Kidney Disease — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Kidney Disease
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960J-1 (Kidney Conditions (Nephrology)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Kidney Disease — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Kidney Disease, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Kidney Disease
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.115a, Renal Dysfunction (chronic kidney disease, GFR-based, revised 2021). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
GFR 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m2 with recurrent RBC/WBC/granular casts, or structural kidney abnormalities, or an albumin/creatinine ratio of 30 mg/g or more, for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
Chronic kidney disease with GFR 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
Chronic kidney disease with GFR 30 to 44 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
Chronic kidney disease with GFR 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
Chronic kidney disease with GFR less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months; or requiring regular routine dialysis; or eligible kidney transplant recipient.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Kidney Disease raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
30%
New monthly
$552
Change
+$552
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Kidney Disease claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Diabetes Care, 2014 · nexus to diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) · PMID 25249672
Finding: This American Diabetes Association consensus report affirms that diabetic kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy) is the single most common cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, occurring in roughly 20-40% of people with diabetes, and details the pathophysiology linking longstanding hyperglycemia to declining eGFR and albuminuria.
Why it helps: Authoritative consensus evidence supporting an association between service-connected diabetes and chronic kidney disease, the foundational basis for a kidney disease claim filed as secondary to diabetes.
JAMA, 2023 · nexus to cardiovascular disease, heart failure, stroke, coronary heart disease (conditions claimed as secondary to kidney disease) · PMID 37787795
Finding: In an individual-participant meta-analysis of over 27 million people across 114 cohorts, lower eGFR and higher albuminuria were each independently associated with significantly higher rates of all 10 adverse outcomes studied, including cardiovascular mortality, heart failure, stroke, coronary heart disease, and kidney failure (e.g., adjusted HR 1.3 for hospitalization even in mild CKD).
Why it helps: Large-scale evidence supporting an association between chronic kidney disease and downstream cardiovascular conditions, useful when claiming heart disease or other conditions as secondary to an established kidney disability.
BMC Psychiatry, 2025 · nexus to PTSD and stress-related disorders, depression, anxiety · PMID 39934692
Finding: Among 441,893 UK Biobank participants, those with psychiatric disorders (including depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders) had a 52% higher risk of incident chronic kidney disease (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.40-1.65), with the association partly mediated by BMI, hypertension, and diabetes.
Why it helps: Prospective cohort evidence supporting an association between mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety and later development of chronic kidney disease, relevant to a kidney claim filed as secondary to a service-connected psychiatric condition.
Journal of Investigative Medicine, 2026 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 42257386
Finding: In a VA healthcare cross-sectional study of veterans with incident non-dialysis CKD stages 3-5, PTSD was associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk factor profile (including hypertension) in this kidney disease population, reflecting the recognized link between PTSD and the vascular risk factors that drive kidney disease.
Why it helps: Veteran-specific evidence supporting an association between PTSD and the cardiovascular/hypertensive risk profile seen in chronic kidney disease, helpful context for a kidney claim secondary to PTSD.
Nature Reviews Nephrology, 2024 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 38789686
Finding: This review describes a recognized bidirectional relationship between sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease, noting that sleep apnea is a risk factor for accelerated progression of CKD, while fluid overload from kidney failure can in turn provoke obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-connected obstructive sleep apnea and accelerated chronic kidney disease, relevant when claiming kidney disease as secondary to sleep apnea.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2025 · PMID 40929916
Finding: In a prospective cohort of 257 adults followed four years, higher serum levels of specific PFAS compounds were associated with lower eGFR and markedly higher odds of chronic kidney disease (PFNA OR 6.2, 95% CI 1.57-24.83; branched PFOS OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.13-4.60), with PFHxS and branched PFOS also predicting greater eGFR decline over time.
Why it helps: Supports an association between PFAS exposure (a contaminant in firefighting foam and contaminated military water supplies) and chronic kidney disease, relevant to direct service-connection claims based on documented PFAS exposure.
Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, 2020 · nexus to nephrotoxic medications (NSAIDs and analgesics) · PMID 32941189
Finding: This review notes that NSAIDs carry nephrotoxic risk and should be used only for short durations with careful monitoring in kidney disease, reflecting the recognized contribution of chronic NSAID and analgesic use to kidney injury, particularly relevant for patients managing chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Why it helps: Supports an association between long-term NSAID/analgesic use and kidney injury, relevant when kidney disease is claimed as secondary to medications taken for a service-connected painful condition.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Kidney Disease
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Kidney Disease. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Kidney Disease as a Secondary Condition
Kidney Disease is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Kidney Diseaseclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Kidney Disease should also be looking at:
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Draft your Kidney Disease personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Kidney Disease VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Kidney Disease evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Kidney Disease.
Kidney Disease Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.