Diagnostic codes 7542, 7512, 7517

How the VA Rates Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction

The plain-English version of the 38 CFR 4.115a, Voiding Dysfunction — Urinary Frequency criteria a VA rater evaluates Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction against, with the 2026 monthly rate at each level. A reference to what the regulation describes — never a prediction of any rating.

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38 CFR 4.115a, Voiding Dysfunction — Urinary Frequency

Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction · 3 levels

40%$795.84a month
20%$356.66a month
10%$180.42a month

2026 VA rates (effective December 1, 2025), veteran alone, as the only rated condition. VA decides the level.

Key facts

Regulation: 38 CFR 4.115a, Voiding Dysfunction — Urinary Frequency
Diagnostic codes: 7542, 7512, 7517
Levels in the schedule: 10% · 20% · 40%
Top level (40%) pays: $795.84/month2026, veteran alone

The short answer

Yes. Nocturia (waking up at night to urinate) is not rated on its own name, but VA rates it under the urinary frequency criteria in 38 C.F.R. § 4.115a: waking to void two times a night is 10 percent, three to four times is 20 percent, and five or more times is 40 percent. You still need a diagnosed condition behind it that is connected to service, either directly or as secondary to a condition VA already rates, and a voiding diary is what sets the number.

The rating levels

Criteria paraphrased from 38 CFR 4.115a, Voiding Dysfunction — Urinary Frequency 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.

40%
$795.84/month
Urinary frequency with a daytime voiding interval of less than 1 hour, or awakening to void five or more times per night. (Higher ratings — up to 60% — apply for urine leakage requiring an appliance or frequent absorbent-material changes, rated under the urine-leakage criteria of 38 CFR 4.115a.)
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Daytime voiding interval of less than 1 hour
- Awakening to urinate 5 or more times per night
- Severe disruption of sleep and daily activity
20%
$356.66/month
Urinary frequency with a daytime voiding interval between 1 and 2 hours, or awakening to void three to four times per night.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Daytime voiding interval of 1–2 hours
- Awakening to urinate 3–4 times per night
- Significant sleep disruption and daytime urgency
10%
$180.42/month
Urinary frequency with a daytime voiding interval between 2 and 3 hours, or awakening to void two times per night.
Examples from this level’s criteria
- Daytime voiding interval of 2–3 hours
- Awakening to urinate about 2 times per night
- Disrupted sleep from nighttime voiding

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.

How a nocturia claim actually works

Nocturia is a symptom, so the claim is for the condition causing it: a bladder or prostate condition, a nerve problem such as neurogenic bladder, or a condition like diabetes or sleep apnea that your doctor links to the night-time voiding. VA then rates that condition as voiding dysfunction, using whichever of three ladders gives the highest rating: urinary frequency, urine leakage, or obstructed voiding.

The night-time count and the daytime interval are two ways onto the same frequency ladder. You do not need both. Getting up three times a night reaches 20 percent even if your daytime interval is longer than two hours.

Ways nocturia gets service-connected

There is no presumption for nocturia itself. The routes are the usual ones, and each needs medical evidence tying the condition behind the symptom to service or to a service-connected condition:

Direct (38 C.F.R. § 3.303)
The bladder, prostate, or urinary condition began in service or was caused by something in service, such as an injury. Service treatment records showing urinary complaints help.
Secondary (38 C.F.R. § 3.310)
A service-connected condition caused or worsened the voiding problem. Examples veterans raise: diabetes, spinal cord or back conditions affecting bladder nerves, sleep apnea, and medications taken for a service-connected condition, such as diuretics. Each needs a clinician's opinion explaining the link in your case.
As part of a presumptive condition
Some conditions that commonly cause voiding problems are presumptive for certain veterans, for example prostate cancer for veterans with qualifying herbicide exposure (38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e)). Voiding dysfunction left after treatment is then rated as a residual.

The voiding diary

The rating turns on two numbers: how many times you wake to urinate each night, and the usual gap between trips during the day. Keep a simple log for at least several days and nights before your exam: the time of each trip, and whether you woke up for it. Bring it to your doctor so the count lands in your medical records, and bring it to the C&P exam.

If you also leak and use pads, write down how many times a day you change them. Leakage has its own ladder in § 4.115a that can go higher than frequency.

The evidence that matters most

Documented frequency in medical records — urologist notes strongest

C&P exam tips for Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction

1What wins this rating: a voiding diary documenting the daytime interval between urinations and the number of times you wake to void at night — these two numbers set the rating tier.
2Track for at least several days/nights before the exam: daytime interval and nighttime awakenings.
3If you use pads or an appliance for leakage, document the frequency of changes — urine leakage can be rated higher (up to 60%) under separate criteria.
4Voiding dysfunction is rated on whichever sub-criterion (frequency, leakage, or obstructed voiding) gives the highest evaluation — not all at once.

Common mistakes on Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction claims

Not keeping a voiding diary — the rating depends entirely on documented intervals and nighttime awakenings.
Reporting a vague 'I go a lot' instead of specific intervals and nightly counts.
Not mentioning incontinence/leakage and pad usage, which may support a higher rating under the leakage criteria.

Frequently asked questions

Is nocturia a VA claim?

Yes, as part of a claim for the condition causing it. VA rates night-time voiding under the urinary frequency criteria of 38 C.F.R. § 4.115a: two times a night is 10%, three to four is 20%, five or more is 40%. The underlying condition has to be service-connected, directly or as secondary to a condition VA already rates.

Can nocturia be secondary to sleep apnea or diabetes?

It can be claimed that way under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310 if a clinician explains how the service-connected condition causes or worsens your night-time voiding and your records support it. VA decides whether the evidence is enough.

How many times do I have to get up at night for a VA rating?

Two times a night meets the 10% level, three to four times meets 20%, and five or more meets 40%, under the urinary frequency criteria of 38 C.F.R. § 4.115a. A voiding diary in your medical records is the evidence raters look for.

What diagnostic code does the VA use for Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction?

Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction is rated under 38 CFR 4.115a, Voiding Dysfunction — Urinary Frequency — diagnostic codes 7542, 7512, 7517.

What is the highest schedular VA rating for Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction?

40% is the highest level in the rating schedule for Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction. The criteria at that level describe: Urinary frequency with a daytime voiding interval of less than 1 hour, or awakening to void five or more times per night. (Higher ratings — up to 60% — apply for urine leakage requiring an appliance or frequent absorbent-material changes, rated under the urine-leakage criteria of 38 CFR 4.115a.)

How much does a 40% VA rating for Urinary Frequency & Voiding Dysfunction 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.

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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.