired, unrepaired, or failed repair) causing persistent instability, without a prescription from a medical provider for an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) or bracing for ambulation | |
| Patellar instability: | |
| A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability after surgical repair that requires a prescription by a medical provider for a brace and either a cane or a walker | |
| A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability after surgical repair that requires a prescription by a medical provider for one of the following: A brace, cane, or walker | |
| A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability (with or without history of surgical repair) that does not require a prescription from a medical provider for a brace, cane, or walker |
Note (1): For patellar instability, the patellofemoral complex consists of the quadriceps tendon, the patella, and the patellar tendon.
Note (2): A surgical procedure that does not involve repair of one or more patellofemoral components that contribute to the underlying instability shall not qualify as surgical repair for patellar instability (including, but not limited to, arthroscopy to remove loose bodies and joint aspiration).
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Flexion limited to 15° | |
| Flexion limited to 30° | |
| Flexion limited to 45° | |
| Flexion limited to 60° |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Extension limited to 45° | |
| Extension limited to 30° | |
| Extension limited to 20° | |
| Extension limited to 15° | |
| Extension limited to 10° | |
| Extension limited to 5° |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Nonunion of, with loose motion, requiring brace | |
| Malunion of: | |
| Evaluate under diagnostic codes 5256, 5257, 5260, or 5261 for the knee, or 5270 or 5271 for the ankle, whichever results in the highest evaluation. | |
| Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), or shin splints: | |
| Requiring treatment for no less than 12 consecutive months, and unresponsive to surgery and either shoe orthotics or other conservative treatment, both lower extremities | |
| Requiring treatment for no less than 12 consecutive months, and unresponsive to surgery and either shoe orthotics or other conservative treatment, one lower extremity | |
| Requiring treatment for no less than 12 consecutive months, and unresponsive to either shoe orthotics or other conservative treatment, one or both lower extremities | |
| Treatment less than 12 consecutive months, one or both lower extremities |
| Rating criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Genu recurvatum (acquired, traumatic, with weakness and insecurity in weight-bearing objectively demonstrated) |
| Rating criteria | Major | Minor |
|---|---|---|
| For 4 months following implantation of prosthesis or resurfacing | ||
| Prosthetic replacement of knee joint: | ||
| With chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity | ||
| With intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain or limitation of motion rate by analogy to diagnostic codes 5256, 5261, or 5262. | ||
| Minimum evaluation, total replacement only |
Note: At the conclusion of the 100 percent evaluation period, evaluate resurfacing under diagnostic codes 5256 through 5262; there is no minimum evaluation for resurfacing.
SOURCE: eCFR, 38 CFR Part 4 (issue date 2026-02-27, current through 2026-06-08) · retrieved 2026-06-10
Monthly compensation at each rating level
Veteran-alone amounts, effective 2025-12-01. Dependents increase these amounts at 30% and above — use the combined rating calculator for your exact situation, especially if this isn't your only rated condition.
| Rating | Monthly (veteran alone) |
|---|---|
| $1,435.02 | |
| $1,132.90 | |
| $795.84 | |
| $552.47 | |
| $356.66 | |
| $180.42 |
SOURCE: VA compensation rate tables, va.gov · retrieved 2026-06-10 · effective 2025-12-01
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest schedular VA rating for knee conditions?
Under the criteria in 38 CFR §4.71a, the highest schedular rating in this group is 60%. At the 60% level, the 2026-02-27 rate tables pay $1,435.02 per month for a veteran with no dependents (rates effective 2025-12-01).
What ratings are possible for knee conditions?
The rating schedule provides these levels for this condition group: 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%. The exact criteria for each level are quoted on this page directly from the CFR.
Next steps
- Combine this rating with your others — VA math doesn't add ratings.
- How long are claims taking right now? Weekly VBA data.
- Browse other condition rating criteria.