Listing code
103.02
Children (Part B)
Body system
103.00
Respiratory disorders (children)
Subsections
5
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Chronic respiratory disorders due to any cause except CF (for CF, see 103.04 ), with A, B, C, D, or E:
Subsection A
FEV 1 (see 103.00E ) less than or equal to the value in Table I-A or I-B for your age, sex, and height without shoes (see 103.00E3a ). Table I: FEV 1 Criteria for 103.02A Table I-A Age 6 to attainment of age 13 (For both females and males) Height without shoes (centimeters) < means less than Height without shoes (inches) < means less than FEV 1 less than or equal to (L, BTPS) <123.0 <48.50 0.80 123.0 to <129.0 48.50 to <50.75 0.90 129.0 to <134.0 50.75 to <52.75 1.00 134.0 to <139.0 52.75 to <54.75 1.10 139.0 to <144.0 54.75 to <56.75 1.20 144.0 to <149.0 56.75 to <58.75 1.30 149.0 or more 58.75 or more 1.40 Table I-B Age 13 to attainment of age 18 Height without shoes (centimeters) < means less than Height without shoes (inches) < means less than Females FEV 1 less than or equal to (L, BTPS) Males FEV 1 less than or equal to (L, BTPS) <153.0 <60.25 1.35 1.40 153.0 to <159.0 60.25 to <62.50 1.45 1.50 159.0 to <164.0 62.50 to <64.50 1.55 1.60 164.0 to <169.0 64.50 to <66.50 1.65 1.70 169.0 to <174.0 66.50 to <68.50 1.75 1.85 174.0 to <180.0 68.50 to <70.75 1.85 2.00 180.0 or more 70.75 or more 1.95 2.10 OR
Subsection B
FVC (see 103.00E ) less than or equal to the value in Table II-A or II-B for your age, sex, and height without shoes (see 103.00E3a ). Table II: FVC Criteria for 103.02B Table II-A Age 6 to attainment of age 13 (For both females and males) Height without shoes (centimeters) < means less than Height without shoes (inches) < means less than FVC less than or equal to (L, BTPS) <123.0 <48.50 0.85 123.0 to <129.0 48.50 to <50.75 1.00 129.0 to <134.0 50.75 to <52.75 1.10 134.0 to <139.0 52.75 to <54.75 1.30 139.0 to <144.0 54.75 to <56.75 1.40 144.0 to <149.0 56.75 to <58.75 1.55 149.0 or more 58.75 or more 1.70 Table II-B Age 13 to attainment of age 18 Height without shoes (centimeters) < means less than Height without shoes (inches) < means less than Females FVC less than or equal to (L, BTPS) Males FVC less than or equal to (L, BTPS) <153.0 <60.25 1.65 1.65 153.0 to <159.0 60.25 to <62.50 1.70 1.80 159.0 to <164.0 62.50 to <64.50 1.80 1.95 164.0 to <169.0 64.50 to <66.50 1.95 2.10 169.0 to <174.0 66.50 to <68.50 2.05 2.25 174.0 to <180.0 68.50 to <70.75 2.20 2.45 180.0 or more 70.75 or more 2.30 2.55 OR
Subsection C
Hypoxemia with the need for at least 1.0 L per minute of continuous (24 hours per day) oxygen supplementation for at least 90 consecutive days. OR
Subsection D
The presence of a tracheostomy. Consider under a disability until the attainment of age 3; or Upon the attainment of age 3, documented need for mechanical ventilation via a tracheostomy for at least 4 hours per day and for at least 90 consecutive days. OR
Subsection E
For children who have not attained age 2, CLD (see 103.00F ) with exacerbations or complications requiring three hospitalizations within a 12-month period and at least 30 days apart (the 12-month period must occur within the period we are considering in connection with your application or continuing disability review). Each hospitalization must last at least 48 hours, including hours in a hospital emergency department immediately before the hospitalization. (A child's initial birth hospitalization when CLD is first diagnosed counts as one hospitalization.) Consider under a disability for 1 year from the discharge date of the last hospitalization or until the attainment of age 2, whichever is later. After that, evaluate the impairment(s) under 103.03 or another appropriate listing.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 103.02. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 103.02 usually fail
A common failure mode is using the wrong test number or the wrong measure, such as meeting symptoms but not meeting the specific FEV 1 (103.02A) or FVC (103.02B) cutoff in the table for the child's age, sex, and height without shoes. Another pitfall is using a test that does not match the child's height and age used for the table, since the criteria are tied to exact age and height ranges. For the oxygen criterion (103.02C), a frequent miss is not having both the oxygen flow rate (at least 1.0 L per minute) and the duration requirements (continuous, 24 hours per day, for at least 90 consecutive days). For tracheostomy (103.02D) and the early-childhood hospitalization pattern (103.02E), it is easy to miss the time gating, such as needing mechanical ventilation for the required hours per day and days in a row after age 3, or the exact hospitalization requirements before age 2.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Medical records need to show objective match to one lettered criterion. For 103.02A and 103.02B, documentation should include spirometry results with FEV 1 and/or FVC values and the child's age, sex, and height without shoes so the numbers can be compared to Table I or Table II cutoffs. For 103.02C, records should document hypoxemia along with the need for at least 1.0 L per minute of continuous oxygen for at least 90 consecutive days, with continuous meaning 24 hours per day. For 103.02D, records should show the presence of a tracheostomy, and after age 3 the documented need for mechanical ventilation through the tracheostomy for at least 4 hours per day for at least 90 consecutive days. For 103.02E, records should show CLD in a child who has not attained age 2 plus the exact hospitalization pattern: three hospitalizations within a 12-month period (within the evaluation period), each lasting at least 48 hours including emergency department hours immediately before, with at least 30 days between hospitalizations, and with the special rule that the initial birth hospitalization whenCL
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
Step 4 and Step 5 effectively look for the closest fit even if one lettered criterion is missed. If the child does not meet 103.02A, B, C, D, or E, the next step is to evaluate the impairment(s) under 103.03 or another appropriate listing (for example, if the child is past the specific age window in 103.02E, the criteria say to evaluate under 103.03 or another appropriate listing after the time-limited period). This means many claims that do not fit the exact 103.02 structure can still be approved under another respiratory listing when the medical findings match that listing's specific requirements.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
For SSDI, work activity is generally evaluated before a decision is made, using the standard rule that substantial gainful activity (SGA) can bar benefits. This listing provides medical criteria (FEV 1, FVC, oxygen needs, tracheostomy/mechanical ventilation, or repeated hospitalizations for CLD before age 2) that describe severe chronic respiratory impairment, but it does not change the general SGA gate. If approved, the child can continue to receive benefits under the program rules for people found disabled; the listing itself also includes a time-limited approach under 103.02E for children not yet age 2 (benefits considered for 1 year from the discharge date of the last hospitalization or until age 2, whichever is later).
Listing 103.02 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for chronic respiratory disorders due to any cause except cf (for cf, see 103.04 ), with a, b, c, d, or e disability claims.