J03.9
Acute tonsillitis, unspecified
Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.
J03.9 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for acute tonsillitis, unspecified. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are J03.90 Acute tonsillitis, unspecified and J03.91 Acute recurrent tonsillitis, unspecified. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, 7 Excludes1 entries and 10 Excludes2 entries.
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
Also from chapter/block level (7 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 10 Diseases of the respiratory system
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Inherited from J03 Acute tonsillitis
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
Also from chapter/block level (9 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 10 Diseases of the respiratory system
- 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)
Inclusion terms
Conditions classified to this code.
This code
- Follicular tonsillitis (acute)
- Gangrenous tonsillitis (acute)
- Infective tonsillitis (acute)
- Tonsillitis (acute) NOS
- Ulcerative tonsillitis (acute)
Notes
Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
Inherited from Chapter 10 Diseases of the respiratory system
- 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).