2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C43Malignant melanoma of skin

ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C43-C44›C43

ICD-10-CM C43
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

C43 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for malignant melanoma of skin, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as C43.0, C43.10, C43.111, and C43.112.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
C43
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Malignant melanoma of skin
Chapter
C43-C44
Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin

Code Classification

ChapterC00–D49Neoplasms
SectionC43-C44Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin
CategoryC43Malignant melanoma of skin
This CodeC43Malignant melanoma of skin

Specific Coding for Malignant melanoma of skinOverview

Non-specific codes like C43 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use C43.0 for Malignant melanoma of lip

  • C43.1 for Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus

  • Use C43.10 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.11 for Malignant melanoma of right eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.12 for Malignant melanoma of left eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.2 for Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.20 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.21 for Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.22 for Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal

  • C43.3 for Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face

  • Use C43.30 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face

  • Use C43.31 for Malignant melanoma of nose

  • Use C43.39 for Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

  • Use C43.4 for Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck

  • C43.5 for Malignant melanoma of trunk

  • Use C43.51 for Malignant melanoma of anal skin

  • Use C43.52 for Malignant melanoma of skin of breast

  • Use C43.59 for Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk

  • C43.6 for Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.60 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.61 for Malignant melanoma of right upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.62 for Malignant melanoma of left upper limb, including shoulder

  • C43.7 for Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.70 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.71 for Malignant melanoma of right lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.72 for Malignant melanoma of left lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.8 for Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin

  • Use C43.9 for Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Type 1 Excludes

  • melanoma in situ D03

Type 2 Excludes

  • malignant melanoma of skin of genital organs C51 C52 C60 C63
  • Merkel cell carcinoma C4A
  • sites other than skin-code to malignant neoplasm of the site

Patient EducationClinical

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or "ugly looking."

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About C43Overview

Is C43 (Malignant melanoma of skin) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for malignant melanoma of skin, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for malignant melanoma of skin need a more specific code from this category, such as C43.0, C43.10, and C43.111.