Free tool for clinicians
PCL-5 Calculator
Score the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5.
Enter your client’s 20 ratings and get the total, the four DSM-5 cluster scores, and where the total sits against the 31-33 cutoff for probable PTSD. Copy the result straight into your note.
In the past month, how much were you bothered by:
Instructions to read to the client
Below is a list of problems that people sometimes have in response to a very stressful experience. Keeping your worst event in mind, please read each problem carefully and then select one of the numbers to the right to indicate how much you have been bothered by that problem in the past month.
Re-experiencing
Cluster B, items 1-5
Avoidance
Cluster C, items 6-7
Negative thoughts and feelings
Cluster D, items 8-14
Arousal and reactivity
Cluster E, items 15-20
Scoring example
A made-up client at their sixth session, who scored 51 at intake.
| Cluster | Ratings | Score | Rated 2+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| B Re-experiencing | 3 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 2 | 11 | 4 (needs 1) |
| C Avoidance | 3 + 2 | 5 | 2 (needs 1) |
| D Negative thoughts and feelings | 0 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 | 11 | 4 (needs 2) |
| E Arousal and reactivity | 2 + 0 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 | 12 | 5 (needs 2) |
| Total | 39 | ||
The copied result
PCL-5 (past month): total 39/80. Cluster scores: B (re-experiencing) 11/20, C (avoidance) 5/8, D (negative thoughts and feelings) 11/28, E (arousal and reactivity) 12/24. Items rated 2 or higher: B 4 (needs 1), C 2 (needs 1), D 4 (needs 2), E 5 (needs 2). DSM-5 symptom pattern met. At or above the 31-33 cutoff for probable PTSD. Down 12 points from the previous score of 51. A drop of 10 or more suggests response to treatment. Provisional screening result; confirm with a clinical interview before diagnosing.
How to score the PCL-5
Each of the 20 items is rated from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Extremely). Add them up for a total severity score from 0 to 80. Each DSM-5 cluster score is the sum of its own items.
- B
- Re-experiencing
- Items 1-5
- C
- Avoidance
- Items 6-7
- D
- Negative thoughts and feelings
- Items 8-14
- E
- Arousal and reactivity
- Items 15-20
The National Center for PTSD describes two ways to reach a provisional diagnosis:
- A cutoff score. A total of 31-33 or higher suggests probable PTSD.
- The DSM-5 rule. Count every item rated 2 (Moderately) or higher as a symptom. The rule needs at least 1 from B, 1 from C, 2 from D, and 2 from E.
A cutoff score tends to give more reliable results than the DSM-5 rule. Either way, a positive result needs further assessment, such as the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), before you make a diagnosis.
What the score means
Research suggests a cutoff between 31 and 33 is indicative of probable PTSD across samples. Choose yours with the population and the purpose in mind. A lower cutoff catches more people who may need treatment but adds false positives. A higher one does the reverse.
There are no mild, moderate, or severe bands. The National Center for PTSD says there are currently no empirically derived severity ranges for the PCL-5, so this calculator doesn’t invent any. Report the total, the cluster scores, and how the total compares with the cutoff.
A score below the cutoff may mean subthreshold PTSD symptoms or none that meet criteria. Either way, it belongs in treatment planning.
Tracking change over time
Give the PCL-5 at intake and again during treatment, then enter the previous total in the calculator. Evidence on what counts as meaningful improvement is limited, but two markers are in use:
- A drop of 10 points or more is the National Center for PTSD’s suggested indicator of response.
- A score below 28 indicated clinically significant change in a study of male veterans (Marx et al., 2022), meaning the person likely belongs to a healthy population.
The standard form asks about the past month. If you give it weekly, switch the calculator to the past-week form. The National Center notes that time frames other than a month haven’t been validated.
Billing and documentation
Giving and scoring a standardized instrument like the PCL-5 is billed as CPT 96127, one unit per instrument.
When a clinical interview confirms the diagnosis, the PTSD ICD-10 codes start at F43.10. The trauma processing session note is a free template for the sessions that follow.
In HIPAAtherapy, you can build the PCL-5 as a client form: one Select field per item, with the five answers as options. Send it from the client’s profile, they complete it in the portal before the session, and you score their answers here.
Questions
What is the PCL-5?
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a 20-item self-report measure of the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD, developed by the VA’s National Center for PTSD. Clients rate how much each symptom bothered them in the past month. Clinicians use it to screen for PTSD, support a provisional diagnosis, and track symptoms over time.
How do you score the PCL-5?
Add the 20 item ratings, each 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Extremely), for a total from 0 to 80. Cluster scores are the sums of their items: B is items 1-5, C is items 6-7, D is items 8-14, and E is items 15-20. For the DSM-5 rule, count each item rated 2 (Moderately) or higher as a symptom.
What PCL-5 score indicates PTSD?
The National Center for PTSD says a total between 31 and 33 is indicative of probable PTSD across samples. Pick the cutoff for your population and purpose: a lower one catches more possible cases but adds false positives, and a higher one does the reverse. A score over the cutoff calls for further assessment, such as the CAPS-5, before a diagnosis.
Are there PCL-5 severity ranges, like mild, moderate and severe?
No. The National Center for PTSD says there are currently no empirically derived severity ranges for the PCL-5. Report the total, the cluster scores, and how the total compares with the 31-33 cutoff instead.
How much change on the PCL-5 is meaningful?
The National Center for PTSD suggests a 10-point drop as an indicator of response to treatment. One study of male veterans (Marx et al., 2022) found a score below 28 can indicate clinically significant change, meaning the person likely belongs to a healthy population.
Can the PCL-5 diagnose PTSD?
Not on its own. The National Center for PTSD says it shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone diagnostic tool. A positive result means further assessment, with a clinical interview and ideally a structured interview such as the CAPS-5.
Is the PCL-5 free to use?
Yes. It was developed by staff at the VA’s National Center for PTSD and is in the public domain and not copyrighted. It’s intended for use by qualified health professionals and researchers.
How long does the PCL-5 take?
About 5 to 10 minutes. Clients usually fill it in themselves, in the waiting room, at the start or end of a session, or at home. It can also be read to them in person or over the phone.
Can I give the PCL-5 every week?
The standard PCL-5 asks about the past month, and the National Center for PTSD also publishes a past-week version. It notes that other time frames haven’t been validated: you can change the time frame to suit how often you give it, but that may change how the scores behave.
Can I compare PCL-5 scores with the old PCL-C or PCL-M?
No. The PCL-C and PCL-M are versions of the PCL for DSM-IV. The PCL-5 has 20 items instead of 17 and a 0-4 rating scale, so the National Center for PTSD says the scores aren’t compatible and can’t be used interchangeably.
Is this PCL-5 calculator private?
Yes. Scoring happens in your browser. Nothing you select is sent anywhere or saved, and it’s cleared when you leave the page.
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