All ICD10 Codes
J00Billable, valid for claims from October 1, 2026

Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold]

In Acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06), chapter 10: Diseases of the Respiratory System

  • J00 is billable and valid on claims for FY 2027. If the record has more detail, check the other codes under J00-J06 below.
  • As a secondary diagnosis it is not a CC or MCC, so it doesn't raise the MS-DRG payment.
  • Doesn't count toward a Medicare Advantage risk score (no HCC in V28).
  • AHRQ's Chronic Condition Indicator classes it as not chronic (an acute or short-term condition).

Also indexed as: Catarrh; Catarrh, nasopharyngeal, acute; Cold; Cold, common; Cold, head; Cold, symptoms; Cold, virus; Common, cold; Coryza; Drip, due to, common cold; Fever, catarrhal; Infection, respiratory NEC, rhinovirus; Inflammation, catarrhal; Nasopharyngitis; Postnasal drip, due to, common cold; Rhinitis, acute; Rhinitis, infective; Rhinitis, pneumococcal; Symptoms NEC, cold; Symptoms NEC, viral cold

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Instructional notes

Includes: conditions that are coded here

  • Acute rhinitis
  • Coryza (acute)
  • Infective nasopharyngitis NOS
  • Infective rhinitis
  • Nasal catarrh, acute
  • Nasopharyngitis NOS

Excludes1: not coded here, use a different code

  • acute pharyngitis (J02.-)
  • acute sore throat NOS (J02.9)
  • influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations (J09.X2, J10.1, J11.1)
  • pharyngitis NOS (J02.9)
  • rhinitis NOS (J31.0)
  • sore throat NOS (J02.9)

Excludes2: not included here, code separately if applicable

Also applies, from Acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06)

These notes sit on J00-J06 and apply to every code under it, including J00.

Excludes1: not coded here, use a different code

  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0)

Official coding guidelines

From the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 (CMS and NCHS). Links open the PDF at the right page.

Covers COPD and asthma exacerbations, sequencing of acute respiratory failure, confirmed versus suspected identified influenza, ventilator associated pneumonia, and vaping-related disorders.

Read Section I.C.10 (page 56)

Other codes under J00-J06

Acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06)

J00 MS-DRGs

This code does not group to an MS-DRG as a principal diagnosis.

Related conditions

Grouped by AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR), which sorts every diagnosis code into clinically meaningful categories.

J00 is in Other specified upper respiratory infections (RSP006, its default category), with 27 codes. Others in it:

  • A15.5 Tuberculosis of larynx, trachea and bronchus
  • A36.0 Pharyngeal diphtheria
  • A36.1 Nasopharyngeal diphtheria
  • A36.2 Laryngeal diphtheria
  • A50.03 Early congenital syphilitic pharyngitis
  • A52.73 Symptomatic late syphilis of other respiratory organs
  • A54.5 Gonococcal pharyngitis
  • A56.4 Chlamydial infection of pharynx

Medicare coverage articles listing J00

This Medicare billing and coding article lists J00 as a diagnosis that supports medical necessity for the services they cover. From the CMS Medicare Coverage Database; check your own contractor's article before billing.

Other codes that refer to J00

Notes on these codes point to J00.

  • CH1 Excludes2: influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
  • D81.82 Code Also: other acute respiratory tract infections (J00-J06; J20-J22)
  • J31.1 Excludes2: acute nasopharyngitis (J00)
  • O99.5 Includes: Conditions in J00-J99
  • P00.3 Includes: Newborn affected by maternal conditions classifiable to I00-I99, J00-J99, Q20-Q34 and not included in P00.0, P00.2
  • Z83.6 Includes: Conditions classifiable to J00-J39, J60-J99
  • Z87.0 Includes: Conditions classifiable to J00-J99

About the condition

Plain-language background from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), not coding guidance.

Common Cold

The common cold is a mild infection of your upper respiratory tract (which includes your nose and throat). Colds are probably the most common illness. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. Colds are more common in the winter and spring, but you can get them at any time.

Read more about common cold on MedlinePlus

Code history

Valid since FY2016, when ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. No changes since.

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Legacy crosswalk from the CMS General Equivalence Mappings (last updated 2018).

  • 460 Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold]
ICD-9 to ICD-10 converter