VA Rating for Panic Disorder: How DC 9412 Is Rated and What It Pays (2026)

Panic disorder is one of the easier mental health conditions to describe and one of the easiest to under-rate. The regulation names panic attacks directly, but it never gives a rating just for counting them. VA looks at the whole picture: how often attacks hit, what you avoid, and what it costs you at work and at home. This guide walks through each level, how panic disorder fits with PTSD and other diagnoses, and how to build a claim that shows the real severity. For the broader anxiety and depression picture, see our anxiety and depression rating guide; this article stays focused on panic.

How does VA rate panic disorder?

VA rates panic disorder under Diagnostic Code (DC) 9412, "Panic disorder and/or agoraphobia," in 38 CFR § 4.130. DC 9412 does not have its own set of percentages. It uses the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders, the same formula that covers PTSD (DC 9411), generalized anxiety disorder (DC 9400), and major depressive disorder (DC 9434).

That formula rates occupational and social impairment, not diagnosis names. The symptoms listed at each level are introduced with "such as," so they are examples. Under 38 CFR § 4.126(a), the rater must consider the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms and base the rating on all the evidence of record "rather than solely on the examiner's assessment of the level of disability at the moment of the examination." That second part matters: a single calm exam does not erase years of treatment records.

What are the VA rating levels for panic disorder?

The table below paraphrases the criteria in § 4.130. Quoted phrases are exact regulatory wording. Pay amounts are the 2026 monthly rates for a veteran with no dependents, effective December 1, 2025, from VA.gov.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.130 (eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026); VA.gov compensation rates, effective December 1, 2025. Veterans rated 10% or 20% receive the same amount regardless of dependents; at 30% and above, pay rises with a spouse, children, or dependent parents. See the VA.gov table for those amounts.

How many panic attacks a week do you need for a 30% vs. 50% rating?

This is the most searched detail, and the wording is easy to misquote. The regulation puts "panic attacks (weekly or less often)" in the 30% criteria and "panic attacks more than once a week" in the 50% criteria. So the dividing line in the text is roughly one attack a week.

But it is not a pure frequency test. Three points to keep in mind:

• The examples are not a checklist. A veteran with fewer attacks but severe avoidance and work problems can fit the 50% description. A veteran with frequent attacks that cause little impairment may not.
• Frequency should be documented over time. "I get them a lot" is weak. A log showing dates, duration, triggers, and what you had to stop doing is strong.
• Near-continuous panic is the language at 70%, paired with an effect on your ability "to function independently, appropriately and effectively."

Not sure where you land? Our free rating estimator can give you a starting point, though only VA decides the final number.

How much does a panic disorder rating pay in 2026?

Monthly compensation for a veteran with no dependents, effective December 1, 2025 (VA.gov rate tables):

The jump from 30% to 50% is worth about $580 a month, which is why accurate evidence at that threshold matters. If your panic disorder is rated alongside other conditions, VA uses combined ratings math, not simple addition. Use our combined ratings calculator to see how your numbers combine. Under 38 CFR § 4.25, the combined value is rounded to the nearest 10, with values ending in 5 rounded up. The regulation's own example: a 50% and a 30% disability combine to 65%, which becomes 70%.

Can I get separate ratings for panic disorder, PTSD, and anxiety?

Generally, no. Every mental disorder in § 4.130 is rated with the same formula, and 38 CFR § 4.14 says that "the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses" is to be avoided. This is the rule against pyramiding. In practice, VA usually assigns one evaluation for your overall mental health impairment, not one percentage per diagnosis.

What does that mean for you?

• Panic disorder vs. PTSD: If you are already service connected for PTSD and later get a panic disorder diagnosis, the panic attacks are likely to be folded into one rating. The practical strategy is to make sure your PTSD rating reflects the panic attacks, or to request an increase if it does not. Our PTSD rating guide covers that formula in depth.
• Panic disorder vs. generalized anxiety disorder: Same formula, same percentages. A GAD diagnosis does not cap you lower than panic disorder would.
• Mixed physical and mental conditions: Under § 4.126(d), if a single disability is diagnosed as both a physical and a mental disorder, VA uses the code for the dominant, more disabling aspect.

Because the diagnosis label matters less than the symptoms, make sure every symptom, not just the panic attacks, is on the record: sleep trouble, memory and concentration problems, irritability, avoidance, and depressed mood.

Can panic disorder be service connected secondary to PTSD, tinnitus, or chronic pain?

Yes, panic disorder can be service connected as a secondary condition. Under 38 CFR § 3.310, a disability "proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury shall be service connected," and aggravation of a non-service-connected condition by a service-connected one can qualify too. See our full secondary service connection guide for the three elements you must show.

Common pathways veterans raise:

• Secondary to PTSD: Panic disorder may be diagnosed alongside or evolve from PTSD. Remember the single-rating point above: a link may not add a second percentage, but it can support an increase.
• Secondary to tinnitus: Constant ringing can disrupt sleep and heighten anxiety for some veterans. This needs a medical opinion; do not assume VA will connect them automatically. See our tinnitus rating guide.
• Secondary to chronic pain or another service-connected condition: Our guide on anxiety secondary to chronic pain explains how this link is argued.

