J03.9 – Acute tonsillitis, unspecified
ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code · Acute upper respiratory infections
ICD-10-CM code
J03.9
- Code
J03.9(claims format:J039)- Description
- Acute tonsillitis, unspecified
- Billable
- No – use a more specific code below
- Valid for
- Dates of service October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY2027)
- Chapter
- 10. Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
- Block
- J00-J06 Acute upper respiratory infections
- Parent codes
- J03
Billable codes under J03.9
J03.9 is a header code and cannot be used on claims. Choose the most specific code:
Notes for J03.9
Applicable to:
- Follicular tonsillitis (acute)
- Gangrenous tonsillitis (acute)
- Infective tonsillitis (acute)
- Tonsillitis (acute) NOS
- Ulcerative tonsillitis (acute)
Notes inherited from parent codes
Instructional notes at a category or block level apply to every code below it.
J03 – Acute tonsillitis
Excludes1 (not coded here):
Excludes2 (not included here):
- chronic tonsillitis (J35.0)
Block J00-J06
Excludes1 (not coded here):
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0)
Related codes in J03
Frequently asked questions
What is ICD-10 code J03.9?
J03.9 is the ICD-10-CM code for acute tonsillitis, unspecified, in the block J00-J06 (Acute upper respiratory infections).
Is J03.9 a billable code?
No. J03.9 is a header code with more specific child codes; report one of the billable codes listed above.
What category does J03.9 belong to?
It belongs to category J03 – Acute tonsillitis.
Source: CDC/NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code files, tabular list and index. Reference only – code assignment must follow the official ICD-10-CM guidelines and documentation in the medical record.