How the VA Rates Fibromyalgia

The plain-English version of the 38 CFR Part 4, DC 5025 criteria a VA rater evaluates Fibromyalgia against, with the 2026 monthly rate at each level. A reference to what the regulation describes — never a prediction of any rating.

Diagnostic code 5025

The rating levels

Criteria paraphrased from 38 CFR Part 4, DC 5025 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

Widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points that require continuous medication for control.

Examples from this level’s criteria

Widespread pain on both sides of the body, above and below the waist
Tender points on exam
You take medication continuously to keep it manageable

20%

$356.66/month

Symptoms that are episodic, with flare-ups often set off by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time.

Examples from this level’s criteria

Flare-ups triggered by stress, weather, or overdoing it
Symptoms present more than a third of the time
Fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, and stiffness between flares

40%

$795.84/month

Symptoms that are constant, or nearly constant, and refractory to therapy (they do not respond meaningfully to treatment).

Examples from this level’s criteria

Pain and symptoms are constant or nearly constant
Treatment and medication don't bring meaningful relief
Associated fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, IBS, depression, or anxiety

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.

The evidence that matters most

How much of the time the widespread pain is present and what it has failed to respond to — “constant or nearly so” and “refractory” are the words that separate 20 from 40

C&P exam tips for Fibromyalgia

The rating turns on FREQUENCY and how well treatment works: continuous medication (10%), present more than a third of the time (20%), or constant and refractory to therapy (40%).
"Widespread pain" means both sides of the body, above AND below the waist, affecting the spine and the extremities — describe it that way.
Track flares in a symptom log: what triggers them (stress, weather, overexertion), how often, and how long they last.
Name the associated symptoms you have — fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, stiffness, numbness/tingling, headaches, IBS, depression, anxiety — they are part of the diagnostic picture.

Common mistakes on Fibromyalgia claims

Not conveying how OFTEN symptoms are present — the 20% vs. 40% line is frequency (more than a third of the time vs. constant).
Not documenting that symptoms persist despite treatment (the 40% "refractory to therapy" language).
Leaving out the associated symptoms (fatigue, sleep, IBS, mood) that round out the fibromyalgia picture.

Frequently asked questions

What diagnostic code does the VA use for Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is rated under 38 CFR Part 4, DC 5025 — diagnostic code 5025.

What is the highest schedular VA rating for Fibromyalgia?

40% is the highest level in the rating schedule for Fibromyalgia. The criteria at that level describe: Symptoms that are constant, or nearly constant, and refractory to therapy (they do not respond meaningfully to treatment).

How much does a 40% VA rating for Fibromyalgia pay in 2026?

$795.84 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.

Related tools & guides

Build your Fibromyalgia 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 — free

Educational information about the rating schedule — not legal or medical advice, never a prediction or promise of any rating, and not affiliated with the VA.