The exam form
The examiner fills out VA's "Skin Diseases" form (a Disability Benefits Questionnaire, or DBQ). See the form on VA.gov
Form version checked: Updated on 2024-07-15 (v24_1).
What the exam is for
The exam records your skin diagnosis, how much of your skin is affected, and what treatment you've needed in the past 12 months, including how long you used each one.
What the examiner will ask and measure
- Your diagnosis, such as eczema, psoriasis, or a fungal infection like ringworm, athlete's foot, jock itch or nail fungus.
- How your skin condition started and changed, and any skin condition that has fully cleared up.
- Medicine in the past 12 months: the name of each one, what it treats, and its type, such as steroids, drugs that calm the immune system, antihistamines, retinoids or biologics.
- How you took each medicine: by mouth, by shot, through the nose, as a suppository, or on the skin (topical).
- How long you used each one in the past 12 months: less than 6 weeks in total, 6 weeks or more but not all the time, or all or nearly all the time.
- Other treatments in the past 12 months: light treatment (phototherapy), light treatment with a medicine called psoralen (PUVA), electron beam therapy, intensive light therapy, or other treatments. The examiner notes the date of the last one and how long you had them.
- How much skin is affected on exam day: the examiner estimates how much of your whole body, and how much of your exposed areas (face, neck and hands), has the condition's typical rash, patches or other skin changes (characteristic lesions). The form uses set ranges, from none up to the highest range.
- Whether your skin has no visible signs of the condition at the time of the exam. The form asks this directly.
- What the affected skin looks like and where it is.
- Scarring or disfigurement, which the examiner records on a separate scars form.
- How your skin condition affects your work.
Be ready to describe
- When your skin problem started in service, and how it has changed.
- How often you have flare-ups, how long they last, and how much of your body is affected at the worst point. Bring dated photos.
- Every medicine and treatment in the past 12 months: the name, whether it's a pill, shot, cream or light treatment, and how many weeks in total you used it.
- Where your skin is affected, especially your face, neck and hands.
- How your skin affects your work, with examples.
Common mistakes
- Going to the exam when your skin is clear and not describing your flare-ups. Bring dated photos and describe your worst days.
- Not listing every treatment. The rules count systemic therapy and how many weeks you needed it.
- Not saying how you take each treatment. Pills, shots and light treatment count differently from a cream.
- Guessing at how long you used a medicine. Check your records or notes before the exam.
How VA rates it
VA rates eczema, psoriasis and fungal skin infections with one set of rules, the General Rating Formula for the Skin. It looks at how much of your whole body and of your exposed skin is affected, and at what treatment you needed over the past 12 months. VA can instead rate the condition as scars or disfigurement if that's the main problem. VA changed its rules for skin conditions in August 2018.
In plain English
- 0%: No more than topical therapy needed over the past 12 months, and the condition's typical skin changes (characteristic lesions) cover less than 5 percent of your entire body or less than 5 percent of exposed areas.
- 10%: At least one of these: lesions cover at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of your entire body; or at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas are affected; or intermittent systemic therapy was needed for a total of less than 6 weeks over the past 12 months.
- 30%: At least one of these: lesions cover 20 to 40 percent of your entire body, or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas are affected; or systemic therapy was needed for a total of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12 months.
- 60%: At least one of these: lesions cover more than 40 percent of your entire body, or more than 40 percent of exposed areas are affected; or constant or near-constant systemic therapy was needed over the past 12 months.
- Systemic and topical therapy: The regulation says systemic therapy is treatment "administered through any route (orally, injection, suppository, intranasally) other than the skin," and topical therapy is treatment "administered through the skin." The levels say systemic therapy includes, but isn't limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy (light treatment), retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA (psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light), or other immunosuppressive drugs.
- Scars or disfigurement instead: VA can rate the condition as disfigurement of the head, face or neck, or as scars, depending on which is the main (predominant) disability.
- More than one skin condition: VA combines ratings only if separate areas of skin are involved. If two or more skin conditions involve the same area, VA uses only the highest rating.
- Psoriasis: Complications such as psoriatic arthritis, and other effects such as on the lining of the mouth or the nails, are rated separately under their own codes.
