Listing 3.02 · Respiratory disorders

Chronic respiratory disorders (COPD, restrictive lung disease)

To be approved under this listing, a claim must meet any one of the criteria below — and the medical records have to prove it.

  1. A

    FEV1 reduced to or below table values (height-adjusted, post-bronchodilator).

    In plain terms: Have you had a pulmonary function test (PFT or spirometry), and what did your FEV1 come back as?

    Evidence required:Pulmonary function test
  2. B

    Diffusing capacity (DLCO) reduced to or below table values.

    In plain terms: Have you had a DLCO test for diffusing capacity in the lungs?

    Evidence required:Pulmonary function test
  3. C

    Exacerbations or complications requiring 3+ hospitalizations within 12 months.

    In plain terms: In the past year, have you been hospitalized 3 or more times for breathing problems?

    Evidence required:Hospitalization record
Read the official SSA text for Listing 3.02

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Other respiratory disorders listings

AsthmaCystic fibrosisBronchiectasisChronic pulmonary hypertensionLung transplantation

Source: SSA Listing of Impairments (Blue Book), 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 · Updated 2026-06-18. Criteria paraphrased for readability; see the official SSA text linked above. Not legal or medical advice — whether a specific medical record meets Listing 3.02 is an individualized judgment SSA makes on the evidence.