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Free tool · 282 guides · DBQ-aligned
The VA orders this exam to verify your diagnosis and measure how severe it is right now. It can shape your rating and your monthly compensation — but it does not decide your claim. A rating specialist weighs it against your full record, and if the exam does not reflect your condition, you can say so and ask the VA to correct it.
When is your exam?
Set the date and this page becomes a plan — the preparation steps get paced across the days you have left. It stays in this browser; no account, nothing sent anywhere.
An enlarged prostate gland that causes urinary problems. The VA rates BPH based on the predominant urinary dysfunction — either voiding dysfunction (incontinence/frequency) or urinary tract infection, whichever gives the higher rating.
The percentages this diagnostic code can be rated at. Which one applies depends on the findings — no tool here can tell you in advance.
Rated under 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7527. The examiner records findings on the DBQ; a rating specialist makes the decision.
| Rating | Rating criteria | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Obstructed voiding — Obstructive symptomatology with or without stricture disease requiring dilatation 1 to 2 times per year. Urinary tract infection — Recurrent symptomatic infection not requiring hospitalization, but requiring suppressive drug therapy for less than 6 months | You have BPH but you do not meet the requirements for a compensable rung on either route — your voiding intervals, leakage and retention are below the compensable bands, and any infection does not require hospitalization or six months of suppressive therapy. A 0% rating establishes service connection. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 10% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Urinary frequency — Daytime voiding interval between two and three hours, or; awakening to void two times per night | Your BPH causes urinary frequency with daytime voiding interval between 2 and 3 hours, or awakening to void 2 times per night. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 20% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Urinary frequency — Daytime voiding interval between one and two hours, or; awakening to void three to four times per night. Voiding dysfunction. Continual Urine Leakage, Post Surgical Urinary Diversion, Urinary Incontinence, or Stress Incontinence — Requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed less than 2 times per day | Your BPH causes urinary frequency with daytime voiding interval between 1 and 2 hours, or awakening to void 3 to 4 times per night. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 30% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Obstructed voiding — Urinary retention requiring intermittent or continuous catheterization. Urinary tract infection — Recurrent symptomatic infection requiring drainage by stent or nephrostomy tube; or requiring greater than 2 hospitalizations per year; or requiring continuous intensive management | Your BPH causes urinary retention requiring intermittent or continuous catheterization, or recurrent symptomatic infection requiring drainage by stent or nephrostomy tube, more than 2 hospitalizations per year, or continuous intensive management — whichever is predominant. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 40% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Urinary frequency — Daytime voiding interval less than one hour, or; awakening to void five or more times per night. Voiding dysfunction. Continual Urine Leakage, Post Surgical Urinary Diversion, Urinary Incontinence, or Stress Incontinence — Requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed 2 to 4 times per day | Your BPH causes urinary frequency with daytime voiding interval less than 1 hour, or awakening to void 5 or more times per night. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 60% | Prostate gland injuries, infections, hypertrophy, postoperative residuals, bladder outlet obstruction: Rate as voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infection, whichever is predominant. Voiding dysfunction. Continual Urine Leakage, Post Surgical Urinary Diversion, Urinary Incontinence, or Stress Incontinence — Requiring the use of an appliance or the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed more than 4 times per day | Your BPH causes continual urine leakage requiring the use of a collecting appliance, or absorbent materials that must be changed more than 4 times per day. 60 percent is the top of the voiding dysfunction table. |
What supports this level
| ||
The middle column is our transcription of the criteria at 38 CFR 4.115b, DC 7527, condensed for reading. Read the section itself on eCFR before relying on the exact wording. The items under each level are the kinds of evidence that document it — not a VA checklist, and not a prediction of which level applies to you.
Not keeping a voiding diary that documents how often you urinate during the day and how many times you wake up at night — this directly determines the rating.
Not knowing that BPH can be rated under voiding dysfunction OR urinary frequency OR urinary tract infection — whichever gives the highest rating.
Not filing for secondary conditions such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, or sleep disturbance caused by frequent nighttime urination.
Not connecting prostate conditions to Agent Orange/herbicide exposure if you served in qualifying locations.
These apply to every C&P exam, whatever the condition.