Tiers
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR Part 4 holds the criteria VA uses to assign a disability percentage. A change here can move a rating for everyone with that condition. Parts: 38 CFR Part 4.
- Adjudication
- 38 CFR Part 3 governs service connection, presumptions, evidence and effective dates, along with some other benefit applications. A change here can open or close a path to service connection. Parts: 38 CFR Part 3.
- Appeals
- 38 CFR Parts 19 and 20 govern the Board of Veterans' Appeals. A change here affects how a denied claim gets a second look. Parts: 38 CFR Part 19, 38 CFR Part 20.
- Representation
- 38 CFR Part 14 covers accreditation of attorneys, claims agents and VSO representatives and the fees they may charge, along with other VA legal-services matters. Not every Part 14 change touches representation; read the rule. Parts: 38 CFR Part 14.
- Out of scope
- Health care, cemeteries, grants, loans, insurance, education and internal administration. Tracked in the ops view so the filter can be audited, never shown publicly.
A document that amends more than one part is filed under its highest tier.
Stages
- Final rule
- In force on the effective date.
- Proposed rule
- Not in force. Anyone may comment until the close date.
- Notice
- Informational. Does not change the regulation text.
- Presidential document
- Executive action. Read for downstream rulemaking.
Body systems
Rating-schedule changes are matched to a body system by the words in the document's title and summary. This is a reading aid, not a legal determination. Always read the rule itself.
| Body system | Rating schedule section |
|---|---|
| The Musculoskeletal System | 38 CFR § 4.71a |
| The Organs of Special Sense | 38 CFR § 4.79 |
| Impairment of Auditory Acuity | 38 CFR § 4.87 |
| Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders and Nutritional Deficiencies | 38 CFR § 4.88b |
| The Respiratory System | 38 CFR § 4.97 |
| The Cardiovascular System | 38 CFR § 4.104 |
| The Digestive System | 38 CFR § 4.114 |
| The Genitourinary System | 38 CFR § 4.115b |
| Gynecological Conditions and Disorders of the Breast | 38 CFR § 4.116 |
| The Hematologic and Lymphatic Systems | 38 CFR § 4.117 |
| The Skin | 38 CFR § 4.118 |
| The Endocrine System | 38 CFR § 4.119 |
| Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders | 38 CFR § 4.124a |
| Mental Disorders | 38 CFR § 4.130 |
| Dental and Oral Conditions | 38 CFR § 4.150 |
Part titles and section numbers checked against the eCFR on 2026-09-24 (eCFR current to 2026-09-22).