Tinnitus is rated at 10%, one rating, no matter how many ears.

The rating

Recurring tinnitus is rated at 10%. That is the only level. It does not go higher if it is louder, and you get one rating whether you hear it in one ear, both ears, or inside your head.

A few rules from the rating schedule worth knowing:

• It can stand next to hearing loss. Tinnitus gets its own 10% on top of a hearing loss rating, unless the tinnitus is what supports the other rating.
• Only "subjective" tinnitus is rated here. That is the ringing only you can hear, which is almost everyone. The rare kind other people can hear is rated as part of whatever is causing it.

That is the schedule in force as of September 2026. The VA has talked about changing how it rates tinnitus, so check the current rule when you file.

What the evidence has to show

1. That you have it. Tinnitus is something you report, and the VA generally accepts your own description of ringing, buzzing or hissing. Say how often it happens and how long it has been going on.
2. That it recurs. The rating is for tinnitus that keeps coming back, not a single episode after one loud day.
3. The connection to service. See below.

Connecting it to service

• Noise exposure: the usual path. Weapons fire, aircraft, engines, generators, flight lines, artillery. Your job in service matters, and so does a statement describing what you were around and when the ringing started.
• Along with hearing loss: tinnitus often shows up with hearing loss from the same noise.
• Secondary: tinnitus can come from a head injury (TBI), and some medications list it as a side effect. A secondary claim needs a medical opinion that explains the link.

How we help

We look at your service history for the noise exposure, help you put your own account into a clear statement, and check whether hearing loss or a head injury belongs in the same claim.