The regulation, word for word
Quoted from 38 CFR Part 4 (current as of October 16, 2026). This is what VA applies. The plain-English version above is our summary of it.
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| 7806 Dermatitis or eczema. | |
| Evaluate under the General Rating Formula for the Skin | |
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| 7816 Psoriasis. | |
| Evaluate under the General Rating Formula for the Skin | |
| Note: Rate complications such as psoriatic arthritis and other clinical manifestations (e.g., oral mucosa, nails) separately under the appropriate diagnostic code | |
38 CFR 4.118, diagnostic code 7813: Dermatophytosis (ringworm: Of body, tinea corporis; of head, tinea capitis; of feet, tinea pedis; of beard area, tinea barbae; of nails, tinea unguium (onychomycosis); of inguinal area (jock itch), tinea cruris; tinea versicolor) Open in the Rating Criteria Lookup
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| 7813 Dermatophytosis (ringworm: Of body, tinea corporis; of head, tinea capitis; of feet, tinea pedis; of beard area, tinea barbae; of nails, tinea unguium (onychomycosis); of inguinal area (jock itch), tinea cruris; tinea versicolor). | |
| Evaluate under the General Rating Formula for the Skin | |
General Rating Formula For The Skin For DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, and 7824
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| General Rating Formula For The Skin For DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, and 7824: | |
| At least one of the following | 60 |
| Characteristic lesions involving more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or | |
| Constant or near-constant systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light (PUVA), or other immunosuppressive drugs required over the past 12-month period | 60 |
| At least one of the following | 30 |
| Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12-month period | |
| At least one of the following | 10 |
| Characteristic lesions involving at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of the entire body affected; or | |
| At least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas affected; or | |
| Intermittent systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period | |
| No more than topical therapy required over the past 12-month period and at least one of the following | 0 |
| Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; or | |
| Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected | |
| Or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability. This rating instruction does not apply to DC 7824 | |
Related
About every C&P exam
What is it?
After you file a claim, VA may ask you to have a claim exam, also called a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. It helps VA decide whether your condition is connected to your service, and how severe it is. It isn't treatment: the examiner won't treat you, prescribe medicine or refer you to anyone.
Who does it?
A VA provider or a provider from one of VA's exam contractors (Loyal Source, OptumServe, QTC or VES). VA picks; you can't choose. Hearing, mental health, eye and dental exams are done by specialists. For a reproductive, breast, rectal or mental health exam, or a claim related to military sexual trauma, you can ask for a male or female examiner.
How long does it take?
VA says anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more, depending on what you claimed. Some exams are by phone or video. If you claimed more than one condition, VA tries to schedule them on the same day.
Does the examiner decide my claim?
No. The examiner writes a report on a standard form (a Disability Benefits Questionnaire, or DBQ) and sends it to VA. VA decides your claim using all the evidence: the report, your medical and service records, and statements from you and others. The examiner can't tell you the results or answer questions about your claim.
Does everyone get one?
No. If your records already have what VA needs, VA can decide from the records alone (VA calls this Acceptable Clinical Evidence, or ACE).
What if I can't make it?
Call the number on your appointment letter at least 48 hours ahead to reschedule. Missing an exam delays your claim. VA may decide your claim on the evidence it already has, and some claims, such as a claim for an increase, are denied (38 CFR 3.655). If you had a good reason, such as being in the hospital or a death in your family, tell VA and ask for a new exam.
What should I bring?
VA says you don't need to bring anything. Send any new medical records to VA before the exam, because the examiner can't send them in for you. Arrive 15 minutes early and wear clothes you can move in. Many veterans find it helps to bring a short list of their symptoms, medicines and side effects, and key dates, so nothing is forgotten.
Can someone come with me?
You can ask the examiner. They may ask family members or caregivers to wait outside. For a sensitive physical exam, you can ask for a chaperone in the room.
Can I get a copy of the report?
Yes. Ask VA with a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request (VA Form 20-10206). VetEZ Claim can help you fill it out and send it.
Can my own doctor fill out the form instead?
For many conditions, yes. VA publishes the exam forms (DBQs) your own doctor can fill out and you can send in. VA doesn't pay for this. A few exam forms are for VA's own examiners.
Checked against VA's forms and rules on October 20, 2026. General information only, not medical or legal advice about your claim. VA decides every claim.
