Skip to main content
Headway

Billing and coding

ICD-10 codes for impulse disorders

Learn about impulse disorder ICD-10 coding with our guide, including overviews of classification for proper documentation, treatment planning, and insurance claims.

June 27, 2025

5 min read

Proper documentation is essential for accurate billing and timely payment. Along with identifying your client’s diagnosis, you’ll need to find the right ICD-10 code to include in your session notes and insurance claim. 

One diagnosis therapists treat and bill is impulse disorders. Below, learn more about ICD-10 codes for impulse disorders to streamline your documentation and billing process as a therapist.

Specific impulse control disorder codes and classifications

Impulse disorders fall under the ICD-10 F code F63, or “Impulse disorders.”

This section includes disorders that involve repeated failures to resist impulses or urges to perform acts that harm the individual or others. While these behaviors may initially provide a sense of relief or gratification, they often lead to personal distress and social or professional disruption.

Beneath F63 are several subtypes of impulse disorders. It’s important to use the most accurate code possible when you’re diagnosing your client and filing insurance claims.

Pathological gambling (F63.0)

F63.0 Pathological Gambling, now called Gambling Disorder, is characterized by persistent, recurrent problematic gambling behavior leading to significant impairment or distress. 

Diagnostic criteria include behaviors like increasing amounts wagered, unsuccessful attempts to cut back on the behavior, lying to conceal gambling, and jeopardizing relationships or work. At least four criteria must be met within a 12-month period.

Prior to a diagnosis, clinicians should rule out Z72.6 Gambling and Betting, F30 and F31 Excessive Gambling by Manic Patients, and F60.2, Gambling in Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Pyromania (F63.1)

F63.1 Pyromania, or Pathological Fire Setting, is characterized by deliberate and purposeful fire-setting on more than one occasion. 

Diagnostic criteria include tension or emotional arousal before the act, fascination with fire, and pleasure or relief when setting fires. The behavior is not done for monetary gain, political expression, or to conceal criminal activity. 

Prior to a diagnosis, clinicians should rule out fire-setting by an adult with antisocial personality disorder (F60.2), alcohol or psychoactive substance intoxication (F10-F19), conduct disorders (F91), mental disorders due to known physiological condition (F01-F09), and schizophrenia (F20).

Kleptomania (F63.2)

F63.2 Kleptomania, or pathological stealing, is characterized by a recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal items that are not needed for personal use or monetary value. 

Diagnostic criteria include increasing tension before the theft and pleasure, gratification, or relief during the act.

Prior to a diagnosis, clinicians should rule out shoplifting as the reason for observation for suspected mental disorder (Z03.8). Other differential diagnoses include depressive disorder with stealing (F31-F33), stealing due to underlying mental condition (code to mental condition), and stealing in mental disorders due to known physiological condition (F01-F09).

Intermittent explosive disorder (F63.81)

F63.81 Intermittent explosive disorder is marked by recurrent behavioral outbursts representing a failure to control aggressive impulses. These outbursts can be verbal (e.g., temper tantrums, arguments) or physical (e.g., property damage, assault) and are grossly out of proportion to the situation. The outbursts are different from developmentally appropriate behaviors, like toddler tantrums.

To meet diagnostic criteria, episodes must occur twice weekly for at least three months (verbal/physical aggression) or involve three behavioral outbursts causing damage or injury within 12 months.

Prior to a diagnosis, clinicians should rule out habitual excessive use of alcohol of psychoactive substance (F10-F19) and impulse disorders involving sexual behavior (F65).

Other and unspecified impulse disorders (F63.89, F63.9)

F63.89 (Other Specified Impulse Disorders) and F63.9 (Unspecified Impulse Disorder) are used when a client presents with clinically significant impulse control symptoms that do not meet the full criteria for a specific diagnosis like kleptomania or pyromania. These codes are helpful when behavior is clearly impulsive, repetitive, and distressing, but does not align with defined categories. 

F63.89 is appropriate when the clinician can specify the nature of the disorder — for example, skin-picking, compulsive shopping, or repetitive nail biting — but there’s no specific ICD-10 code available.

F63.9 should be used when insufficient information is available for a more specific diagnosis, such as during an initial evaluation, and further assessment is needed.

Practice in-network with confidence

Simplify insurance and save time on your entire workflow — from compliance and billing to credentialing and admin.

Talk to a practice consultant

Excludes notes and differential diagnosis considerations

Unlike behaviors caused by brain injuries, substance use, or other mental health disorders, impulse control disorders are considered primary conditions. For that reason, diagnosis involves excluding other, secondary conditions. 

ICD 10 F code 63 excludes two diagnoses. Habitual excessive use of alcohol or psychoactive substances (F10-F19) is a separate diagnosis that should be ruled out prior to an impulse disorder diagnosis. Similarly, impulse disorders involving sexual behavior (F65) fall under a separate ICD-10 F code. 

F codes representing specific diagnoses may also include exclusions (which you can learn more about in the above descriptions). 

Documentation best practices for impulse control disorders

To be diagnosed with an impulse control disorder, a client typically meets specific criteria as outlined in the DSM-V-TR. Each diagnosis involves distinct criteria, but the F63 code involves some similar traits you can outline clearly in your documentation: 


  • Repetitive failure to resist impulses
  • Tension or arousal before the act
  • Pleasure, gratification, or relief during the act
  • Regret or guilt afterward
  • The behavior is not premeditated or for external reward
  • Functional impairment or distress
  • Exclusion of other conditions

If you diagnose a client with an impulse disorder, you can create your treatment plan accordingly and use the correct CPT codes when you file insurance claims.

It’s important you make a clear, accurate and specific diagnosis that is appropriate to your individual patient clinical picture. These examples should be for reference and are not intended to guide a diagnosis. The client must meet diagnostic criteria for the F code they are assigned.

Make insurance submissions for complex diagnoses easier with Headway

Navigating insurance submissions for complex diagnoses like impulse control disorders can be time-consuming — and Headway is here to help. Our platform streamlines the process, giving therapists the confidence to submit claims for complex conditions without the usual stress. We handle the billing and paperwork so you can focus on what matters most: your clients.

Talk to a practice consultant

This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.

© 2026 Therapymatch, Inc. dba Headway. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Billing and coding

How to bill insurance for therapy

Headway strives to simplify billing insurance so you can focus on providing care. Read our comprehensive guide to mental health billing.