2025 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J03

by

Acute tonsillitis

  • J03 should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.
  • The 2025 edition of ICD-10-CM J03 became effective on October 1, 2024.
  • This is the American ICD-10-CM version of J03 – other international versions of ICD-10 J03 may differ.

Type 1 Excludes

  • acute sore throat (J02.-)
  • hypertrophy of tonsils (J35.1)
  • peritonsillar abscess (J36)
  • sore throat NOS (J02.9)
  • streptococcal sore throat (J02.0)

Type 2 Excludes

  • chronic tonsillitis (J35.0)

The following code(s) above J03 contain annotation back-references

 that may be applicable to J03:

  • J00-J99  Diseases of the respiratory system
  • J00-J06  Acute upper respiratory infections

Clinical Information

  • An acute inflammation of the tonsils caused by viruses or bacteria. Signs and symptoms include fever, enlargement of the tonsils, difficulty swallowing, and enlargement of the regional lymph nodes.

Code History

  • 2016 (effective 10/1/2015): New code (first year of non-draft ICD-10-CM)
  • 2017 (effective 10/1/2016): No change
  • 2018 (effective 10/1/2017): No change
  • 2019 (effective 10/1/2018): No change
  • 2020 (effective 10/1/2019): No change
  • 2021 (effective 10/1/2020): No change
  • 2022 (effective 10/1/2021): No change
  • 2023 (effective 10/1/2022): No change
  • 2024 (effective 10/1/2023): No change
  • 2025 (effective 10/1/2024): No change

Code annotations containing back-references to J03:

  • Type 1 Excludes: J36
  • Type 2 Excludes: J35.0
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