The VA rates psoriasisA skin condition that causes cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, forming scales an... under Diagnostic Code 7816 in 38 CFR § 4.118, using the General Rating Formula for the Skin. Your psoriasis VA rating will be 0%, 10%, 30%, or 60%, based on how much of your body the lesions cover and the type and length of treatment you needed over the past 12 months. Psoriasis affects more than 7.5 million U.S. adults, and many are veterans whose condition started or worsened during service.
This guide breaks down the 2026 rating criteria, how much each rating pays, secondary conditions such as psoriatic arthritisInflammation of the joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and limited movement., and what to do if your rating comes back too low.
Key Takeaways
- Rating range: The VA rates psoriasis from 0% to 60% under Diagnostic Code 7816, with breaks at 10% and 30%.
- Body surface area drives it: Lesions on 5% to under 20% of your body earn 10%, 20% to 40% earn 30%, and more than 40% earn 60%.
- Treatment type matters: Systemic therapy, such as biologics or phototherapy, can raise your rating even when skin coverage is modest.
- 2026 pay: A 60% psoriasis rating pays $1,435.02 per month tax-free in 2026, while a 10% rating pays $180.42 (veteran alone).
- Psoriatic arthritis is separate: Joint disease from psoriasis is rated on its own under Diagnostic Code 5002 and can reach 100%.
- TDIU is possible: Because 60% is the schedular ceiling, severe psoriasis that stops you from working may qualify for Individual Unemployability.
- Remission hurts claims: If your skin is clear during the C&P exam, buddy statements and treatment records that document flare frequency protect your rating.
How Does the VA Rate Psoriasis?
The VA rates psoriasis under Diagnostic Code 7816 in 38 CFR § 4.118 and applies the General Rating Formula for the Skin. The rater looks at two things: the percentage of your skin covered by lesions and the treatment you needed over the past 12 months. Whichever produces the higher rating is the one that applies.
The formula uses the same percentage thresholds for your entire body or for exposed areas (the face, neck, and hands). A rater measures both and assigns the rating that benefits you more. If lesions cover 8% of your whole body but 22% of your exposed areas, the exposed-area figure controls and pushes you into the 30% tier.
Psoriasis can also be rated in a different way when the damage is mostly cosmetic. If your predominant disability is disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (Diagnostic Code 7800) or scarring (Diagnostic Codes 7801 through 7805), the VA can rate it under those codes instead. The rater chooses the path that gives you the higher evaluation.
These criteria come from a 2018 rule change. The VA amended the skin rating schedule effective August 13, 2018, and that version still governs psoriasis claims. You can read the current text of 38 CFR § 4.118 on the eCFR site to confirm the language a rater is applying to your file in 2026.
What Are the Psoriasis VA Rating Criteria for 2026?
Psoriasis carries four possible ratings: 0%, 10%, 30%, and 60%. The 10% and 30% breaks depend on either your body surface area affected or how long you were on systemic therapy. The 60% rating requires more than 40% coverage or constant systemic therapy. The table below pairs each tier with its 2026 monthly pay.
| Rating | Skin coverage or treatment (past 12 months) | 2026 monthly pay (veteran alone) |
|---|---|---|
| 60% | Lesions on more than 40% of the entire body or exposed areas, or constant or near-constant systemic therapy | $1,435.02 |
| 30% | Lesions on 20% to 40% of the entire body or exposed areas, or systemic therapy for 6 weeks or more but not constantly | $552.47 |
| 10% | Lesions on at least 5% but under 20% of the entire body or exposed areas, or intermittent systemic therapy under 6 weeks | $180.42 |
| 0% | Less than 5% of the entire body affected and topical therapy only | $0.00 |
Pay figures come from the 2026 VA disability compensation rates, effective December 1, 2025, which reflect a 2.8% cost-of-living increase. The payments are tax-free at the federal and state levels. Veterans rated 30% or higher can also add compensation for a spouse, children, or dependent parents.
One point trips up many veterans: the pay jump between 10% and 30% is large. A 60% rating pays nearly eight times what a 10% rating pays. That is why documenting your true skin coverage and your systemic treatment history matters so much.
