2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code N04Nephrotic syndrome

ICD-10-CM Codes›N00–N99›N00-N08›N04

ICD-10-CM N04
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

N04 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for nephrotic syndrome, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as N04.0, N04.1, N04.20, and N04.21.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
N04
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Nephrotic syndrome
Short Description
Nephrotic syndrome
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
N00-N08
Glomerular diseases

Code Classification

ChapterN00–N99Diseases of the genitourinary system
SectionN00-N08Glomerular diseases
CategoryN04Nephrotic syndrome
This CodeN04Nephrotic syndrome

Specific Coding for Nephrotic syndromeOverview

Non-specific codes like N04 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use N04.0 for Nephrotic syndrome with minor glomerular abnormality

  • Use N04.1 for Nephrotic syndrome with focal and segmental glomerular lesions

  • N04.2 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.20 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis, unspecified

  • Use N04.21 for Primary membranous nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome

  • Use N04.22 for Secondary membranous nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome

  • Use N04.29 for Other nephrotic syndrome with diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.3 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.4 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.5 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.6 for Nephrotic syndrome with dense deposit disease

  • Use N04.7 for Nephrotic syndrome with diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis

  • Use N04.8 for Nephrotic syndrome with other morphologic changes

  • Use N04.9 for Nephrotic syndrome with unspecified morphologic changes

  • Use N04.A for Nephrotic syndrome with C3 glomerulonephritis

  • N04.B for Nephrotic syndrome with immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN)

  • Use N04.B1 for Nephrotic syndrome with idiopathic immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN)

  • Use N04.B2 for Nephrotic syndrome with secondary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN)

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to N04: its own notes plus those printed at block N00-N08 and Chapter 14. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

  • congenital nephrotic syndrome
  • lipoid nephrosis

Excludes1

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

From Block N00-N08 Glomerular diseases applies to 107 codes
  • hypertensive chronic kidney disease (I12.-)

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.

From Chapter 14 (N00-N99) Diseases of the genitourinary system applies to 838 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)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Code Also

A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no sequencing direction.

From Block N00-N08 Glomerular diseases applies to 107 codes
  • any associated kidney failure (N17-N19).

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

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name N04, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming N04: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • Q63 Other congenital malformations of kidney
    congenital nephrotic syndrome (N04.-)

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Nephrotic Syndrome

    a condition characterized by severe proteinuria, greater than 3.5 g/day in an average adult. the substantial loss of protein in the urine results in complications such as hypoproteinemia; generalized edema; hypertension; and hyperlipidemias. diseases associated with nephrotic syndrome generally cause chronic kidney dysfunction.

Patient EducationClinical

Kidney Diseases

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. They are near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Inside each kidney there are about a million tiny structures called nephrons. They filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. The urine flows through tubes called ureters.

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 N04Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for nephrotic syndrome?

N04 is the ICD-10-CM category for nephrotic syndrome, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is N04 (Nephrotic syndrome) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for nephrotic syndrome, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for nephrotic syndrome need a more specific code from this category, such as N04.0, N04.1, and N04.20.

Can N04 be reported with a code from I12?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block N00-N08, which applies to N04, lists "hypertensive chronic kidney disease (I12.-)". 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).