Hoarding Disorder

DC 9413Mental Disorders38 CFR 4.130, DC 9413 — General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of their value, leading to clutter that makes living spaces unusable. The hoarding behavior causes significant distress and impairs daily functioning, safety, and relationships.

How the VA rates this condition

The VA rates this condition based on how much it affects your ability to work and carry out daily activities. The examiner will focus on the functional limitations your condition causes, not just the diagnosis itself.

Diagnostic code

DC 9413

Rating range

0% – 100%

Rating levels

Rating criteria are defined in 38 CFR 4.130, DC 9413 — General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. This guide presents a plain-language summary and is not a substitute for the full regulatory text. Always consult a VSO or VA-accredited attorney for case-specific advice.

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not documenting how hoarding affects the usability of living spaces — photographs and descriptions of rooms that cannot be used for their intended purpose provide strong evidence of severity.
⚠Failing to connect hoarding behavior to service experiences — deprivation during deployment, loss of personal belongings, or trauma-related attachment to objects can serve as the nexus.
⚠Not describing the distress experienced when attempting to discard items — the emotional response to discarding is a core diagnostic feature and demonstrates the compulsive nature of the condition.
⚠Not reporting secondary impacts such as health hazards, housing code violations, or relationship breakdowns caused by hoarding — these consequences demonstrate functional impairment.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Mental Disorders (other than PTSD and Eating Disorders)

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Hoarding Disorder

How the VA rates this condition

Diagnostic code

DC 9413

Rating range

0% – 100%

Rating levels

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not documenting how hoarding affects the usability of living spaces — photographs and descriptions of rooms that cannot be used for their intended purpose provide strong evidence of severity.

⚠Failing to connect hoarding behavior to service experiences — deprivation during deployment, loss of personal belongings, or trauma-related attachment to objects can serve as the nexus.

⚠Not describing the distress experienced when attempting to discard items — the emotional response to discarding is a core diagnostic feature and demonstrates the compulsive nature of the condition.

⚠Not reporting secondary impacts such as health hazards, housing code violations, or relationship breakdowns caused by hoarding — these consequences demonstrate functional impairment.