The VA rates acquired flat feet (pes planus) at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% under Diagnostic Code 5276 in 38 CFR 4.71a. The rating depends on severity and on whether one foot or both feet are affected: severe flatfoot pays 20% for one foot and 30% for both, while pronounced flatfoot pays 30% for one foot and 50% for both. Moderate flatfoot is 10% whether it affects one foot or two, and mild flatfoot relieved by arch supports is rated 0%. Fifty percent is the maximum schedular rating available under this code. Below is the exact criteria language, the 2026 payment amounts, how the VA separates acquired flat feet from congenital flat feet, and the secondary conditions veterans most often file alongside a pes planus claim.
Diagnostic Code 5276 Rating Criteria
DC 5276 is titled "Flatfoot, acquired." Unlike most VA foot codes, it publishes two separate percentages at the two highest tiers, one for unilateral (one foot) and one for bilateral (both feet). This split is where most confusion comes from, so here is the full schedule side by side.
| Severity | Unilateral (one foot) | Bilateral (both feet) |
|---|
| Pronounced | 30% | 50% |
| Severe | 20% | 30% |
| Moderate | 10% | 10% |
| Mild | 0% | 0% |
The criteria for each tier, as written in 38 CFR 4.71a:
Pronounced (30% unilateral / 50% bilateral). Marked pronation, extreme tenderness of plantar surfaces of the feet, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis on manipulation, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances.
Severe (20% unilateral / 30% bilateral). Objective evidence of marked deformity (pronation, abduction, etc.), pain on manipulation and use accentuated, indication of swelling on use, characteristic callosities.
Moderate (10%, unilateral or bilateral). Weight-bearing line over or medial to the great toe, inward bowing of the tendo achillis, pain on manipulation and use of the feet.
Mild (0%). Symptoms relieved by built-up shoe or arch support.
Two details decide a lot of claims at the top tier. First, "not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances" is a requirement for the pronounced level, which means the record needs to show you actually tried orthotics, custom inserts, or prescribed footwear and they did not work. A veteran with severe symptoms who never tried orthotics usually lands at the severe tier instead. Second, the criteria at the severe and pronounced levels are written around objective findings a clinician documents on exam (pronation, callosities, swelling on use, Achilles spasm on manipulation), not around a pain score you report. Reported pain matters, but it rarely carries a rating past 10% by itself.
The Unilateral vs Bilateral Split
At the moderate tier, the regulation says "bilateral or unilateral" and assigns 10% either way. Having moderate flat feet in both feet does not get you 20%. This surprises veterans and is the single most common misreading of DC 5276.
At the severe and pronounced tiers, the bilateral rating is a full step higher than the unilateral rating. Severe bilateral flatfoot is 30%, and pronounced bilateral flatfoot is 50%.
Because DC 5276 assigns one evaluation that already accounts for both feet, the bilateral factor in 38 CFR 4.26 generally does not stack on top of a bilateral flatfoot rating. The bilateral factor adds 10% of the combined value when each lower extremity carries its own separate compensable rating. A single 30% bilateral pes planus rating is one rating, not two, so there is nothing to combine. This differs from plantar fasciitis under DC 5269 and from most knee or ankle codes, where each side is rated on its own.
2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates
VA compensation rose 2.8% effective December 1, 2025. These are the 2026 monthly amounts for a veteran with no dependents at each rating DC 5276 can produce, per VA's published rate tables at va.gov/disability/compensation-rates/veteran-rates.
| Rating | Monthly Payment (Veteran Alone) | Monthly Payment (Veteran with Spouse) |
|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 |
Ratings of 10% and 20% do not increase for dependents. Extra compensation for a spouse, children, or dependent parents starts at 30%. A 0% rating pays nothing, but it is still a service connection, which matters: it establishes the condition on your record, it can be increased later without re-proving the link to service, and it counts toward eligibility for VA health care enrollment priority and other benefits.
If pes planus is one of several rated conditions, the VA combines percentages using its combined ratings table rather than adding them. A 30% foot rating plus a 20% back rating does not equal 50%.
Acquired Pes Planus vs Congenital Flat Feet
DC 5276 covers acquired flatfoot. That word does real work.
Under 38 CFR 3.303(c) and 38 CFR 4.9, congenital or developmental defects are not considered diseases or injuries for VA compensation purposes, so a purely congenital flat foot is not service-connectable on its own. VA General Counsel opinion VAOPGCPREC 82-90 sets the exception that most successful claims run through: service connection can be granted when a congenital defect is subject to a superimposed disease or injury during service that produces additional disability.
38 CFR 4.57 draws the clinical line. It describes the congenital condition as depression of the arch with no abnormal callosities, no areas of pressure or strain, and no demonstrable tenderness. It also states that depression of the longitudinal arch, or the degree of that depression, is not the essential feature. What matters is the anatomical change: inward rotation of the heel bone, medial deviation of the Achilles tendon insertion, medial tilting of the ankle bone, plus painful plantar surfaces, tenderness, spasm, and limited motion.
In practice this splits into three situations:
- Flat feet not noted at entrance, diagnosed in service. You are presumed sound at entry under 38 CFR 3.304(b). The VA must produce clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition preexisted service and was not aggravated by it to rebut that presumption. This is the strongest position for a claimant.
- Flat feet noted on your entrance exam. The condition preexisted service, and the question becomes aggravation under 38 CFR 3.306. You need evidence that service permanently worsened it beyond its natural progression, not just that it hurt during service. Documented worsening across in-service exams, a profile change, or a shift from asymptomatic to symptomatic is the kind of proof raters look for.
