2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J04Acute laryngitis and tracheitis

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J00-J06›J04

ICD-10-CM J04
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

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

ICD-10-CM Code
J04
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
Short Description
Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
J00-J06
Acute upper respiratory infections

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ00-J06Acute upper respiratory infections
CategoryJ04Acute laryngitis and tracheitis
This CodeJ04Acute laryngitis and tracheitis

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

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to J04: its own notes plus those printed at block J00-J06 and Chapter 10. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On J04 itself
  • acute obstructive laryngitis [croup] and epiglottitis (J05.-)
From Block J00-J06 Acute upper respiratory infections applies to 35 codes
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

On J04 itself
  • laryngismus (stridulus) (J38.5)
From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • smoke inhalation (T59.81-)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

On J04 itself
  • code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • 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)

Code Also

A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no 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)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • When a respiratory condition is described as occurring in more than one site and is not specifically indexed, it should be classified to the lower anatomic site (e.g. tracheobronchitis to bronchitis in J40).

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name J04, its category, or a range that includes it.

Code Also 1

These codes say J04 may also be needed to fully describe the condition. The note gives no sequencing direction.

  • D81.82 Activated Phosphoinositide 3-kinase Delta Syndrome [APDS]
    other acute respiratory tract infections (J00-J06; J20-J22) names J00-J06, which includes this code

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

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About J04Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for acute laryngitis and tracheitis?

J04 is the ICD-10-CM category for acute laryngitis and tracheitis, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

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.

Can J04 be reported with a code from J05?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on J04 lists "acute obstructive laryngitis [croup] and epiglottitis (J05.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Does J04 need an additional code?

When the condition applies, yes. The Use Additional Code note reads: code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.. The additional code is reported after J04.