2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T20Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›T20-T25›T20

ICD-10-CM T20
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

T20 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as T20.00XA, T20.00XD, T20.00XS, and T20.011A.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
T20
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck
Short Description
Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
T20-T25
Burns and corrosions of external body surface, specified by site

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionT20-T25Burns and corrosions of external body surface, specified by site
CategoryT20Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck
This CodeT20Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck

Specific Coding for Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neckOverview

Non-specific codes like T20 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • T20.0 for Burn of unspecified degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.00 for Burn of unspecified degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.01 for Burn of unspecified degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.02 for Burn of unspecified degree of lip(s)

  • T20.03 for Burn of unspecified degree of chin

  • T20.04 for Burn of unspecified degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.05 for Burn of unspecified degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.06 for Burn of unspecified degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.07 for Burn of unspecified degree of neck

  • T20.09 for Burn of unspecified degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.1 for Burn of first degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.10 for Burn of first degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.11 for Burn of first degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.12 for Burn of first degree of lip(s)

  • T20.13 for Burn of first degree of chin

  • T20.14 for Burn of first degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.15 for Burn of first degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.16 for Burn of first degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.17 for Burn of first degree of neck

  • T20.19 for Burn of first degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.2 for Burn of second degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.20 for Burn of second degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.21 for Burn of second degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.22 for Burn of second degree of lip(s)

  • T20.23 for Burn of second degree of chin

  • T20.24 for Burn of second degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.25 for Burn of second degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.26 for Burn of second degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.27 for Burn of second degree of neck

  • T20.29 for Burn of second degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.3 for Burn of third degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.30 for Burn of third degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.31 for Burn of third degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.32 for Burn of third degree of lip(s)

  • T20.33 for Burn of third degree of chin

  • T20.34 for Burn of third degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.35 for Burn of third degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.36 for Burn of third degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.37 for Burn of third degree of neck

  • T20.39 for Burn of third degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.4 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.40 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.41 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.42 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of lip(s)

  • T20.43 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of chin

  • T20.44 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.45 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.46 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.47 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of neck

  • T20.49 for Corrosion of unspecified degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.5 for Corrosion of first degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.50 for Corrosion of first degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.51 for Corrosion of first degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.52 for Corrosion of first degree of lip(s)

  • T20.53 for Corrosion of first degree of chin

  • T20.54 for Corrosion of first degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.55 for Corrosion of first degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.56 for Corrosion of first degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.57 for Corrosion of first degree of neck

  • T20.59 for Corrosion of first degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.6 for Corrosion of second degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.60 for Corrosion of second degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.61 for Corrosion of second degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.62 for Corrosion of second degree of lip(s)

  • T20.63 for Corrosion of second degree of chin

  • T20.64 for Corrosion of second degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.65 for Corrosion of second degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.66 for Corrosion of second degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.67 for Corrosion of second degree of neck

  • T20.69 for Corrosion of second degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

  • T20.7 for Corrosion of third degree of head, face, and neck

  • T20.70 for Corrosion of third degree of head, face, and neck, unspecified site

  • T20.71 for Corrosion of third degree of ear [any part, except ear drum]

  • T20.72 for Corrosion of third degree of lip(s)

  • T20.73 for Corrosion of third degree of chin

  • T20.74 for Corrosion of third degree of nose (septum)

  • T20.75 for Corrosion of third degree of scalp [any part]

  • T20.76 for Corrosion of third degree of forehead and cheek

  • T20.77 for Corrosion of third degree of neck

  • T20.79 for Corrosion of third degree of multiple sites of head, face, and neck

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The ICD-10-CM makes a distinction between burns and corrosions. The burn codes are for thermal burns, except sunburns, that come from a heat source, such as a fire or hot appliance. The burn codes are also for burns resulting from electricity and radiation. Corrosions are burns due to chemicals. The guidelines are the same for burns and corrosions.

Sequence first the code that reflects the highest degree of burn when more than one burn is present.

  • When the reason for the admission or encounter is for treatment of external multiple burns, sequence first the code that reflects the burn of the highest degree.
  • When a patient has both internal and external burns, the circumstances of admission govern the selection of the principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.
  • When a patient is admitted for burn injuries and other related conditions such as smoke inhalation and/or respiratory failure, the circumstances of admission govern the selection of the principal or first-listed diagnosis.

Current burns (T20-T25) are classified by depth, extent and by agent (X code). Burns are classified by depth as first degree (erythema), second degree (blistering), and third degree (full-thickness involvement).

Classify burns of the same local site (three-character category level, T20-T28) but of different degrees to the subcategory identifying the highest degree recorded in the diagnosis.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck (T20). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to T20: its own notes plus those printed at block T20-T32, block T20-T25, and Chapter 19. 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.

From Block T20-T32 applies to 2,584 codes
  • burns (thermal) from electrical heating appliances
  • burns (thermal) from electricity
  • burns (thermal) from flame
  • burns (thermal) from friction
  • burns (thermal) from hot air and hot gases
  • burns (thermal) from hot objects
  • burns (thermal) from lightning
  • burns (thermal) from radiation
  • chemical burn [corrosion] (external) (internal)
  • scalds
From Block T20-T25 Burns and corrosions of external body surface, specified by site applies to 2,304 codes
  • burns and corrosions of first degree [erythema]
  • burns and corrosions of second degree [blisters][epidermal loss]
  • burns and corrosions of third degree [deep necrosis of underlying tissue] [full- thickness skin loss]

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 T20 itself
  • burn and corrosion of ear drum (T28.41, T28.91)
  • burn and corrosion of eye and adnexa (T26.-)
  • burn and corrosion of mouth and pharynx (T28.0)
From Block T20-T32 applies to 2,584 codes
  • erythema [dermatitis] ab igne (L59.0)
  • radiation-related disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L55-L59)
  • sunburn (L55.-)
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes

Use Additional Code

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

From Block T20-T25 Burns and corrosions of external body surface, specified by site applies to 2,304 codes
  • code from category T31 or T32 to identify extent of body surface involved
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

7th Character

Every code in the category takes a 7th character from the listed values, with the placeholder X filling any empty positions before it.

  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T20
Values for category T20 Encounter: Initial, Subsequent, Sequela
  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

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

Patient EducationClinical

Burns

A burn is damage to your body's tissues caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, sunlight, or radiation. Scalds from hot liquids and steam, building fires and flammable liquids and gases are the most common causes of burns. Another kind is an inhalation injury, caused by breathing smoke.

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 T20Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck?

T20 is the ICD-10-CM category for burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is T20 (Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck need a more specific code from this category, such as T20.00XA, T20.00XD, and T20.00XS.