J03
Non-billableAcute tonsillitis
Acute tonsillitis
This is a header/category code. For billing purposes, use a more specific child code from the list below.
Coding Notes
Excludes 1
Codes that cannot be used together with this code (mutual exclusion)
Excludes 2
Conditions not included here, but the patient may have both
- •certain conditions originating in the perinatal periodP04-P96
- •certain infectious and parasitic diseasesA00-B99
- •complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperiumO9A)O00
- •congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalitiesQ00-Q99
- •endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseasesE00-E88
- •injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causesS00-T88
- •neoplasmsC00-D49
- •smoke inhalationT59.81
- •symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classifiedR00-R94
- •chronic tonsillitisJ35.0
Use Additional Code
Additional codes that should follow this code
Child Codes (3)
ICD-11 Equivalents(1)
ICD-11 Equivalents
View full mappingCorresponding ICD-11 codes from the WHO crosswalk mapping
Also Known As / Clinical Terms(9)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for acute tonsillitis?
The ICD-10-CM code for acute tonsillitis is J03. The full clinical description is "Acute tonsillitis". J03 is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
What does ICD-10 code J03 mean?
ICD-10-CM code J03 represents “Acute tonsillitis”. It is classified under Chapter 10: Diseases of the Respiratory System and is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
Is J03 a billable code?
No, J03 is a non-billable header code. You need to use one of its more specific child codes for billing. There are 3 child codes under J03.
What chapter is J03 in?
J03 is in Chapter 10: Diseases of the Respiratory System (codes J00-J99).
What codes cannot be used with J03?
J03 has Excludes1 notes indicating codes that cannot be used together with it, including: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0); acute sore throat (J02.-); hypertrophy of tonsils (J35.1); and 3 more.
What are the subcategories under J03?
J03 has 3 child codes, including: J03.0 (Streptococcal tonsillitis), J03.8 (Acute tonsillitis due to other specified organisms), J03.9 (Acute tonsillitis, unspecified).
Are additional codes required with J03?
Yes, when using J03, also report: code, where applicable, to identify:; exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22); exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81); history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891); occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31); tobacco dependence (F17.-); tobacco use (Z72.0).
What are the UMLS CUIs for J03?
J03 is linked to 1 UMLS Concept Unique Identifier: C0001361. The UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) integrates multiple biomedical vocabularies maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
How does J03 relate to ICF functioning codes?
ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) codes describe how conditions like acute tonsillitis affect a person's functioning — body functions, activities, participation, and environmental factors. AutoICD provides ICF Core Sets for 12+ conditions and can map clinical text to ICF categories automatically. Browse the ICF directory to explore functioning codes.
What is the ICD-11 equivalent of J03?
J03 maps to the ICD-11 code: CA03.Z (Acute tonsillitis, unspecified).
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Includes SNOMED Clinical Terms® (SNOMED CT®) used by permission of SNOMED International. Includes content from the UMLS Metathesaurus, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.