CPT Code Lookup & Reference
Look up a procedure code, or see how the whole CPT system fits together. Written for the people who deal with these codes every day: billers, coders, and anyone at the front desk who just got handed a denied claim. Ranges reflect the 2026 code set.
Commonly Looked-Up CPT Codes
Frequently referenced codes across primary care, physical therapy, psychiatry, and more
Established patient office visit, level 1 (nurse visit)
CPT 99211 is a Level 1 office visit for an established patient that may not need a physician present, the minimal nurse-visit code with no time or decision-making requirement.
Established patient office visit, level 3
CPT 99213 is a mid-level office or telehealth visit for an established patient, billed for low-complexity decision-making or 20 to 29 minutes of the provider's time.
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Filter codes by clinical specialty or care setting
What are CPT Codes?
CPT stands for Current Procedural Terminology. It's a set of five-digit codes published by the American Medical Association, and it answers one question on every claim: what did the provider actually do?
After each visit, someone picks the codes that describe the services performed. Those codes go on the claim next to ICD-10 diagnosis codes, and the payer decides what to pay based on both. Pick the wrong code and you either leave money on the table or invite an audit.
There's a code for nearly everything: a routine office visit is 99213, a complete echocardiogram is 93306, and a knee replacement is 27447.
Published by
American Medical Association
Updated
Annually — January 1
Total codes
~11,000+
Used alongside
ICD-10 diagnosis codes
CPT Code Structure
Procedural Codes
The codes that actually get billed. Around 7,000 to 8,000 of them, split into six sections:
When you'll encounter these: You'll use these every single day. If you bill claims, you live in Category I.
Performance Tracking Codes
Optional F-codes for quality reporting. They carry no dollar amount and never generate payment.
When you'll encounter these: You'll only see these if your practice reports quality measures (MIPS, for example). Many billers go years without touching one.
Emerging Technology Codes
Temporary T-codes for procedures too new to have earned a permanent spot. If one catches on, the AMA promotes it to Category I.
When you'll encounter these: Expect these if your providers adopt new technology early. Coverage is hit-or-miss, so check the payer policy before billing one.
Proprietary Laboratory Analyses
U-codes for brand-specific lab tests, each tied to one manufacturer or lab. This is the fastest-growing group: 37% of all new codes added in 2025 were PLA codes.
When you'll encounter these: You'll run into these when a provider orders a branded genetic or molecular test. The lab usually tells you which code applies.
These are our own plain-English explanations, not the AMA's copyrighted descriptions. Verify against the current CPT code book before you bill.
The Complete CPT Map: Every Section and Subsection
Think of CPT as a filing cabinet. Six drawers, one per section, and inside each drawer a set of folders sorted by service type or body system. What you see below is the entire cabinet. All ~11,000 codes live somewhere in these ranges, so if you have a code number, you can find its home here. Expand a section to look inside.
Evaluation & ManagementVisits, consultations, and care management. The codes every practice bills99202 – 99499
AnesthesiaOrganized by body area where the procedure is performed00100 – 01999
SurgeryThe largest section, split into 15 subsections by body system10004 – 69990
RadiologyAll imaging, sorted by type and then body area70010 – 79999
Pathology & LaboratoryEvery lab test, from routine panels to genetic testing80047 – 89398
MedicineEverything non-surgical: psychiatry, cardiology, PT, immunizations, and more90281 – 99607
How CPT Works with ICD-10
A CPT code never travels alone. Every claim also carries an ICD-10 diagnosis code, and the diagnosis has to justify the procedure. Payers call this medical necessity, and their systems check it automatically. When the pair doesn't make clinical sense, the claim bounces. Ask anyone who works denials: mismatched codes are the most common culprit.
✓ Codes that support each other
Patient has knee pain → doctor orders a knee MRI to find the cause. The diagnosis justifies the procedure. Claim paid.
✗ Codes that don't match
Patient has a cold → a knee MRI makes no clinical sense. The diagnosis does not justify the procedure. Claim denied.
Our individual code pages list the ICD-10 diagnoses most often paired with each CPT code, so you can check the pairing before the claim goes out instead of after it comes back denied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CPT code?
