S03 is the authoritative medical code for Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of head. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of head (ICD-10-CM S03), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of head is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code S03. A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission. Includes: avulsion of joint capsule or ligament of head; laceration of cartilage, joint capsule or ligament of head; sprain of cartilage, joint capsule or ligament of head; traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of head; traumatic rupture of joint or ligament of head; traumatic subluxation of joint or ligament of head; traumatic tear of joint or ligament of head; injuries of ear; injuries of eye; injuries of face any part; injuries of gum; injuries of jaw; injuries of oral cavity; injuries of palate; injuries of periocular area; injuries of scalp; injuries of temporomandibular joint area; injuries of tongue; injuries of tooth. Excludes2 (not included here): Strain of muscle or tendon of head S09.1; burns and corrosions T20-T32; effects of foreign body in ear T16; effects of foreign body in larynx T17.3; effects of foreign body in mouth NOS T18.0; effects of foreign body in nose T17.0-T17.1; effects of foreign body in pharynx T17.2; effects of foreign body on external eye T15.-; frostbite T33-T34; insect bite or sting, venomous T63.4. Code also: any associated open wound; for any associated infection. 7th character: The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S03.
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for S03 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Includes
Conditions the official ICD-10-CM tabular list includes under this code.
- avulsion of joint capsule or ligament of head
- laceration of cartilage, joint capsule or ligament of head
- sprain of cartilage, joint capsule or ligament of head
- traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of head
- traumatic rupture of joint or ligament of head
- traumatic subluxation of joint or ligament of head
- traumatic tear of joint or ligament of head
- injuries of ear
- injuries of eye
- injuries of face any part
- injuries of gum
- injuries of jaw
- injuries of oral cavity
- injuries of palate
- injuries of periocular area
- injuries of scalp
- injuries of temporomandibular joint area
- injuries of tongue
- injuries of tooth
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- Strain of muscle or tendon of head S09.1
- burns and corrosions T20-T32
- effects of foreign body in ear T16
- effects of foreign body in larynx T17.3
- effects of foreign body in mouth NOS T18.0
- effects of foreign body in nose T17.0-T17.1
- effects of foreign body in pharynx T17.2
- effects of foreign body on external eye T15.-
- frostbite T33-T34
- insect bite or sting, venomous T63.4
Code Also
Additional codes that may be required to fully describe the encounter.
- any associated open wound
- for any associated infection
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
Can S03 be billed directly?
No. S03 (Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of head) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
Does S03 require a 7th character?
Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S03; A: initial encounter; D: subsequent encounter; S: sequela.
Can S03 be reported alongside related conditions?
Per Excludes2 instructions, S03 and the following may both be reported when both are present: Strain of muscle or tendon of head (S09.1); burns and corrosions (T20-T32); effects of foreign body in ear (T16); effects of foreign body in larynx (T17.3).
Codes in This Family (6)
Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as S03, with their registry titles.
- S03.0 — Dislocation of jaw
- S03.1 — Dislocation of septal cartilage of nose
- S03.2 — Dislocation of tooth
- S03.4 — Sprain of jaw
- S03.8 — Sprain of joints and ligaments of other parts of head
- S03.9 — Sprain of joints and ligaments of unspecified parts of head
Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)
Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:
ICD Code S08
Avulsion and traumatic amputation of part of head