DVA measures permanent impairment in points from 0 to 100, combining all your accepted conditions. It then combines that total with a lifestyle rating from 0 to 7 and your type of service to work out your permanent impairment (PI) compensation. The rules and tables are in the Guide to Determining Impairment and Compensation, known as GARP M.
How DVA impairment points work
Your claims assessor asks you to see a medical practitioner, who measures how your accepted conditions affect your day-to-day functioning and reports to DVA. The assessor uses GARP M to turn that into an overall impairment rating in points. Physical and mental impairments count together.
You also complete DVA's Lifestyle Rating form (D2670). The assessor uses your answers and the GARP M tables to give a lifestyle rating from 0 to 7.
The minimum number of impairment points
You need 10 or more impairment points from your accepted conditions to receive PI compensation. Only 5 points are needed for hearing loss, loss of fingers or toes, and loss of taste or smell.
DVA impairment points table
DVA publishes the weekly PI rate for each level of impairment points. Warlike and non-warlike service has higher compensation factors than peacetime service. Rates from 1 July 2026:
| Impairment points | Warlike or non-warlike factor | Weekly rate | Peacetime factor | Weekly rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 1.00 | $447.39 | 1.00 | $447.39 |
| 75 | 0.929 | $415.63 | 0.887 | $396.83 |
| 70 | 0.851 | $380.73 | 0.770 | $344.49 |
| 65 | 0.777 | $347.62 | 0.655 | $293.04 |
| 60 | 0.703 | $314.52 | 0.540 | $241.59 |
| 55 | 0.628 | $280.96 | 0.425 | $190.14 |
| 50 | 0.532 | $238.01 | 0.297 | $132.87 |
| 45 | 0.487 | $217.88 | 0.273 | $122.14 |
| 40 | 0.421 | $188.35 | 0.235 | $105.14 |
| 35 | 0.377 | $168.67 | 0.211 | $94.40 |
| 30 | 0.310 | $138.69 | 0.173 | $77.40 |
| 25 | 0.266 | $119.01 | 0.149 | $66.66 |
| 20 | 0.222 | $99.32 | 0.124 | $55.48 |
| 15 | 0.155 | $69.35 | 0.087 | $38.92 |
| 10 | 0.111 | $49.66 | 0.062 | $27.74 |
| 5 | 0.067 | $29.98 | 0.037 | $16.55 |
DVA's table uses the higher of the expected compensation factors for each level, so it doesn't show every amount below the maximum, and it doesn't cover interim compensation or a mix of service types. Your lifestyle rating can move the factor up or down.
Read DVA's permanent impairment tables
80 impairment points and over
At 80 or more points you receive the maximum PI compensation, $447.39 a week, if you have no accepted conditions under the VEA or DRCA. You may also receive an additional tax-free lump sum of $115,175.42 for each eligible young person who depends on you for economic support: a child under 16, or aged 16 to 25 in full-time education and not working full time. From 1 July 2026 this lump sum can be divided between each primary carer of the child.
Weekly payments or a lump sum
PI compensation is paid fortnightly. You can convert some or all of it to a lump sum:
- at 10% to 20% of the maximum weekly amount: 50% lump sum and 50% periodic
- above 20%: 25%, 50% or 75% as a lump sum, with the rest periodic
The lump sum is based on life expectancy tables and your age next birthday. There's no age adjustment for men up to 30 or women up to 35. You have six months from DVA's offer to choose, and the choice is final.
Financial and legal advice isn't compulsory, but DVA strongly recommends it. If you're assessed at 50 or more impairment points, DVA reimburses the cost of advice up to $3,397.18.
Is there a DVA points calculator?
The table above is the closest thing to a DVA payout calculator. An online calculator can only estimate, because your compensation depends on DVA's assessment of all your accepted conditions, your lifestyle rating, your type of service, earlier compensation and, for a lump sum, your age.
GARP and GARP M
GARP M is the guide DVA uses for MRCA permanent impairment. Older VEA claims were assessed with GARP, the Guide to the Assessment of Rates of Veterans' Pensions. From 1 July 2026 all new claims are assessed under the MRCA, so new assessments use GARP M.
If your condition gets worse
If an accepted condition worsens, you can ask DVA to reassess your impairment. DVA takes previous compensation into account when working out any increase.
Checked against DVA's website on 25 September 2026.