Systemic vs. Topical Therapy: Why Treatment Type Can Raise Your Rating
The VA can assign a 30% or 60% psoriasis rating on treatment alone, even when your skin coverage is small, but only if that treatment counts as systemic. The regulation defines systemic therapy as treatment given by any route other than the skin: oral, injection, suppository, or intranasal. Topical therapy is anything applied to the skin.
This distinction decides real money. Two veterans can have the same amount of visible psoriasis, and the one on a biologic injection can qualify for 30% or 60%, while the one using a steroid cream sits at 0% or 10%. The table below sorts common psoriasis treatments into the two groups.
| Systemic therapy (can support 30% or 60%) | Topical therapy (0% ceiling on its own) |
|---|---|
| Methotrexate and cyclosporine | Steroid creams and ointments |
| Biologics such as Humira and Enbrel | Vitamin D analog creams |
| Oral retinoids | Coal tar preparations |
| Phototherapy (UVB and PUVA) | Moisturizers and emollients |
Phototherapy deserves special attention. The rating formula lists phototherapy alongside systemic drugs, so light treatment can support a 30% or 60% rating based on how often and how long you receive it. Raters sometimes misfile biologics or phototherapy as topical care, which produces a lower rating than the law allows. Keep your prescription records, infusion logs, and phototherapy schedules so the evidence speaks for itself.
5 Steps to File a Strong Psoriasis VA Claim
A psoriasis claim rests on three basics: a current diagnosis, an in-service event or exposure, and a medical nexus that links the two. These five steps keep your claim organized and reduce the odds of a low rating.
- Confirm your diagnosis and pull your records. Get a written psoriasis diagnosis and gather dermatology notes, prescriptions, and any photos that show flares at their worst.
- Establish service connection. Show that psoriasis began during service or was made worse by it. Service treatment records, unit records, and dates of onset all help.
- Get a nexus letter. Ask a dermatologist or rheumatologist to explain how service-related stress or exposures triggered or aggravated your psoriasis. Psoriasis is autoimmune, so this link is often the deciding factor.
- Complete the Skin Diseases DBQ. The Disability BenefitsFinancial assistance provided to individuals who are unable to work due to a disability, such as Soc... Questionnaire captures your body surface area, exposed-area coverage, and full treatment history, including systemic drugs and phototherapy.
- File on VA.gov and prepare for the C&P exam. Submit through VA.gov, then plan your exam for a period when your skin is flaring, if possible, and bring photos of past flares.
Key Terms in the Psoriasis VA Rating System
A few terms show up in every psoriasis claim. Knowing them helps you read your rating decision and spot errors.
- Body surface area (BSA): The percentage of your skin covered by psoriasis lesions. This is the main driver of your rating tier.
- Rule of Palms: A clinical shortcut where your own hand, palm plus fingers, equals about 1% of your body surface area. Examiners use it to estimate scattered lesions.
- Rule of Nines: A method that divides the body into sections of 9% or 18% (for example, each arm is 9%, the back of the torso is 18%) to estimate larger areas.
- Exposed areas: The face, neck, and hands. The formula applies the same percentage thresholds here as it does to the whole body.
- Systemic therapy: Treatment given by any route other than the skin, such as oral drugs, injections, biologics, or phototherapy.
- Nexus letter: A medical opinion that connects your psoriasis to your service. It carries heavy weight in autoimmune claims.
- C&P exam: The Compensation and Pension exam, where a VA-arranged clinician evaluates your condition and coverage.
- Pyramiding: Rating the same symptom twice, which VA rules forbid. It is why skin and joint psoriasis get separate ratings for separate problems.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Psoriasis
Psoriasis rarely travels alone. If your psoriasis causes or worsens another condition, you can claim that condition as secondary and receive a separate rating for it. The most common secondary claim is psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic Arthritis
About 33% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, which attacks the joints rather than the skin. The VA rates it under Diagnostic Code 5002 in 38 CFR § 4.71a, the same criteria used for rheumatoid arthritis, with ratings from 20% to 100% based on the number of joint groups involved and how often incapacitating episodes occur. You can be service-connected for both the skin condition and the joint condition, and they are rated separately without pyramiding because they affect different body systems.
Mental Health Conditions
Visible or disfiguring psoriasis can lead to depression, anxiety, or social isolationThe condition of being separated from other individuals, often experienced by people with disabiliti.... The VA can grant secondary service connection for these mental health conditions when a clinician ties them to your service-connected skin disease.
