If you’ve been receiving VA disability benefits for PTSD, you might worry that your rating could suddenly change—especially during a routine review. That’s where the protection of the VA’s five-year rule comes into play.
This rule determines how the VA re-evaluates your case and whether your rating is considered protected—or still at risk for reduction. Knowing how the five-year rule works gives you more control over your claim and more confidence when navigating the system. Let’s dive in.
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What Is the VA’s 5-Year Rule?
If your VA disability is expected to show improvement over time, the VA may re-evaluate it within five years. If your disability shows sustained improvement and there is medical evidence to prove it, the VA reserves the right to lower your rating. Otherwise, after the five-year mark, your rating will be protected—unless you show significant, sustained improvement.
This doesn’t mean the five-year rule will keep the VA from ever re-evaluating your disability after the five-year mark, but it does mean the VA faces a high burden of proof to justify a reduction.
What About the 10- and 20-Year Rules?
Once a rated disability reaches the 10-year mark, the service connection for your disability is fully secure and can never be terminated. This means that the VA can still potentially reduce your rating if they have strong medical evidence to show sustained improvement, but they can’t sever your service connection except in the case of fraud. That means that you will never again need to prove that your condition is service-connected.
Once your disability has been continuously rated for 20 years, the VA can’t reduce it unless they can prove that your rating was based on fraud.
How the 5-Year Rule Applies to PTSD Claims
If you have a VA disability rating for PTSD, we don’t need to tell you how unpredictable the disorder can be. Symptoms can fluctuate depending on your environment, support system, and life circumstances. The VA accounts for this, which is why they need to see “sustained” improvement to reduce your rating after the five-year point. That usually requires more than a single appointment to cut your benefits.
The VA looks for patterns of improvement—not just temporary relief from symptoms. For instance, if you had a good month but still struggle regularly with panic attacks, insomnia, or work-related anxiety, those challenges still count toward your overall disability.
Why the 5-Year Rule Matters for Your Future Ratings
If you’re approaching the five-year mark since receiving your current PTSD rating, this rule could soon start working in your favor. The closer you get to that milestone, the more protected your benefits become—especially if you continue to build evidence surrounding your condition through regular treatment, therapy, and/or prescriptions.
That said, you can’t assume the VA will automatically keep your rating intact. If they schedule a re-exam, you still need to show up prepared. That means being honest about how PTSD affects your daily life—not sugarcoating your struggles to appear “okay.” The more you document the functional limitations and mental health impact of your PTSD, the stronger your case becomes.
Common Misunderstandings Surrounding the 5-year Rule
Five years = a permanent rating. Many veterans assume that once they hit five years, their rating becomes permanent. That’s not quite true. The VA can still re-evaluate and reduce your rating if they see sustained improvement, but the 10-year rule offers even greater protection, and the 20-year rule generally locks in the rating for life.
One condition = all conditions. Another common misunderstanding is thinking that the rule protects all your conditions once one condition hits five years. That’s not the case. The 5-year rule applies individually to each service-connected condition, so your PTSD might be protected while your back injury isn’t—or vice versa.
How to Protect Your PTSD Rating Before and After the 5-Year Mark
Regardless of how long you’ve had your rating, the best thing you can do is seek treatment for and document your condition consistently. This means continuing your treatment, keeping therapy appointments, taking prescribed medications, and saving any personal or professional records that highlight how PTSD affects your relationships, job, or daily functioning.
The VA looks at patterns. If your records show an ongoing struggle with sleep, concentration, or panic—even if you’ve developed some coping tools—that’s still evidence that your condition hasn’t resolved. And if you’re ever called for a C&P exam, remember: this is your chance to show how PTSD shows up in your life on the worst days, not the best.
Once your rating hits the five-year mark, you’ve earned an extra layer of protection—but you should still keep up the good habits that support your claim. That includes regular check-ins with your mental health provider and updating the VA if your condition worsens over time.
An Airtight Protection: Permanent and Total Disability
Some cases of PTSD are deemed permanent and total (P&T), which means that the VA has deemed your PTSD to be totally disabling and not expected to improve. A P&T rating requires you to demonstrate total occupational and social impairment. Once you get a P&T designation, your rating will not be re-evaluated.
What If the VA Tries to Lower Your Rating When You Haven’t Improved?
Unfortunately, rating reductions can still happen—even in cases when they shouldn’t. If you receive a proposal to reduce your PTSD rating, you have the right to challenge it. You’ll receive a letter explaining the decision and offering a window to respond.
You will usually be given 60 days to submit new and relevant evidence, but if you request a hearing within 30 days of receiving the VA’s proposal, you can delay the rating reduction until after your hearing. This buys more time to compile evidence.
You can defend your rating by gathering updated medical records and requesting written statements from doctors or therapists. If the VA decided to reduce your rating due to a recent C&P exam, request a new one. Not all exams are thorough or accurate, but they need to be both. A new exam may help set the record straight.
Remember that your PTSD rating can only be decreased if your improvement is sustained under ordinary life conditions. If your PTSD still feels as bad as ever when you are working, at home, out with friends, etc., a rating reduction is not likely appropriate. You have the right to fight back and defend your rating. A VA claim consulting firm can help.
How to Challenge a VA Reduction
- Request a Higher-Level Review. This means that a more senior VA reviewer will examine your case to make sure the reduction was appropriate. Often, there are errors in the normal VA evaluation process, and this basic review can clear up those errors.
- Submit a Supplemental Claim. This claim adds new supporting evidence to your case. For example, you could add medical notes from your doctor. You could also add a personal letter explaining the impact of your PTSD on your life or buddy letters from family, friends, or co-workers showing how your PTSD hurts your daily function at home and at work.
- Appeal Your Case to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. If the above options don’t work, you could appeal your case. Just note that this option can be time-consuming and, if you enlist the help of an attorney, more costly (since attorneys often garnish back pay).
Don’t Let Uncertainty Undermine Your Claim
The VA’s 5-year rule can work in your favor—if you know how it operates and prepare accordingly. It doesn’t guarantee your PTSD rating is permanent, but it does force the VA to meet a higher standard before making any changes. That’s a valuable safeguard in a system that can sometimes feel unpredictable.
By continuing treatment, documenting your condition, and showing up well-prepared to any medical evaluations, you can protect the benefits you’ve earned through your service.