In short
- VA rates sleep apnea under diagnostic code 6847 in 38 CFR 4.97, with ratings of 0, 30, 50 or 100% depending on symptoms and the treatment needed.
- Under the current schedule, needing a breathing assistance device such as a CPAP machine supports a 50% rating, and persistent daytime sleepiness supports 30%.
- VA proposed in February 2022 to rate sleep apnea by how well treatment works instead of which treatment is used, with levels of 0, 10, 50 and 100%. As of October 2026, the eCFR still shows the older criteria.
- A direct claim needs evidence of a current condition, an event or illness during service, and a link between the two, usually from medical records or a medical opinion.
- Sleep apnea can also be claimed as secondary to a condition VA has already service-connected, under 38 CFR 3.310.
- Accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives help with claims for free, and VA lists who is accredited.
Veterans can claim VA disability compensation for sleep apnea if it is linked to their military service. VA rates it under diagnostic code 6847, at 0, 30, 50 or 100%, depending on symptoms and the treatment needed. This guide explains how the ratings work, what evidence a claim needs, and where to get free, accredited help. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.
How does VA rate sleep apnea?
VA rates sleep apnea under diagnostic code 6847 in its rating schedule for the respiratory system, 38 CFR 4.97. The code covers obstructive, central and mixed sleep apnea. The rating depends on how the condition affects you and what treatment you need, from 0% for sleep apnea documented on a sleep study without symptoms up to 100% for its most severe complications.
Research: strong (what this means)Here are the current criteria as they appear in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, with VA's 2026 monthly payment for a veteran with no dependents. VA publishes new rates every year, and the ones below took effect December 1, 2025.
| Rating | What the schedule says | Monthly payment, veteran alone |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or requires a tracheostomy | $3,938.58 |
| 50% | Requires use of a breathing assistance device such as a CPAP machine | $1,132.90 |
| 30% | Persistent daytime hypersomnolence (heavy sleepiness during the day) | $552.47 |
| 0% | No symptoms, but a documented sleep-related breathing disorder | No payment for this rating alone |
A 0% rating means the condition is rated as service-connected, but it pays nothing on its own. Payments rise with a spouse, children or dependent parents at ratings of 30% and above, according to VA's rate tables.
If you aren't sure what an apnea-hypopnea index score means on your sleep study, our guide to what AHI is explains it.
Is VA changing the sleep apnea rating?
VA has proposed a new way to rate sleep apnea, but it hadn't taken effect when we checked in October 2026. In February 2022, VA published a proposed rule that would rate sleep apnea on how well treatment works rather than on which treatment a doctor prescribes. The eCFR still showed the older criteria, last amended in 2006, and we found no final rule in the Federal Register.
In the proposal, VA said the current criteria pay more when doctors prescribe more intensive treatment such as CPAP, whether or not simpler options were tried first or how much the veteran is still affected. Under the proposed criteria, the levels would be:
- 0% when sleep apnea causes no symptoms, with or without treatment
- 10% when treatment gives incomplete relief, as shown by a sleep study
- 50% when treatment doesn't work, as shown by a sleep study, or the veteran can't use treatment because of another condition, without damage to other organs
- 100% for the same situation with end-organ damage
The proposal gives examples of conditions that can stop someone using treatment, including contact dermatitis where the mask touches the face, Parkinson's disease, missing limbs, facial disfigurement and skull fracture. In September 2024, VA published a supplemental proposal on the same rule, which added a diagnostic code for constrictive bronchiolitis.
VA's reasoning leans on how sleep medicine now measures the condition. The proposal notes that sleep apnea may be defined as symptoms such as unintentional sleep episodes, awakenings or snoring together with an apnea-hypopnea index of at least 5 events an hour, or an index above 15 in someone without symptoms. It says those same sleep study measurements can show whether treatment or lifestyle changes such as weight loss are working.
Proposed rules can change before they're finalized, and some never are. Before you file, check the current text of 38 CFR 4.97 or ask an accredited representative which criteria apply to your claim.
What does VA need to connect sleep apnea to service?
VA needs evidence of three things for a direct service connection claim: a current condition, an event, injury or illness during service, and a link between the two. VA's evidence page says it usually needs medical records or medical opinions to support that link, and may also accept lay evidence such as a buddy statement.
For sleep apnea, the current condition is usually shown by a diagnosis from a sleep study. Our guides to what happens at a sleep study and home sleep apnea tests explain how that diagnosis is made.
The in-service part is often the hardest piece, because sleep apnea is easy to miss. Many people don't know they stop breathing at night until someone tells them. Records that may help include:
- Your DD214 or other separation documents
- Service treatment records that mention snoring, tiredness, breathing pauses or sleep problems
- Medical evidence from after service, such as sleep study results and treatment records
- Lay statements from people who saw your symptoms, such as a roommate or spouse, using VA Form 21-10210 or a written statement
VA lists the DD214, service treatment records and related medical evidence as documents it needs for all disability claims. It also says anyone can provide lay evidence, with no special training required.
VA publishes disability benefits questionnaires, or DBQs, that doctors can use to record medical findings for a claim, and one of them covers sleep apnea. Our list of sleep apnea warning signs may help you and the people who know you describe what they saw.
Can sleep apnea be claimed as a secondary condition?
Yes, sleep apnea can be claimed as a secondary condition if it was caused or made worse by a disability VA has already service-connected. Under 38 CFR 3.310, a disability that is proximately due to, or the result of, a service-connected condition is itself service-connected. The same rule covers a non-service-connected condition that a service-connected one has made worse.