A CPT code is a five-character code that tells an insurance payer what a provider did during a visit: the exam, the procedure, the test, the therapy session. The American Medical Association publishes the set and every claim in the US uses it. If ICD-10 answers "why was the patient seen," CPT answers "what was done about it."
How many CPT codes are there?
Around 11,000 in the current set. Category I holds most of them, roughly 7,000 to 8,000 billable procedure codes. The rest are Category II tracking codes, Category III emerging-technology codes, and PLA codes for brand-specific lab tests. The count shifts every January as the AMA adds and retires codes.
Who uses CPT codes?
Anyone who touches a medical claim. Billers and coders work with them all day, but front desk staff, office managers, and practice administrators run into them constantly too. Providers pick the codes after each encounter, or a coder assigns them from the chart notes.
What is the most common CPT code?
99213, the established-patient office visit at low complexity. It's the bread and butter of outpatient medicine. Its sibling 99214 (moderate complexity) is close behind, and choosing between the two is one of the most argued-about decisions in billing.
What is the difference between CPT and ICD-10 codes?
CPT says what was done. ICD-10 says why. A claim needs both, and they have to make sense together: a knee MRI paired with a knee-pain diagnosis gets paid, while the same MRI paired with a common cold gets denied. CPT comes from the AMA and requires a license for the official text; ICD-10 is published free by CMS.
What is the difference between CPT and HCPCS codes?
CPT is actually part of HCPCS. HCPCS Level I is the CPT code set itself. HCPCS Level II adds codes for things CPT doesn't cover, like ambulance transport, wheelchairs, drugs, and supplies. Those Level II codes start with a letter (J1885, E0601), which is the quickest way to tell them apart from five-digit CPT codes.
Do CPT codes use modifiers?
Yes, and they matter. A modifier is a two-character suffix that changes how a payer reads the code. Modifier 25 says an office visit was separate from a procedure done the same day. Modifier 59 says two services that usually bundle together were genuinely distinct. Getting modifiers wrong is a top cause of denials and audit flags.
I found a CPT code on my medical bill. How do I check what it means?
Search the code on this page, or ask your provider's billing office for an itemized bill with each code explained. They're required to walk you through it. Checking codes is worth the effort: billing errors are common, and the ones to look for are duplicate codes (the same service billed twice), codes for services you never received, and separate codes for things that should have been billed as one package. If something looks off, call the billing office before you pay.
How do I look up a CPT code for free?
Most professional lookup tools sit behind subscriptions, and the AMA's own tool requires registration. Free options do exist: this site explains commonly used codes in plain English, Medicare's website has a fee schedule lookup, and your insurance company's site usually has a code checker for members. What free tools generally won't give you is payer-specific rules, like which codes your particular insurer bundles together.
Are CPT codes the same for every insurance company?
The codes themselves, yes. 99213 means the same visit whether the claim goes to Medicare, Aetna, or a small regional plan. What changes is everything around the code: how much each payer pays, which codes they bundle together, and what documentation they want. Same language, different rulebooks. That's why a claim can sail through one payer and get denied by another with identical coding.
Is there a CPT code for telehealth visits?
Yes. The 2025 code set added a dedicated telemedicine family, 98000 through 98016, covering video and audio-only visits. The catch: Medicare declined to pay for most of them and wants regular office visit codes (99202–99215) with a telehealth modifier instead. Commercial payers are split. Telehealth billing is one area where you genuinely have to check each payer's policy every year.
How often are CPT codes updated?
Once a year, effective January 1. The AMA adds new codes, deletes obsolete ones, and rewrites descriptions. Billing software usually updates automatically, but any cheat sheets or superbills your office keeps on paper need a manual check each January. Category III and PLA codes also get mid-year releases.
Are CPT code descriptions copyrighted?
The official AMA descriptions are, yes. The code numbers themselves are used publicly everywhere. Everything on this site is written in our own words for education and reference, not copied from the code book. If your organization needs the official text, license it from the AMA.
Sources
Code set structure and annual update facts: American Medical Association — CPT. Fee schedule and telehealth policy: CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes: CMS ICD-10 files. How we research and verify: our editorial policy.