Abstract Objectives In RA, Patient Acceptable Symptom State assesses disease from the patient's perspective, which does not correspond either to disease remission or to full control of disease impact. This study aims to explore the properties of a novel multilevel Patient Experienced Symptom State (PESS). Methods This was a cross-sectional analysis of two datasets of patients with RA. PESS was assessed through the question: `Consider how your RA has affected you. If you remain in the coming months as you have been the last week, how would you rate your condition?', with five levels (from `very bad' to `very good'). Construct validity of PESS was assessed against validated disease activity [DAS28, Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)] and impact measures [RA Impact of Disease (RAID) and modified HAQ]. Multiple pairwise comparisons between groups and receiver-operating characteristic curves with Youden Index were performed. Results A total of 1407 patients [74% female, mean (S.d.) age 53.5 (13.4) years, mean disease duration 14.3 (12.0) years and mean DAS28 3.0 (1.5)] were analysed. Overall, 16.3% considered themselves as being in `very good', 21.6% in `good' and 31.9% in `acceptable' state. Disease activity and impact measures differed significantly across the five levels (P\,<\,0.01). Cut-off values corresponding to `good' and `very good' PESS states were in the range of low disease activity/remission (for `good' and `very good': DAS28-ESR-4v ≤q2.6/≤q2.3; CDAI ≤q5.0/≤q3.1; SDAI ≤q5.1/≤q3.8, respectively) and very low disease impact (RAID domains all ≤q1). Conclusion PESS `very good' status corresponds to currently recommended targets for RA management and reflects full control of disease impact. PESS appears to be an easy-to-use and relevant measure in the evaluation of patients with RA.