Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
Start a claim for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)— free & guided
Step-by-step builder: add this and any related conditions, see the research, and get a package ready for a free VSO. No account needed to start.
The DBQ for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960P-2 (Mental Disorders (Other Than PTSD and Eating Disorders)) — 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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), 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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9404, obsessive compulsive disorder). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, and mild memory loss.
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty understanding complex commands; impairment of short and long-term memory; impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; and difficulty establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.
Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently; impaired impulse control; spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances; and inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; and memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 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.
Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2019 · PMID 32746418
Finding: Systematic review of 19 studies (16 on prevalence) found OCD is meaningfully present but under-recognized in U.S. veterans and active-duty service members, with higher prevalence on screening tools than diagnostic interviews and higher rates in veterans than active-duty individuals; medical-record-based estimates were lower than assessment-based ones, suggesting OCD is frequently missed in clinical care.
Why it helps: Supports that OCD occurs and is documented in the veteran/military population and is often underdiagnosed in records, which helps explain why a condition may not appear in service treatment records yet still be present.
General Hospital Psychiatry, 2013 · PMID 23044243
Finding: Cross-sectional study of 854 veterans across four VA Medical Centers found 1.9% met DSM-IV criteria for OCD (above the 0.39-1.20% community estimate); veterans with OCD had significantly greater psychiatric comorbidity and significantly more severe physical health, mental health, and social functioning impairment than those without.
Why it helps: Supports an association between OCD and substantial functional and occupational impairment in veterans, and documents a meaningful OCD prevalence in the VA primary-care population.
Assessment, 2024 · nexus to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · PMID 37904505
Finding: Review describing that OCD and PTSD are commonly comorbid and share prominent features such as intrusions, safety behaviors, and avoidance, and outlining assessment for individuals with comorbid OCD and PTSD, OCD with a significant trauma history, or PTSD with significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Why it helps: Supports a recognized clinical overlap and co-occurrence between OCD and service-connected PTSD, relevant when OCD is claimed as secondary to or alongside PTSD.
- Diagnostic Correlates of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder among Veterans with Psychiatric DisordersSecondary
Psychiatry Research, 2021 · nexus to Nonsuicidal self-injury disorder · PMID 33383275
Finding: In 124 veterans with at least one psychiatric diagnosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder remained an independent correlate of lifetime nonsuicidal self-injury disorder in logistic regression (adjusted odds ratio 3.23), alongside borderline personality disorder (AOR 7.67).
Why it helps: Supports an association in which OCD is a risk factor for nonsuicidal self-injury among veterans, relevant when self-injurious behavior is claimed as secondary to service-connected OCD.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020 · nexus to Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts; depression · PMID 32750613
Finding: Meta-analysis of 61 studies found pooled prevalence of 13.5% for suicide attempts (95% CI 12.3-14.7%), 27.3% for current suicidal ideation, and 47.3% for lifetime suicidal ideation among OCD patients; severity of obsessions and comorbid depressive/anxious symptoms increased the risk.
Why it helps: Supports an association between OCD and elevated suicidality and comorbid depression, relevant when suicidal ideation or depressive disorder is claimed as secondary to service-connected OCD.
European Neuropsychopharmacology, 1999 · nexus to Traumatic brain injury (TBI) / head injury · PMID 10523043
Finding: Longitudinal imaging case documents OCD onset following a traumatic head injury, with CT showing bilateral prefrontal contusions immediately after the trauma and prior to OCD onset, and MRI/SPECT showing fronto-temporal and striatal abnormalities that improved with clinical recovery.
Why it helps: Supports a biological link in which OCD can emerge after traumatic brain injury, relevant when OCD is claimed as secondary to a service-connected head injury or TBI (single case study, lower-tier evidence).
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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Share this rating breakdown
A free, source-cited infographic of how the VA rates Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Save it and post it, or send it to someone who needs it. No fee, no catch.
Square format, ready for an Instagram or Facebook post.
Open / save the image →Sharing the page link also shows a wide preview card automatically.
Filing a Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)claim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
The VA doesn't add ratings — they use a specific formula. See your combined rating in 30 seconds.
Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
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.