DVA Automatically Accepted Conditions 2026

What changed on 1 July 2026

For claims made from 1 July 2026, DVA must accept more than 150 conditions once you provide a confirmed diagnosis, as long as you meet the service test for that condition. These rules are set out in the Presumptive Liability Determination 2026 and replace the older policy-based "streamlining". If you don't meet the test, your claim is decided the usual way, against the Statement of Principles.

Service periods count your full-time service, whether or not it was continuous.

Accepted for any length of service

Sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, once diagnosed.
Injuries that happen during service: acute meniscal tears of the knee, acute articular cartilage tears, fractures, sprains and strains, dislocations and subluxations, labral tears, joint instability, cuts, gunshot and blast injuries, burns, and contusions.
Internal derangement of the knee, if it started during service or within a year after it.

Overuse injuries

These need more than 28 days of service, not counting the first 28, and must start during service or within 4 weeks after it: Achilles tendinopathy, chondromalacia patella, gluteal tendinopathy, iliotibial band syndrome, shin splints, patellar tendinopathy, retrocalcaneal heel bursitis and trochanteric bursitis. Plantar fasciitis needs more than 60 days, not counting the first 60, with onset during service or within 2 months.

Accepted with a minimum period of service

A summary. The determination sets out exact definitions and onset windows. Always check the current version.
Condition	Peacetime service	Warlike or non-warlike service
Thoraco-lumbar (lumbar) spondylosis	More than 200 days, excluding the first 200; onset during service or within 25 years	More than 133 days, excluding the first 133
Thoraco-lumbar disc prolapse	More than 148 weeks, excluding the first 148; onset during service or within 5 years	More than 504 days, excluding the first 504; onset during service or within 10 years
Osteoarthritis of a leg joint	More than 200 days, excluding the first 200; onset during service or within 25 years	More than 133 days, excluding the first 133
Rotator cuff syndrome	More than 210 days, excluding the first 210; onset during service or within a month	More than 120 days, excluding the first 120; onset during service or within a month
Skin cancers, pterygium, cataract	At least 56 weeks	At least 29 weeks
PTSD	Not covered	Warlike service of more than 28 days, excluding the first 28
Anxiety disorder	Not covered	Warlike service of more than 28 days, excluding the first 28; onset during service or within 5 years
Adjustment disorder	Not covered	Warlike service of more than 28 days, excluding the first 28; onset during service or within 3 months
Femoroacetabular impingement	More than 5 years, excluding the first 5, as special forces, Airfield Defence Guard, infantry or engineers; onset during service or within 5 years

Secondary conditions accepted for any service

Erectile dysfunction, if depressive disorder, diabetes or hypertension is already accepted.
Depressive disorder, if alcohol use disorder is accepted.
Alcohol use disorder, if depressive disorder or substance use disorder is accepted.
Substance use disorder, if depressive disorder or alcohol use disorder is accepted.

Other groups

Separate parts cover psychiatric conditions for veterans who received a Defence abuse redress or reparation payment, Point Cook firefighters (1957 to 1986), F-111 deseal/reseal workers with SHOAMP Tier status, firefighter cancers, and listed occupational diseases and occupational asthma.

New rules that also help

Medical events on duty: a heart attack or stroke while on duty can be accepted without proving it was caused by service.
Tobacco use that started before 1 January 1998 can now count.
Treatment injuries from DVA-funded treatment can be accepted.

Common questions

What conditions does DVA automatically accept?

From 1 July 2026, more than 150 conditions are accepted on diagnosis if you meet the service test. Hearing loss and tinnitus have no minimum service, and nor do acute injuries like fractures, sprains and dislocations if they happened during service. Others, like lumbar spondylosis and PTSD, need a set period of service.

Is depression automatically accepted?

Usually not. It's presumed as a secondary condition when an alcohol use disorder is already accepted, and for some groups covered by separate rules, such as veterans who received a Defence abuse redress payment. Otherwise it's decided against the Statement of Principles.

Conditions DVA accepts on diagnosis