C&P Exam for Tinnitus: What Happens, What Examiners Ask and What to Bring (2026)
Quick answer: A tinnitus C&P exam is a records-based information-gathering visit, not treatment. Under 38 CFR 4.87, DC 6260 gives one 10% evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, so the exam focuses on whether it is recurrent, when it began and what caused it. VA may skip the exam if your file already has enough evidence.
Tinnitus is rated on what you report, so the exam can feel higher stakes than its 10 percent rating suggests. Knowing what the examiner is documenting, what the rule says, and what happens if something goes wrong helps you walk in prepared.
This guide stays on the appointment itself. For how tinnitus is rated and why claims get denied, see our tinnitus VA disability guide. For the audiogram, speech discrimination scores and hearing-loss ratings, see our hearing loss and tinnitus C&P exam prep guide.
Will VA schedule a C&P exam for tinnitus?
Not always. VA.gov explains that VA asks for a claim exam only when it needs more information to decide the claim. If your file already has enough medical evidence, VA may use its Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) process, which means reviewing your records and asking for more evidence if needed, instead of scheduling an exam.
If an exam is scheduled, a VA medical center or a VA contractor will contact you by letter, phone or email. You cannot start the scheduling yourself. Confirm the appointment using the number on the letter, and if you need to reschedule, tell the facility or contractor at least 48 hours in advance. VA notes that hearing exams are among the exam types that require a specialist provider, and that contractors try to find one within 100 miles of your home.
How does VA rate tinnitus under DC 6260?
The rule is in 38 CFR 4.87. Diagnostic Code 6260, "Tinnitus, recurrent," carries a single 10 percent evaluation. Three notes under the code explain how it works:
- Note 1: A separate tinnitus evaluation can be combined with an evaluation for hearing loss or another ear condition, except when the tinnitus is the very thing supporting an evaluation under that other code.
- Note 2: Only a single evaluation is assigned for recurrent tinnitus, whether you hear it in one ear, both ears or in the head.
- Note 3: Objective tinnitus, meaning a sound other people can hear that has a definable cause, is not rated under 6260. It is evaluated as part of whatever underlying condition causes it.
On the current VA.gov compensation rates page, a 10 percent rating pays $180.42 per month (effective December 1, 2025). The eCFR text of 4.87, current through October 26, 2026, still lists DC 6260 at 10 percent. VA has discussed changing how tinnitus is rated; our rating change explainer tracks that, and you should check the eCFR for the current rule before you act on any summary.
Why this shapes the exam: Because 6260 is a flat 10 percent, the exam is mostly about whether you have recurrent tinnitus, when it began and what caused it. It is not a test that scores severity in steps the way some other conditions are scored.
What happens at the tinnitus C&P exam?
VA.gov describes a claim exam as different from a normal medical visit. The provider will not treat you, refer you or prescribe anything, because the purpose is to gather information for the decision. The provider may:
- Perform a basic physical exam, which may or may not include physical contact.
- Ask questions based on the medical records in your claim file, which can include the questions from the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for each condition you claimed.
- Order other tests at no cost to you.
The provider can answer questions about what is happening during the exam, but cannot discuss the claims process, tell you the results or decide your claim. VA says an exam can take only 15 minutes or may last an hour or more, depending on the conditions claimed. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early; VA warns that a provider may cancel the exam if you are late.
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Get Free Claim Help →What questions do examiners ask about tinnitus?
VA does not publish a script, and exams vary by examiner. The topics below follow the DBQ-style questions VA.gov says may be used and the elements DC 6260 turns on. Treat them as a preparation list, not a guaranteed set of questions.
| Topic | What you may be asked |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | What you hear (ringing, buzzing, hissing), and whether it is in one ear, both ears or in your head |
| Recurrence | Whether it is constant or comes and goes, how often, and how long episodes last |
| Onset | When you first noticed it and what was happening at the time |
| Service noise | Your job and duty stations, weapons, aircraft, vehicles, generators or blasts, and whether you used hearing protection |
| Other noise and causes | Civilian jobs, hobbies, ear infections, head or neck injury, medications and family history |
| Daily impact | Effects on sleep, concentration, work and conversation |
Answer plainly and consistently with your records. If your tinnitus varies, describe the typical pattern and a bad day rather than only one or the other. If you do not remember a detail, say so instead of guessing. Examiners ask questions based on the records in your claim file, so what you say should line up with what is documented, or you should be ready to explain any gaps.
What evidence helps a tinnitus claim?
The exam is one piece of the file. VA says it will weigh your medical records, the exam report, results of any tests, statements from you and others, and your military records. For tinnitus, consider gathering:
- Service treatment records, including any entrance and separation hearing tests and notes about ear problems or noise exposure.
- Records showing your military job and where you served, such as your DD-214 (see how to get your DD-214).
- Your own written statement describing when the tinnitus started, how it behaves and how it affects you. Courts have treated ringing in the ears as something a person can describe from their own experience (Charles v. Principi, 16 Vet. App. 370 (2002)).
- A statement from someone who knew you during or soon after service, such as with our buddy statement generator.
- Private or VA treatment records, including audiology visits.
- If the cause is unclear in your file, a medical opinion from a provider who has reviewed your records. See our nexus letter for tinnitus guide.
VA also lets you have your own provider complete a DBQ and submit it, though VA says it will not pay or reimburse the cost.
What happens after the exam, or if you miss it?
You cannot get the results at the exam. To see the report, request a copy using VA Form 20-10206, a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request, per VA.gov.
Missing the exam without good cause has consequences. Under 38 CFR 3.655, an original compensation claim is rated on the evidence already in the file, while a claim for increase or a supplemental claim is denied. VA.gov lists examples of good cause such as a death in the immediate family, homelessness, hospitalization or a terminal illness. If you miss an exam, explain why by calling VA, uploading a letter through the claim status tool or mailing a letter to the Evidence Intake Center.
For a broader look at how these exams work across conditions, read our complete C&P exam guide. If you also claimed hearing loss, see our hearing loss rating guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. VA.gov says VA asks for a claim exam only when it needs more information. If your file has enough medical evidence, VA may use its Acceptable Clinical Evidence process and decide without an exam.
10 percent. Under 38 CFR 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6260 provides a single 10 percent evaluation for recurrent tinnitus, whether it is in one ear, both ears or in the head. On VA.gov's rate table, a 10 percent rating pays $180.42 per month effective December 1, 2025.
Generally yes. Note 1 to DC 6260 says a separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation for hearing loss or another ear condition, except when the tinnitus supports an evaluation under that other code.
Under 38 CFR 3.655, an original compensation claim is rated on the evidence already in the file, while a claim for increase or a supplemental claim is denied. VA may schedule a new appointment if you had good cause, such as hospitalization or a death in your immediate family.
No. VA.gov says the provider cannot tell you the exam results or decide your claim. To get the report, you can submit VA Form 20-10206, a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request.
VA.gov says an exam may take only 15 minutes or may last an hour or more, depending on the conditions claimed. Arrive 15 minutes early, because a provider may cancel the exam if you are late.
No. Note 3 says objective tinnitus, where the sound is audible to others and has a definable cause, is evaluated as part of the underlying condition causing it instead.