Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J04

Acute laryngitis and tracheitis

ICD-10-CM Code:
J04
ICD-10 Code for:
Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the respiratory system
    (J00–J99)
    • Acute upper respiratory infections
      (J00-J06)
      • Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
        (J04)

J04 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of acute laryngitis and tracheitis. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Acute laryngitis and tracheitis

Non-specific codes like J04 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for acute laryngitis and tracheitis:

  • Use J04.0 for Acute laryngitis - BILLABLE CODE

  • J04.1 for Acute tracheitis - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J04.10 for Acute tracheitis without obstruction - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J04.11 for Acute tracheitis with obstruction - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J04.2 for Acute laryngotracheitis - BILLABLE CODE

  • J04.3 for Supraglottitis, unspecified - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J04.30 for Supraglottitis, unspecified, without obstruction - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J04.31 for Supraglottitis, unspecified, with obstruction - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Code Also

Code Also
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
  • influenza, if present, such as:
  • influenza due to identified novel influenza A virus with other respiratory manifestations J09.X2
  • influenza due to other identified influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations J10.1
  • influenza due to unidentified influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations J11.1

Use Additional Code

Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.

Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • acute obstructive laryngitis croup and epiglottitis J05

Type 2 Excludes

Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
  • laryngismus stridulus J38.5

Patient Education


Throat Disorders

Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx. The technical name for your throat is the pharynx.

Throat problems are common. You've probably had a sore throat. The cause is usually a viral infection, but other causes include allergies, infection with strep bacteria or the leaking of stomach acids back up into the esophagus, called GERD.

Other problems that affect the throat include:

  • Tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils
  • Cancer
  • Croup - inflammation, usually in small children, which causes a barking cough
  • Laryngitis - swelling of the voice box, which can cause a hoarse voice or loss of voice

Most throat problems are minor and go away on their own. Treatments, when needed, depend on the problem.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.