- Congenital defect with a superimposed in-service injury. A fracture, a tendon injury, or another documented trauma layered onto congenital flat feet can support service connection for the additional disability that resulted.
If your entrance exam noted "pes planus, asymptomatic" and your separation records show painful, symptomatic feet, that contrast is the heart of an aggravation claim. Pull both documents before you file.
Evidence That Moves a Pes Planus Rating
A claim needs a current diagnosis, an in-service event or aggravation, and a medical nexus connecting them. Beyond those three, the evidence that actually shifts the percentage is specific to DC 5276:
- A podiatry or orthopedic exam documenting the listed findings. Pronation, abduction, weight-bearing line position, callosity pattern, tenderness on manipulation, swelling on use, and Achilles tendon alignment. These are the literal words in the criteria.
- Weight-bearing imaging. Standing X-rays showing arch collapse and hindfoot alignment support the objective-deformity language at the severe and pronounced tiers.
- A record of failed orthotics. Prescriptions, custom orthotic fittings, and follow-up notes saying the symptoms persisted. Required in substance for the pronounced tier.
- Buddy statements and a symptom log. Useful for flare-ups, walking tolerance, and how many hours you can stand, which feed the functional-loss analysis under 38 CFR 4.40 and 4.45.
- Both feet claimed if both are affected. Filing for one foot when both qualify can cost you a full tier at the severe and pronounced levels.
How to File
- Pull your records. Entrance exam, in-service treatment notes for foot pain, separation exam, and current podiatry records. The entrance exam is the pivotal document for anyone with possible congenital flat feet.
- Get a current diagnosis in writing. A podiatrist or orthopedist documenting acquired pes planus with the exam findings listed in the criteria.
- Obtain a nexus opinion. A physician statement saying your pes planus is "at least as likely as not" caused or permanently aggravated by service. For aggravation claims, the opinion should say the worsening exceeded natural progression.
- File VA Form 21-526EZ at VA.gov, or work with an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative at no cost. You can also submit an Intent to File first to lock in an earlier effective date.
- Attend the C&P exam. The examiner uses the Foot Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire. Describe your worst days, not your average day, and say plainly whether orthotics and inserts helped.
- Review the decision. If the rating is low or denied, you have three lanes: a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence, a Higher-Level Review, or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
Secondary Conditions Commonly Filed With Pes Planus
Under 38 CFR 3.310, a condition proximately caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability can be separately service-connected. Flat feet change how you walk, and altered gait loads the joints above the foot. The chains raters see most often:
- Knee conditions. Pronation rotates the tibia inward, which stresses the patellofemoral joint. Chondromalacia, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and knee arthritis are frequent secondary claims.
- Hip conditions. Compensatory gait shifts load to the hip, contributing to bursitis and hip arthritis.
- Lower back conditions. Pelvic tilt and asymmetric gait mechanics are a documented route to lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease. The Board has granted lumbar DDD as secondary to bilateral pes planus on this reasoning.
- Ankle instability, Achilles tendonitis, and shin splints. Direct downstream effects of hindfoot malalignment.
- Plantar fasciitis. Flat feet increase strain on the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis has its own code (DC 5269) with its own 10% to 40% schedule, covered in our guide to the VA disability rating for plantar fasciitis.
One limit applies to all of these. Under 38 CFR 4.14, the VA does not pay twice for the same symptoms. If a plantar fasciitis rating and a pes planus rating would compensate the identical pain and tenderness, expect a rater to assign one, not both. Separate ratings hold up when the medical evidence describes distinct pathology and distinct functional effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest VA rating for flat feet?
Fifty percent, assigned for pronounced bilateral acquired flatfoot under Diagnostic Code 5276. It requires marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the Achilles tendon on manipulation, and no improvement from orthopedic shoes or appliances. Pronounced flatfoot in one foot only is rated 30%.
Is bilateral pes planus rated higher than unilateral?
At the severe and pronounced levels, yes. Severe is 20% unilateral and 30% bilateral. Pronounced is 30% unilateral and 50% bilateral. At the moderate level the rating is 10% whether one foot or both feet are affected, and mild flatfoot is 0% either way.
Can you get VA disability for congenital flat feet?
Not for the congenital condition by itself. Under 38 CFR 3.303(c) and 4.9, congenital defects are not diseases or injuries for compensation purposes. Service connection is possible when an in-service injury or disease is superimposed on the congenital condition and produces additional disability, or when flat feet noted at entrance were permanently aggravated by service beyond their natural progression.
Does the bilateral factor apply to a pes planus rating?
Generally no. DC 5276 issues a single evaluation that already accounts for both feet, so there are not two separate extremity ratings to combine under 38 CFR 4.26. The bilateral factor applies where each leg carries its own compensable rating, such as separate knee or ankle evaluations.
How much does a 30% VA rating pay in 2026?
A veteran with no dependents receives $552.47 per month at 30%, and $617.47 with a spouse, following the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment effective December 1, 2025. Current figures are published on VA's compensation rates page.
Why did I get 0% for flat feet?
A 0% rating means the VA found your flatfoot mild and your symptoms relieved by a built-up shoe or arch support, which is exactly the noncompensable criterion in DC 5276. It is still a granted service connection. If your symptoms have worsened since that decision, you can file a claim for increase with new medical evidence showing pain on manipulation and use, a weight-bearing line over or medial to the great toe, or inward bowing of the Achilles tendon.
Can I be rated for both pes planus and plantar fasciitis?
Sometimes. They are separate diagnostic codes, DC 5276 and DC 5269, and separate ratings are possible when the evidence shows distinct pathology and distinct functional impairment. If the two ratings would compensate the same symptoms, 38 CFR 4.14 bars the duplication and the VA assigns only one.
