2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J04Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
J04 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for acute laryngitis and tracheitis, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as J04.0, J04.10, J04.11, and J04.2.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Specific Coding for Acute laryngitis and tracheitisOverview
Non-specific codes like J04 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:
Use J04.0 for Acute laryngitis
J04.1 for Acute tracheitis
Use J04.10 for Acute tracheitis without obstruction
Use J04.11 for Acute tracheitis with obstruction
Use J04.2 for Acute laryngotracheitis
J04.3 for Supraglottitis, unspecified
Use J04.30 for Supraglottitis, unspecified, without obstruction
Use J04.31 for Supraglottitis, unspecified, with obstruction
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Code Also
- 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
Type 1 Excludes
- acute obstructive laryngitis croup and epiglottitis J05
Type 2 Excludes
- laryngismus stridulus J38.5
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
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.
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.
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.
Patient EducationClinical
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.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About J04Overview
Is J04 (Acute laryngitis and tracheitis) a billable code?
No. This is a category header that groups the codes for acute laryngitis and tracheitis, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for acute laryngitis and tracheitis need a more specific code from this category, such as J04.0, J04.10, and J04.11.
