ICD-10-CM Tabular Index · Chapter 12 · FY 2026 L49–L54
Urticaria and erythema (L49-L54) ICD-10-CM
The L49–L54 section covers urticaria and erythema with 37 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, of which 33 are billable in fiscal year 2026. The section is organized into the 6 code ranges listed below.
✓ Built from the official CMS FY 2026 datasetEffective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026
6
Code Ranges
37
Diagnosis Codes
33
Billable Codes
L49–L54
Code Range
Type 1 Excludes
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.
The info icon previews the code ranges inside each row and its instructional notations from the official Tabular List.
About the L49–L54 Code Range
ICD-10 codes L49-L54 classify various skin conditions characterized primarily by urticaria (hives) and erythema (redness), including exfoliation due to red skin inflammation, allergic and non-allergic urticaria types, erythema multiforme and its severe forms like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, as well as other distinct erythematous skin disorders.
This code range details exfoliation related to the extent of erythema coverage on the body (L49 series), as well as multiple forms of urticaria (L50), such as allergic (including occupational or food-induced urticaria), idiopathic, cold and heat induced, dermatographic, cholinergic, and contact urticaria. Common synonyms like "contact urticaria" and "allergic urticaria" correspond with L50.0 and L50.6. The range also captures erythema multiforme (L51) with its variants including nonbullous, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis, all serious immune-related skin reactions. L52 refers to erythema nodosum, an inflammatory condition often linked with infections or drug reactions. Other erythematous conditions (L53) cover diverse drug-induced, infectious, or idiopathic red skin disorders, while L54 includes erythema occurring as part of other systemic diseases. These codes are essential for categorizing inflammatory skin diseases presenting with redness and wheals, aiding in precise documentation and management.
Questions About This Page
How many codes are in the L49-L54 range?
The L49-L54 range contains 37 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes in FY 2026. 33 of them are billable, and the rest are category headers that organize the section.
What conditions does L49-L54 cover?
The range covers urticaria and erythema. The code ranges listed above break it into groups of related conditions, and each one links to its own page with the full code list.
Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a "use additional code" note at the etiology code, and a "code first" note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.
erythematous condition causing exfoliation, such as:
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.
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.
code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug T36T50
code to identify associated manifestations, such as:
arthropathy associated with dermatological disorders M14.8
code to identify percentage of skin exfoliation L49
Type 1 Excludes
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 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 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.
Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a "use additional code" note at the etiology code, and a "code first" note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.