Eye and Cardiometabolic Conditions
Psoriasis is linked to inflammatory eye conditions such as uveitis and blepharitis, and research connects severe psoriasis to hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. These secondary claims usually need a strong medical opinion to establish the connection, so a specialist nexus letter is often the key piece of evidence.
Can Psoriasis Reach a 100% Rating or TDIU?
Psoriasis alone tops out at 60% on the rating schedule. If your psoriasis makes it impossible to hold steady work, though, you may qualify for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), which pays at the 100% rate. In 2026, that is $3,938.58 per month for a veteran alone.
TDIU exists for situations where a rating below 100% still leaves you unable to earn a living. Because a single 60% condition can meet the schedular threshold under 38 CFR § 4.16, a veteran with severe, treatment-resistant psoriasis can pursue TDIU on that condition alone. Adding a psoriatic arthritis rating can also raise your combined rating and change the math. Work history, employer statements, and physician opinions about your work all support a TDIU claim.
Common Reasons Psoriasis Claims Are Denied (and How to Appeal)
Most psoriasis denials and low ratings trace back to three problems. Knowing them ahead of time lets you build evidence that answers each one.
- Remission at the exam: If your skin is clear on exam day, the examiner may undercount your coverage. Photos of past flares and buddy statements about frequency close that gap.
- Systemic therapy misclassified: Raters sometimes treat biologics or phototherapy as topical care. Prescription and infusion records prove the treatment was systemic.
- Weak or missing nexus: Many veterans develop psoriasis years after service. Without a nexus letter linking it to service, these claims are often denied.
If your claim is denied or your rating is too low, the Appeals Modernization Act gives you three lanes. A Supplemental Claim lets you add new and relevant evidence, such as a stronger nexus letter or updated treatment records. A Higher-Level Review asks a senior rater to review the existing file for errors, with no new evidence. A Board of Veterans' Appeals appeal puts your case before a Veterans Law Judge and allows a hearing, though it takes the longest.
A note on cost and safety, which matters in this space. VA-accredited Veterans Service Organizations help you file an initial claim at no charge, and accredited attorneys generally work on contingency and cannot charge you to prepare an initial claim. Be cautious with any service that demands an upfront fee to guarantee a rating. This guide explains how the system works and is general information, not legal advice. For a denied or complicated claim, an accredited representative can review your specific facts.
Your Next Step on a Psoriasis Claim
The psoriasis VA rating system rewards clear evidence. Your rating turns on two numbers: your body surface area and the length and type of your treatment, so the strongest claims document both in detail. As of 2026, a 60% rating pays $1,435.02 per month; psoriatic arthritis can be rated separately up to 100%, and TDIU remains open to veterans whose psoriasis ends their ability to work.
Before filing a claim or challenging a low rating, find out how to prove your VA disability with our detailed guide, for a practical explanation of service-connection evidence, medical documentation, and supporting statements. Veterans dealing with a denied or unusually complicated claim can also seek assistance from a VA-accredited Veterans Service Organization, claims agent, or attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does psoriasis qualify for VA disability?
Yes. Psoriasis qualifies for VA disability when it is service-connected, meaning it began in service or was made worse by service. The VA rates it under Diagnostic Code 7816 from 0% to 60% based on skin coverage and treatment. A current diagnosis, an in-service link, and a nexus opinion form the core of a successful claim.
What is the highest VA rating for psoriasis?
The highest schedular rating for psoriasis is 60%, which pays $1,435.02 per month in 2026 for a veteran alone. Higher compensation is still possible through psoriatic arthritis, which can reach 100% under a separate code, or through TDIU if psoriasis prevents you from working.
Is psoriasis a presumptive condition for veterans?
Psoriasis is not currently a presumptive condition, so most claims need a nexus opinion that links onset or worsening to service. If your service records already document psoriasis during active duty, direct service connection is more straightforward and does not require a presumption.
Does phototherapy count as systemic therapy for a VA rating?
Yes. The General Rating Formula for the Skin lists phototherapy, including UVB and PUVA, alongside systemic drugs. That means regular light treatment can support a 30% or 60% rating based on how often and how long you receive it, even when your visible skin coverage is limited.