VA's evidence page says a secondary claim needs evidence of the new condition and a link between it and the service-connected disability. Usually that means medical records or a medical opinion, though VA says it may accept lay evidence in some cases.
Whether a particular link holds up depends on the medical evidence in your file. We can't say which secondary claims succeed, so this is a good question for an accredited representative and your doctor.
Is sleep apnea a presumptive condition under the PACT Act?
No, sleep apnea is not a presumptive condition under the PACT Act. VA's PACT Act page lists presumptive conditions for burn pit and other toxic exposures, including asthma diagnosed after service, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, COPD and several other lung diseases. Sleep apnea isn't among them.
That means most sleep apnea claims need evidence linking the condition to service, either directly or as a secondary condition. If you have a presumptive condition such as chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, that can be claimed on its own. VA explains that with a presumptive condition you don't need to prove your service caused it, only that you meet the service requirements.
What if your records are missing or VA says no?
Missing records don't automatically end a claim. VA says a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis destroyed records for some Army and Air Force veterans discharged during certain periods, and it offers help reconstructing them. Lay statements from people who served with you can also fill gaps.
If VA decides a claim and you disagree, there are formal ways to ask for another look. VA's representative FAQ names three: a Supplemental Claim, a Higher-Level Review, and an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. VA says accredited attorneys and claims agents most often help at this stage, when they're allowed to charge fees, and they can gather more evidence and write legal arguments for you.
Who can help with a sleep apnea benefits claim?
VA-accredited representatives can help you gather evidence, file a claim and talk to VA for you. VA's Office of General Counsel accredits three types: Veterans Service Organization representatives, attorneys and claims agents. VA says the services of an accredited VSO representative are always free, and veterans use them more often than other types for first claims.
VA says attorneys and claims agents can charge fees only after VA has decided your initial claim, you have signed a fee agreement, and VA has received the form appointing them. VA advises checking that anyone you work with is accredited, and discussing fees before you agree to anything. You can look up accredited representatives through VA's website, and you can change representatives at any time.
You can also file on your own online, by mail or in person, according to VA's eligibility page.
What should you do about sleep apnea itself?
Whatever happens with a claim, untreated sleep apnea is worth treating. The rating schedule is about compensation; your health is a separate question. Our guides to sleep apnea treatment options and getting used to CPAP cover what helps, and sleep apnea and driving explains why daytime sleepiness deserves attention.
Over-the-counter snoring products don't treat sleep apnea and play no part in a VA rating. If you have loud snoring, breathing pauses or heavy daytime sleepiness, see a doctor or your VA health care team.
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules and payment rates change, so confirm details with VA or an accredited representative.
Read next
- Sleep apnea treatments explained
- What happens at a sleep study?
- 10 warning signs of sleep apnea you shouldn't ignore
Common questions
What is the VA rating for sleep apnea?
Under diagnostic code 6847, VA rates sleep apnea at 0% if it is documented but causes no symptoms, 30% for persistent daytime sleepiness, 50% if you need a breathing device such as a CPAP machine, and 100% for chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention, cor pulmonale or a tracheostomy.
Does using a CPAP machine get you a 50% VA rating?
Under the rating schedule in force when we checked in October 2026, yes, if VA grants service connection. The 50% level reads 'requires use of breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine.' Service connection still has to be established first, which is often the harder part of a claim.
Did VA change the sleep apnea ratings?
VA proposed changes in February 2022 that would rate sleep apnea on how well treatment works, with 0, 10, 50 and 100% levels. When we checked the eCFR in October 2026, section 4.97 still showed the older criteria, and we found no final rule in the Federal Register. Check VA or the eCFR for the latest.
Can sleep apnea be secondary to PTSD or another service-connected condition?
VA's rules allow secondary service connection for any condition that is caused or made worse by a disability VA has already service-connected. VA says you'll need evidence of the new condition and of the link to your service-connected disability, usually from medical records or a medical opinion.
Is sleep apnea a PACT Act presumptive condition?
No. VA's PACT Act page lists conditions such as asthma diagnosed after service, chronic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and several lung diseases as presumptive for burn pit and other toxic exposures. Sleep apnea isn't on that list, so a claim generally needs evidence linking it to service.
How much does VA pay for a 50% sleep apnea rating?
For a veteran with no dependents, VA's 2026 rates, effective December 1, 2025, are $552.47 a month at 30%, $1,132.90 at 50% and $3,938.58 at 100%. Payments are higher with dependents and change each year, so check VA's current rate tables.
Who can help me file a sleep apnea VA claim?
VA accredits three kinds of representatives: Veterans Service Organization representatives, attorneys and claims agents. VA says VSO representatives always help for free. Attorneys and claims agents can charge fees only after VA decides your initial claim and you have signed a fee agreement.
Sources
- 38 CFR 4.97 - Schedule of ratings - respiratory system
- Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Ear, Nose, Throat, and Audiology Disabilities; Special Provisions Regarding Evaluation of Respiratory Conditions; Schedule of Ratings: Respiratory System (proposed rule)
- Schedule for Rating Disabilities: supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking
- 38 CFR 3.310 - Disabilities that are proximately due to, or aggravated by, service-connected disease or injury
- Current Veterans disability compensation rates
- Eligibility for VA disability benefits
- Evidence needed for your disability claim
- The PACT Act and your VA benefits
- VA accredited representative FAQs
- Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
About this article
- Research
- 10 published sources, listed above.
- Evidence
- Strong. How we rate it
- Last checked
- October 18, 2026
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* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.