Stages and labs
CKD Stages 1 to 5 Explained: What Each Stage Means
This article is general information. Your nephrologist or renal dietitian knows your lab results and can tell you what is right for you.
Doctors describe chronic kidney disease (CKD) in five stages. The stage is based mainly on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a blood test result that estimates how well the kidneys filter waste. The lower the eGFR, the lower the kidney function. This article explains the stages in general terms. It cannot tell you which stage you are in or what it means for you personally.
The stages and their eGFR ranges
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) lists the stages by eGFR value as follows:
- Stage 1: eGFR of 90 or above. Normal kidney function, with possible signs of kidney damage such as protein in the urine.
- Stage 2: eGFR 60 to 89. Mild loss of function.
- Stage 3a: eGFR 45 to 59. Mild to moderate loss of function.
- Stage 3b: eGFR 30 to 44. Moderate to severe loss of function.
- Stage 4: eGFR 15 to 29. Severe loss of function.
- Stage 5: eGFR below 15. Kidney failure.
NIDDK describes kidney failure as kidney function that has dropped to less than 15 percent of normal, and notes that most people at this level need dialysis or a kidney transplant, or choose conservative care without them.
It is not only about eGFR
The NKF recommends a urine test for albumin, known as the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), alongside the blood test to give a fuller picture of kidney health. Two people with the same eGFR can have different amounts of albumin in the urine, and that difference matters to doctors. Results are usually confirmed with repeat testing: the NKF describes stage 3a as an eGFR in range “for 3 months or more”, and NIDDK says providers may repeat a urine albumin test one or two more times to confirm it.
Why most people hear about CKD in the early or middle stages
Early CKD often causes no symptoms, so many people find out from a routine blood or urine test. The NKF notes that stages 3a and 3b are when most people with CKD are first diagnosed. Our article on Stage 3 CKD (3a vs 3b) looks at that stage in more detail.
A stage is not a prediction
NIDDK points out that kidney disease can worsen over time, but that the aim of care is to keep the eGFR stable and the urine albumin the same or lower. A stage describes where things stand at the time of testing. Your nephrologist can explain how fast your own kidney function is changing. A list of questions you can take to the appointment is in Questions to Ask Your Nephrologist.
To understand the number behind the stages, read What Is eGFR?
Related reading
Sources
- National Kidney Foundation: Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), updated February 5, 2026
- National Kidney Foundation: Stage G3a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- NIDDK: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), all content
- NIDDK: Tests and Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease
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