How the VA Rates Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The plain-English version of the 38 CFR Part 4, DC 6354 criteria a VA rater evaluates Chronic Fatigue Syndrome against, with the 2026 monthly rate at each level. A reference to what the regulation describes — never a prediction of any rating.
Diagnostic code 6354
The rating levels
Criteria paraphrased from 38 CFR Part 4, DC 6354 for readability. Monthly amounts are the 2026 rate (effective December 1, 2025) for a veteran with no dependents if this were the only rated condition — dependents add more, and multiple conditions combine under the VA’s own math.
10%
$180.42/month
Symptoms wax and wane but cause periods of incapacitation of at least one but less than two weeks total per year — or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Debilitating fatigue not relieved by rest
- Short flares of incapacitation (1–2 weeks a year total)
- You take medication continuously to control it
20%
$356.66/month
Symptoms nearly constant and restricting routine daily activities by less than 25% of your pre-illness level — or incapacitation of at least two but less than four weeks total per year.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Fatigue and cognitive fog most of the time
- Daily activities cut back by up to a quarter
- Incapacitation totaling 2–4 weeks a year
40%
$795.84/month
Symptoms nearly constant and restricting routine daily activities to 50–75% of your pre-illness level — or incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total per year.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Routine activities cut to roughly half to three-quarters of before
- Post-exertional malaise — crashing after activity
- Incapacitation totaling 4–6 weeks a year
60%
$1,435.02/month
Symptoms nearly constant and restricting routine daily activities to less than 50% of your pre-illness level — or periods of incapacitation totaling at least six weeks per year.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Routine activities down to less than half of before
- Unrefreshing sleep, muscle/joint pain, memory & concentration problems
- Incapacitation totaling 6+ weeks a year
100%
$3,938.58/month
Symptoms nearly constant and so severe that they almost completely restrict routine daily activities, sometimes even preventing self-care.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Almost completely unable to carry out daily activities
- At times unable to manage self-care
- Nearly constant, disabling fatigue and associated symptoms
The listed symptoms are examples that appear in each level’s criteria — not a checklist that earns a percentage. Raters apply the criteria as a whole.
C&P exam tips for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- The rating turns on TWO measures: how much your daily activity is cut below your pre-illness level, and/or weeks of incapacitation per year — document both.
- CFS is more than tiredness: name the associated symptoms — cognitive impairment (memory/concentration), unrefreshing sleep, post-exertional malaise, muscle/joint pain, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, headaches.
- Keep an activity/flare log: your pre-illness baseline vs. now, and how many weeks a year you're incapacitated.
- If a Gulf War qualifying period applies, CFS may be presumptive — raise that with your representative.
Common mistakes on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome claims
- Describing only 'fatigue' without the required associated symptoms (cognitive impairment, post-exertional malaise, etc.).
- Not quantifying the drop from your pre-illness activity level — the percentages hinge on it.
- Not tracking weeks of incapacitation per year, the other prong of every level.
Frequently asked questions
What diagnostic code does the VA use for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is rated under 38 CFR Part 4, DC 6354 — diagnostic code 6354.
What is the highest schedular VA rating for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
100% is the highest level in the rating schedule for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The criteria at that level describe: Symptoms nearly constant and so severe that they almost completely restrict routine daily activities, sometimes even preventing self-care.
How much does a 100% VA rating for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome pay in 2026?
$3,938.58 per month, tax-free, for a veteran with no dependents (rates effective December 1, 2025) — more with a spouse, children, or dependent parents. If you have other rated conditions, the VA combines ratings using its own math rather than adding them.
Can Chronic Fatigue Syndrome be claimed as a secondary condition?
Yes — veterans commonly file Chronic Fatigue Syndrome secondary to Fibromyalgia under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. What carries a secondary claim is a medical nexus opinion connecting it to the service-connected condition.
Build your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome claim documentation
Your first claim builds free, on screen — a personal statement mapped to these criteria and a cited draft medical opinion. No card to sign up.
Start your claim — freeEducational information about the rating schedule — not legal or medical advice, never a prediction or promise of any rating, and not affiliated with the VA.