Plantar fasciitis has had its own code only since 2021
Before February 7, 2021 there was no diagnostic code for plantar fasciitis; it was rated by analogy. DC 5269 now exists, and if your claim covers a period that straddles that date, the two halves may be governed by different rules. See when criteria change.
The levels
| Criterion | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| No relief from both non-surgical and surgical treatment, bilateral | 30% |
| No relief from both non-surgical and surgical treatment, unilateral | 20% |
| Otherwise, unilateral or bilateral | 10% |
| Actual loss of use of the foot — Note (1) | rate 40% |
| Surgery recommended but the veteran is not a surgical candidate — Note (2) | evaluate under the 20% or 30% criterion, whichever applies |
The wording is doing a lot of work
"No relief from both non-surgical and surgical treatment." Not "pain despite orthotics." Not "not responsive to treatment." Not "severe." The 20 and 30 percent levels describe someone who has tried both kinds of treatment and got no relief from either.
Note (2) is the path for people who have not had surgery. If a clinician recommended surgical intervention and documented that you are not a surgical candidate, the 20 or 30 percent criterion applies. What it does not say is that anyone who hasn't had surgery automatically gets 20 or 30 percent.
One 10 percent level covers unilateral or bilateral. Both feet at the "otherwise" level is one 10 percent evaluation, not two. That matters because bilateral foot conditions are often assumed to double.
What to get documented
- Which foot, or both.
- Dates and types of non-surgical treatment, and what relief followed each.
- Whether surgery happened, and what relief followed.
- If no surgery: whether a clinician recommended it and documented that you are not a candidate — and why.
- Any finding of actual loss of use of the foot.
The difference between 10 and 20 percent here is a treatment history, not an adjective. A record that shows what was tried and what it did is worth more than one that describes how much it hurts.
Why you will see "5285" in older sources
The November 2020 final rule that created this code printed it as 5285. A correction published in February 2021, before the rule took effect, changed it to 5269. Both numbers are in circulation, and some guides and law-firm pages still use the uncorrected one.
If you are checking a source and it cites 5285 for plantar fasciitis, that source has not been updated since early 2021 — which is worth knowing about everything else on it too.
Still a separate question
This page is about severity. Whether plantar fasciitis is connected to your service is a different question entirely, decided on different evidence.
Rules and forms change, and exceptions apply. Follow the instructions on your own decision letter and the linked governing sources. This site does not track your deadlines or file anything for you.
Reviewed October 6, 2026