N34 ICD-10-CM Code: Urethritis and urethral syndrome

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for N34 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Notes without a marker are published on N34 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for N34

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code N34

1. N34 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

   ReviewN34.0, N34.1, N34.2, N34.3

   See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

Choose the right path

1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath N34?
   Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
   No → N34 cannot be reported as written; query for the specificity its subcategory needs.

   ReviewN34.0, N34.1, N34.2, N34.3

Consider N34. Then work the Use Additional Code note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement

Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).

The conditions the Use Additional Code note names

Reported with this code when documented; a conditional instruction (“if applicable”, “if known”) applies only when the record supports it.

Official instructions as workflow

• Excludes2 — not part of N34(6 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in N34. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

  CompareM02.3, N30.3, O08.8, O23, O75.3, O86.2

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

• Use Additional Code — after identifying N34(1 note)

  Coding workflow: Check whether the documentation supports the additional code(s) the note names, and report them with N34 when it does. Where the instruction is conditional (“if applicable”, “if known”), it applies only when the record documents the condition.

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse N34 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of N34 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• M02.3— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of Reiter's disease adds M02.3; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs M02.3 →

• A50— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission adds A50; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs A50 →

• A64— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission adds A64; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs A64 →

• N30.3— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of urethrotrigonitis adds N30.3; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs N30.3 →

• O00— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy adds O00; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs O00 →

• O07— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy adds O07; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: N34 vs O07 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Verify Before Coding

• Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: N34.0, N34.1, N34.2, N34.3.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name N34 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: N39.0 — Urinary tract infection, site not specified.

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of N34 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run N34 with these 12 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• N00-N99 — Chapter 14: Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99) (N00-N99)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• N30-N39 — Other diseases of the urinary system[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Excludes2 (25)

• A50 — Congenital syphilis[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A51 — Early syphilis[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A52 — Late syphilis[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A53 — Other and unspecified syphilis[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A54 — Gonococcal infection[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A55 — Chlamydial lymphogranuloma (venereum)[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A56 — Other sexually transmitted chlamydial diseases[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• A57 — Chancroid[Excludes2]: “urethritis in diseases with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission (A50-A64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 17 more

Use Additional Code

• B95 — Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere[Use Additional Code]: “code (B95-B97), to identify infectious agent.”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• B96 — Other bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere[Use Additional Code]: “code (B95-B97), to identify infectious agent.”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• B97 — Viral agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere[Use Additional Code]: “code (B95-B97), to identify infectious agent.”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

• N39.0 — Urinary tract infection, site not specified[Excludes1]: “urethritis (N34.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes

• N34.0 — Urethral abscess[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• N34.1 — Nonspecific urethritis[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• N34.2 — Other urethritis[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• N34.3 — Urethral syndrome, unspecified[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Change history

• FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Common coding questions

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data

CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Claim edits Official source data

CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data

CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship

Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears

Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation

Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to N34 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• N34.0 — Urethral abscess
• N34.1 — Nonspecific urethritis
• N34.2 — Other urethritis
• N34.3 — Urethral syndrome, unspecified