VA Diagnostic Code 6847Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed)
Rated from 0% to 100% under § 4.97. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
Not the right code?
What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 100%
Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or; requires tracheostomy
- 50%
Requires use of breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine
- 30%
Persistent day-time hypersomnolence
- 0%
Asymptomatic but with documented sleep disorder breathing
Sleep Apnea Syndromes — VA Disability Rating (Diagnostic Code 6847)
Body System: Respiratory System · Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.97
Understanding Sleep Apnea and How the VA Rates It
Sleep apnea syndromes—including obstructive, central, and mixed types—are breathing-related sleep disorders. Under Diagnostic Code 6847, the VA rates these conditions on a scale that reflects the severity of symptoms and the level of medical intervention required, ranging from 0% to 100%.
Ratings are assigned based on documented findings, such as the presence of a diagnosed sleep-disordered breathing condition, daytime symptoms, the need for a breathing assistance device, or the presence of serious respiratory complications.
Available Rating Levels
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 100% | Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or requires a tracheostomy |
| 50% | Requires the use of a breathing assistance device, such as a continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine |
| 30% | Persistent day-time hypersomnolence (excessive daytime sleepiness) |
| 0% | Asymptomatic, but with documented sleep disorder breathing |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating sleep apnea under Diagnostic Code 6847, the VA considers evidence such as:
- A documented sleep-disordered breathing diagnosis, which supports at least a 0% (noncompensable) evaluation even when there are no symptoms.
- Persistent daytime hypersomnolence, which corresponds to the 30% level.
- The requirement for a breathing assistance device, such as a CPAP machine, which corresponds to the 50% level.
- Severe respiratory complications, including chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention, cor pulmonale, or the need for a tracheostomy, which correspond to the 100% level.
Each level in the schedule builds on documented medical findings, so having clear records of your diagnosis, symptoms, and any prescribed treatment or devices is central to how this condition is evaluated.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.97, diagnostic code 6847. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
View official sourceHow to claim this
Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.
Find your level in the stack
Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.
Name the gap
Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.
Claim it by code
File under diagnostic code 6847 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Respiratory System codes may cover your secondary conditions.
Find out which rating your evidence supports.
Six reads your records against these exact criteria and tells you what the VA is still missing.
Start for freeAll 61 Respiratory System codes →