There is no average DVA payout for tinnitus, and DVA doesn't publish one. Tinnitus isn't paid at a fixed amount. If DVA accepts it as service-related, it's rated at 0, 2, 5, 10 or 15 impairment points, usually based on a Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) score. Those points are combined with any other accepted conditions, and the payment then depends on your total points, your lifestyle rating and your type of service.
Getting tinnitus accepted
From 1 July 2026, all new claims are assessed under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA). Under presumptive liability, DVA accepts tinnitus as service-related after any defence service, unless there's clear evidence something else caused it. You need a confirmed diagnosis, but you don't apply for presumptive liability separately. A claim with a diagnosis and all the required information may be decided in less than 2 weeks.
If presumptive liability doesn't apply, DVA uses the Statements of Principles (SOPs) for tinnitus, No. 84 of 2020 (reasonable hypothesis, as amended) and No. 85 of 2020 (balance of probabilities). DVA's guidance says the tinnitus must be persistent: it keeps coming back without an outside sound for at least three consecutive months. The SOP factors include:
- exposure to a peak sound level of at least 140 dB(C), or to at least 85 dB(A) averaged over 8 hours
- trauma or surgery to an auditory structure
- having sensorineural or conductive hearing loss when the tinnitus began
- taking certain medicines within 30 days before it began
You lodge the claim in MyService. Tinnitus is one of the 20 conditions covered by Provisional Access to Medical Treatment, so DVA can pay for treatment while your claim is assessed if you lodge by 30 June 2027.
Read about presumptive liability or the tinnitus Statements of Principles
How DVA rates tinnitus
Tinnitus is assessed under Table 7.1.11 of the Guide to Determining Impairment and Compensation (GARP M 2026). An audiologist measures how much it affects you with the TFI, a questionnaire scored out of 100. DVA's policy translates the score into a rating:
| Impairment points | GARP M description | TFI score |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No tinnitus or occasional tinnitus | 0 to 17 |
| 2 | Very mild tinnitus, not present every day | 18 to 31 |
| 5 | Tinnitus every day, but tolerable for much of the time | 32 to 53 |
| 10 | Severe tinnitus present every day, similar to the severity that needs a masking device | 54 to 72 |
| 15 | Very severe tinnitus every day, causing distraction, loss of concentration and extreme discomfort, and regularly interfering with sleep | 73 to 100 |
Since 10 March 2026, a TFI has been mandatory for MRCA permanent impairment claims involving tinnitus, even at the lower ratings. Veterans with these claims get fully funded tinnitus treatment through Hearing Australia as part of the process.
If your score sits on the boundary between two ratings, DVA can place you in the higher or lower one when other evidence supports it, such as the effect on your sleep, work, relationships or mental health. Tinnitus is rated separately from hearing loss. If both are accepted, both ratings go into the combined total.
Read DVA's tinnitus assessment policy
The minimum number of points
Permanent impairment compensation usually needs at least 10 impairment points, and points from more than one accepted condition can be combined to reach 10. The MRCA sets a lower 5-point threshold for a single condition that is hearing loss. DVA's list of 5-point conditions names hearing loss, not tinnitus, so if tinnitus is your only accepted condition, ask DVA or an advocate which threshold applies to you.
How much the payout can be
DVA publishes weekly rates by total impairment points. For example:
| Impairment points | Weekly rate, warlike or non-warlike service | Weekly rate, peacetime service |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $99.32 | $55.48 |
| 15 | $69.35 | $38.92 |
| 10 | $49.66 | $27.74 |
| 5 | $29.98 | $16.55 |
These are DVA's published MRCA rates from 1 July 2026, using the higher expected compensation factor for each level. Your lifestyle rating can move the amount up or down. See the full impairment points table.
As an illustration only: a TFI score of 60 gives a tinnitus rating of 10 points. If that were your only accepted condition and your service was warlike or non-warlike, the weekly amount would be the 10-point figure in the warlike column, before any change from your lifestyle rating or earlier compensation.
The weekly amount is paid fortnightly and is tax-free. You may be able to convert some or all of it to a lump sum based on your age.
Treatment and tinnitus devices
If you have a Gold Card, or a White Card with tinnitus as an accepted condition, DVA's Tinnitus Program can fund treatment and equipment. Your GP can refer you to an audiologist or ear, nose and throat specialist. Treatment may include a rehabilitation plan, devices to help with sleep, and hearing aids with tinnitus settings. Mild tinnitus is generally managed with hearing aids from the Hearing Services Program. Your hearing provider needs DVA's approval before treatment starts, so don't pay for a device yourself.
Read DVA's hearing services and Tinnitus Program information
If you disagree with the decision
Your decision letter explains the reasons and the time limit. For most decisions made from 21 April 2025, you apply to the Veterans' Review Board within 12 months. Free advocates at ex-service organisations can help you check the TFI result and the rating. Read about DVA reviews and appeals.
Common questions
What is the DVA TFI?
The Tinnitus Functional Index is a set of scientifically validated questions an audiologist uses to measure how tinnitus affects you, including intrusiveness, concentration, sleep, hearing, relaxation, quality of life and emotional distress. DVA prefers it because it was tested on a veteran population. If an audiologist uses a different validated questionnaire, DVA uses that result instead.
Can a reassessment lower my tinnitus rating?
If you were rated before DVA required the TFI and you ask for a reassessment, DVA's policy is not to reduce your existing rating, even if the new test scores lower. If you were already rated at 15 points, the maximum, no further testing is needed.
Can I get more if my tinnitus gets worse?
You can claim additional compensation if your overall impairment increases by at least 5 points. DVA takes the compensation you've already received into account.
Checked against DVA's website on 25 September 2026.