J30.9: Allergic rhinitis, unspecified

The ICD-10-CM code for allergic rhinitis when the encounter documentation does not identify the triggering allergen.

Billable

FY2027

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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At a glance

Code Family

J30: Vasomotor and allergic rhinitis.

Condition

Allergic rhinitis

Billable

Yes

Effective Date

Valid in the FY2026 code set and unchanged in the FY2027 update.

HCC Mapping (v28)

No HCC mapping. Allergic rhinitis does not carry risk adjustment weight under the current CMS model.

Family Specificity

The J30 family splits on the documented allergen. J30.9 is the residual code used when the record names no trigger.

Which J30 code do I assign?

The J30 family splits on which allergen the note names, not on how severe the symptoms are. Assign J30.9 only when the record leaves the trigger genuinely unspecified.

When documentation says…

Code

Vasomotor rhinitis

J30.0

Rhinitis of non-allergic, neurogenic etiology. The note must document vasomotor rhinitis. Vasomotor rhinitis is not coded as allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis due to pollen

J30.1

Allergic rhinitis with pollen documented as the trigger. The note must name pollen or a specific pollen source.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis, trigger not named

J30.2

Other seasonal allergic rhinitis. The note must document the seasonal pattern even though no single allergen is identified.

Allergic rhinitis due to food

J30.5

Allergic rhinitis with a documented food allergen. The note must identify the food.

Allergic rhinitis due to cat or dog dander

J30.81

Allergic rhinitis due to animal hair and dander. The note must name the animal exposure as the trigger.

Allergic rhinitis due to dust mites or mold

J30.89

Other allergic rhinitis, used for a documented trigger that has no code of its own. The note must name the specific allergen.

Allergic rhinitis, allergen not identified

J30.9

Allergic rhinitis with no documented trigger. The note must record the allergic rhinitis diagnosis and leave the allergen unspecified.

Tabular notes

EXCLUDES1

Category J30 carries two Excludes1 notes. Allergic rhinitis with asthma (bronchial): J45.909. Rhinitis NOS: J31.0. An Excludes1 note means the excluded condition is not reported together with a J30 code for the same condition.

FY2027: EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2026

No FY2026 addenda changes were identified for J30.9. Category J30 is unchanged from FY2025. The FY2027 codes and tabular addenda make no addition, deletion or revision in category J30.

Operational & financial impact

Why specificity matters beyond the chart: risk adjustment, DRG assignment and denial exposure all follow from which code is selected.

CMS-HCC v28 (PY2024+)

J30.9 does not map to any HCC under CMS-HCC v28.

Allergic rhinitis does not carry risk adjustment weight under the current CMS model.

WHERE SPECIFICITY IS LOST

No code in the J30 family maps to an HCC. Specificity within this family does not change the risk score.

Coding J30.9 when the record documents a specific allergen misses the allergen-specific code. So is coding vasomotor rhinitis, which belongs to J30.0, as allergic rhinitis.

COVERAGE CONTEXT

No National Coverage Determination governs allergic rhinitis coding.

J30.9 is used in outpatient and ambulatory settings. It is the principal diagnosis for an inpatient admission only when allergic rhinitis is the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission, per Section II of the guidelines.

Documentation checklist to support J30.9

Chart elements that support code selection and reduce specificity-driven denials.

A provider documented diagnosis of allergic rhinitis or allergic nasal disease. The Index sends hay fever to J30.1, not J30.9.

Confirmation that the encounter note names no specific allergen.

The nasal symptoms supporting the diagnosis, such as sneezing, nasal congestion or rhinorrhea.

Any documentation identifying a trigger, which directs the encounter to J30.1, J30.2, J30.5, J30.81 or J30.89 instead.

A statement distinguishing allergic rhinitis from vasomotor rhinitis, which is coded J30.0.

Concurrent asthma where present, because allergic rhinitis with asthma is excluded from category J30.

Concurrent chronic sinusitis where present, which carries its own code in the J32 category.

FAQ

Is J30.9 a billable code?

Yes. J30.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code valid for reporting under the FY2027 code set effective 1 October 2026.

When should I use J30.9 instead of J30.0?

J30.0 is vasomotor rhinitis, which has a non-allergic, neurogenic etiology. Use J30.9 only when the provider documents allergic rhinitis without naming the allergen. Vasomotor rhinitis is not coded as allergic rhinitis.

My patient reports seasonal allergies. Is J30.9 correct?

It depends on the documentation. If the provider documents seasonal allergic rhinitis without specifying a trigger, use J30.2, other seasonal allergic rhinitis. If the trigger is pollen, use J30.1. J30.9 applies when no identifiable trigger is documented.

Does J30.9 map to an HCC?

No. J30.9 does not map to any HCC under CMS-HCC v28. Allergic rhinitis does not carry risk adjustment weight under the current CMS model.

How do I code allergic rhinitis in a patient who also has asthma?

Category J30 carries an Excludes1 note for allergic rhinitis with asthma (bronchial). That note directs the encounter to J45.909. Category J45 carries an Includes note for allergic rhinitis with asthma. Confirm the asthma documentation before assigning a J30 code.

What documentation supports J30.9?

The note must state a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis or allergic nasal disease. The Index sends hay fever to J30.1. It must also leave the allergen unidentified. Where a trigger appears anywhere in the note, assign the allergen specific J30 code instead.

Does J30.9 appear as an inpatient principal diagnosis?

J30.9 is an inpatient principal diagnosis only when allergic rhinitis is the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission, per Section II of the ICD-10-CM guidelines. J30.9 is used in outpatient and ambulatory settings.

What changed for J30.9 in FY2027?

J30.9 is unchanged in the FY2027 update. No FY2026 addenda changes were identified for J30.9. Category J30 is unchanged from FY2025. The FY2027 codes and tabular addenda, effective 1 October 2026, make no addition, deletion or revision in category J30 either.

Related codes

Codes in the same family as J30.9. Only codes with a published page render as links.

Sibling codes in the J30 family

J30.0: Vasomotor rhinitis.
J30.1: Allergic rhinitis due to pollen.
J30.2: Other seasonal allergic rhinitis.
J30.5: Allergic rhinitis due to food.
J30.81: Allergic rhinitis due to animal (cat) (dog) hair and dander.
J30.89: Other allergic rhinitis.

Additional codes to consider

Codes outside the J30 family considered alongside J30.9.

Consider instead

J30.0: Vasomotor rhinitis, where the documented etiology is non-allergic and neurogenic.
J30.1: Allergic rhinitis due to pollen, where pollen is documented as the trigger.
J31.0: Chronic rhinitis, the code for rhinitis NOS, which category J30 excludes.
J45.909: Unspecified asthma, uncomplicated, where allergic rhinitis is documented with asthma.

Sources

All claims on this page derive from government and professional-standards sources.

National Center for Health Statistics. (2026). International classification of diseases, tenth revision, clinical modification (ICD-10-CM) FY2027 files. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd-10-cm/files.html
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and National Center for Health Statistics. (2026). ICD-10-CM official guidelines for coding and reporting FY2027. https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Publications/ICD10CM/2027/ICD-10-CM-October-1-2026-FY27-Guidelines.pdf
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). 2026 model software/ICD-10 mappings. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/medicare-advantage-rates-statistics/risk-adjustment/2026-model-software-icd-10-mappings
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). MS-DRG classifications and software, version 44. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/ms-drg-classifications-and-software