R05.1 — Acute cough

R05.1

ICD-10 Chapter 18: Symptoms, Signs & Abnormal Findings — illustrative image — Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00–R99) — illustrative image

What this code means

An acute cough is a cough present for a short time (under three weeks), usually with a respiratory infection.

Also called: acute cough.

When this code is used

Used for acute cough.

Where it sits in ICD-10-CM

Code R05.1 belongs to Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified, which covers codes R00–R99 in the FY2027 ICD-10-CM tabular list. The official description above is copied verbatim from the CDC/NCHS FY2027 code file.

Related symptoms

Cough

Frequently asked questions

What is ICD-10-CM code R05.1?

R05.1 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for “Acute cough”. An acute cough is a cough present for a short time (under three weeks), usually with a respiratory infection.

When is code R05.1 used?

Used for acute cough. It belongs to Chapter 18 of ICD-10-CM (Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified).

This guide explains ICD-10-CM codes in plain language for patients, students and other readers. It is educational information only — not coding, billing or medical advice. The code recorded for any real encounter is assigned from the full clinical documentation by the treating team and qualified coders, and only they can decide which code fits a specific case.