In each case you generally need a current diagnosis, a service-connected condition, and a medical opinion tying the two together. A well-reasoned nexus letter from a clinician who has reviewed your records is the usual way to supply that.

How is agoraphobia rated with panic disorder?

DC 9412 is titled "Panic disorder and/or agoraphobia," so both conditions are rated together under the same formula. There is no extra percentage for agoraphobia. What matters is the effect: avoiding stores, driving, crowds, public transit, or leaving the house reduces your ability to work and keep relationships, and that is exactly what the formula measures.

If avoidance is part of your life, say so specifically at your exam: which places you avoid, how often you cancel plans, whether you need someone with you, and what jobs or errands you can no longer manage. A buddy statement from a spouse or friend who sees this firsthand can corroborate it; see our buddy statement guide.

Can I get TDIU for panic disorder?

Possibly. Total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) pays at the 100% rate when service-connected conditions prevent you from securing or following "a substantially gainful occupation." The schedular minimums in 38 CFR § 4.16(a) are:

• One service-connected disability rated 60% or more, or
• Two or more disabilities with at least one at 40% or more and a combined rating of 70% or more.

Disabilities "affecting a single body system," with neuropsychiatric listed as an example, count as one disability for this purpose. Marginal employment is not considered substantially gainful. A veteran rated 70% for panic disorder alone meets the 60% threshold. Evidence should show real work limits: missed days, attacks that forced you to leave a job, or inability to handle workplace stress. Read our TDIU guide for the full process.

How should I prepare for the C&P mental exam for panic disorder?

Most panic disorder claims are decided largely on the Compensation and Pension exam. VA explains the process on its claim exam page. Our general C&P exam tips and mental health exam prep guide go deeper. For panic disorder specifically:

• Describe your worst typical stretch, not your best day. Section 4.126(a) tells raters to consider frequency, severity, duration, and the length of remissions.
• Give numbers. Attacks per week, minutes per attack, how many times in the last month you left a store or meeting.
• Name physical symptoms: racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, shaking, fear of dying or losing control.
• Explain avoidance and workarounds: sitting by exits, avoiding driving on highways, needing someone to come along.
• Cover work and family impact: sick days, reduced hours, conflicts, a job you left.
• Mention medication and side effects, and what happens when you miss a dose.
• Be honest. Do not exaggerate or minimize. Inconsistency hurts credibility.

If you feel unsafe at any point, contact the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1). Telling the examiner about suicidal thoughts is also part of an honest exam.

How to win your panic disorder claim: step by step

1. Get a current diagnosis. A clinician should document panic disorder (and agoraphobia, if applicable) in your treatment records.
2. Establish service connection. Direct (in-service onset), secondary (to PTSD, a pain condition, or another rated disability), or aggravation. Match the evidence to the pathway.
3. Start a symptom log today. Date, time, trigger, duration, physical symptoms, what you stopped doing. Keep it for at least a few months.
4. Get consistent treatment. Regular therapy and medication records show severity over time, and they feed straight into the frequency and duration review in § 4.126(a).
5. Collect lay statements. A spouse, coworker, or battle buddy who has seen an attack is persuasive evidence. Use our buddy statement generator.
6. Document work impact. Attendance records, performance reviews, and accommodation requests.
7. Attend the exam prepared using the tips above.
8. Review the decision carefully. If the rating is too low, compare the exam to the criteria, then consider a supplemental claim with new evidence. See our supplemental claim guide.

Evidence checklist for a panic disorder claim

• Current diagnosis of panic disorder and/or agoraphobia in medical records
• Treatment notes from a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or primary care provider
• Prescription history and any documented medication side effects
• ER, urgent care, or clinic visits for panic symptoms or chest pain evaluations
• Personal symptom log with dates, duration, and triggers
• Personal statement describing worst typical weeks and what you avoid
• Buddy or family statements describing attacks and changes in behavior
• Employment records: attendance, performance reviews, accommodations, resignation or termination letters
• Service treatment records or other evidence of in-service onset, if claiming direct service connection
• Nexus opinion if claiming secondary service connection
• Prior VA mental health exams, if you are asking for an increase

Is the mental disorder rating formula changing?

VA has proposed revising the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2022. As of the eCFR version dated October 15, 2026, the formula quoted in this article is the one printed in 38 CFR § 4.130. Because rule changes can be finalized at any time, check the eCFR before you file, and see our mental health rating change explainer for what has been proposed.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• 38 CFR § 4.130, Schedule of ratings—Mental disorders
• 38 CFR § 4.126, Evaluation of disability from mental disorders
• 38 CFR § 4.14, Avoidance of pyramiding
• 38 CFR § 4.16, Total disability ratings based on unemployability
• 38 CFR § 3.310, Secondary service connection
• VA.gov, 2026 veteran disability compensation rates