ICD-10 Codes for ADHD (F90.0–F90.9)
Every ADHD diagnosis lives in one small family — F90.0, F90.1, or F90.2, split by documented presentation. The code set looks easy; the traps are elsewhere: adults use the exact same codes, F90.9 gets over-used as a default, and the behavior disorders next door in F91 are separate diagnoses.
The ADHD code family: five codes, one category
Every ADHD diagnosis codes to category F90, and the fourth character is decided by one thing: the documented presentation. No age split, no severity axis — just the presentation, straight from the note.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| F90.0 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominantly inattentive type |
| F90.1 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominantly hyperactive type |
| F90.2 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type |
| F90.8 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, other type |
| F90.9 | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, unspecified type |
That's the entire set — search the lookup tool to confirm a descriptor. The code titles say “type” while DSM-5-trained clinicians document “presentations,” but they line up one-to-one.
How to choose the presentation code
1. Predominantly inattentive (F90.0)
Inattentive symptoms — distractibility, disorganization, losing track of tasks — dominate the documented picture. A note reading “ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation” maps directly to F90.0.
2. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (F90.1)
Hyperactivity and impulsivity dominate. The code title reads “predominantly hyperactive type,” but the tabular lists the hyperactive impulsive presentation as an inclusion term under it — DSM-5's hyperactive/impulsive presentation is F90.1. There's no separate code for the impulsive half.
3. Combined (F90.2)
The documentation supports both symptom clusters — “combined presentation” or “combined type” — and the code is F90.2.
4. Other vs. unspecified (F90.8 / F90.9)
Not interchangeable. F90.8 (other type) asserts the provider documented an ADHD type that doesn't match the named presentations — rare in practice. F90.9 (unspecified type) means the note gives you “ADHD” and nothing more.
Adult ADHD: the same F90 codes
F90.2, exactly like a 9-year-old.
The block note adds that these disorders may continue throughout life or not be diagnosed until adulthood, and the Alphabetic Index lists “adult” right on the ADHD entry. Two adult-specific wrong turns: don't downgrade a documented presentation to F90.9 because the diagnosis dates back years, and don't reach for R41.840 (attention and concentration deficit) — that's a symptom code for attention problems without an established ADHD diagnosis, not the “adult version” of F90.
F90.9: a fallback, not a default
F90.9 carries the inclusion term “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder NOS,” and it's the right code in exactly one situation: the documentation establishes ADHD but never states the presentation. That's common on referrals and inherited records — there, F90.9 is accurate, not lazy. It becomes the wrong code the moment the encounter documentation names a presentation. If a clinician consistently writes only “ADHD,” one query upgrades every downstream claim — for a therapy practice billing recurring sessions, a single clarified diagnosis line pays off across the whole episode.
ADHD is not a conduct disorder: keep F91.- separate
Next door in category F91 sit the conduct disorders and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) — separate diagnoses with their own codes. Never fold them into the ADHD code, and never infer ADHD from behavior problems alone.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| F91.3 | Oppositional defiant disorder |
| F91.1 | Conduct disorder, childhood-onset type |
| F91.2 | Conduct disorder, adolescent-onset type |
| F91.9 | Conduct disorder, unspecified |
The tabular draws the line precisely: under F91, “conduct problems associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” are an Excludes2 pointing back to F90.-. Behavior problems that are part of the ADHD picture ride along with the F90 code — but an independently documented ODD or conduct disorder is its own diagnosis, and both codes are reported when both are documented.
Comorbid anxiety and depression: code both
Category F90 lists anxiety disorders (F40.-, F41.-), mood disorders (F30–F39), pervasive developmental disorders (F84.-), and schizophrenia (F20.-) as Excludes2 notes. In ICD-10-CM, Excludes2 means “not included here” — the patient can have both conditions, and both are coded when documented. ADHD with generalized anxiety disorder is F90.- plus F41.1; ADHD with major depressive disorder adds the right F32.- or F33.- code; ADHD with autism spectrum disorder adds F84.0. Picking the depression or anxiety code has traps of its own — our depression & anxiety coding guide walks through them. Sequence by the reason for the visit: a session focused on ADHD management with anxiety addressed secondarily leads with the F90 code.
Common ADHD coding mistakes
- Defaulting to F90.9 when the presentation is documented. The presentation-specific codes exist precisely so the claim reflects the note. Unspecified is for genuinely silent documentation.
- Hunting for an adult ADHD code. There isn't one — the F90 codes apply regardless of age. Don't substitute R41.840 or an unspecified code for a documented adult presentation.
- Treating F90.8 as a nicer-sounding unspecified. F90.8 (other type) claims the provider documented a type outside the named presentations. When the note is silent on type, the code is F90.9.
- Folding oppositional defiant disorder into the ADHD code. A documented ODD is
F91.3, coded alongsideF90.-— one code doesn't cover both diagnoses. - Coding legacy “ADD without hyperactivity” straight to F90.0. In the Alphabetic Index, attention-deficit without hyperactivity points to
F98.8, not F90. Documented inattentive presentation is F90.0 — if a chart uses the legacy phrase, query rather than assume.
A worked example
F90.2F41.1The patient's age changes nothing — adult ADHD uses the same family, and the documented combined presentation makes it F90.2, not F90.9. The generalized anxiety disorder is an Excludes2 neighbor, separately coded as F41.1. ADHD was the focus of the visit, so the F90 code leads.
What the note needs to document
- The presentation — inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, or combined — not just “ADHD”
- Any separately diagnosed oppositional defiant or conduct disorder (F91.-)
- Comorbid anxiety or depression, with the type and severity detail their own codes need
- For attention complaints without an established diagnosis, the symptom picture (R41.840) rather than a premature ADHD label
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the documented presentation: F90.0 for predominantly inattentive, F90.1 for predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and F90.2 for combined. When the note establishes ADHD but doesn't state a presentation, the code is F90.9 (unspecified type).
The same F90 codes used for children — there is no adult-specific ADHD code. ICD-10-CM notes that codes in the F90–F98 block may be used regardless of the patient's age, since these disorders can continue throughout life or go undiagnosed until adulthood. An adult with combined presentation is F90.2.
They encode the presentation. F90.0 is predominantly inattentive, F90.1 is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (the tabular lists DSM-5's hyperactive/impulsive presentation under it), and F90.2 is combined — both symptom clusters documented.
Only when the documentation establishes ADHD but never states the presentation — common on referrals and inherited records. If the encounter documentation names a presentation, use the specific code (F90.0, F90.1, or F90.2) instead. F90.9 is a fallback, not a default.
Yes. Anxiety disorders (F40.-, F41.-) and mood disorders (F30–F39) are Excludes2 notes under F90, which means the conditions can coexist and both are coded when documented — for example F90.2 with F41.1 for ADHD plus generalized anxiety disorder.
No. Oppositional defiant disorder is its own diagnosis, F91.3. Conduct problems that are simply part of the ADHD picture are covered by the F90 code, but an independently documented ODD or conduct disorder is coded separately alongside it.