ICD-11 Classification of Tourette Syndrome (8A05.00)

A precise diagnostic code is the foundation of every shared-care conversation — here is exactly where Tourette Syndrome sits in ICD-11.

In short

In the WHO ICD-11-MMS, Tourette Syndrome carries the code 8A05.00, sitting within the parent category 8A05 Tic disorders. ICD-11 has relocated tic disorders from the older mental-and-behavioural grouping into Diseases of the nervous system (Chapter 08), while retaining a cross-listing with neurodevelopmental disorders — a deliberate reflection of its neurodevelopmental nature. The diagnosis requires both multiple motor tics and at least one phonic (vocal) tic, present for over a year with onset in childhood or adolescence.

The classification, in detail

Under 8A05 Tic disorders, ICD-11 distinguishes:

• 8A05.00 Tourette syndrome — combined chronic motor and phonic tics meeting the duration and onset criteria.
• Related sibling categories for chronic motor-only or phonic-only tic disorders and transient/developmental tic presentations.

Key ICD-11 features worth noting for peer-to-peer use:

• Multi-parenting: 8A05 is anchored in the nervous-system chapter yet secondary-parented under neurodevelopmental disorders, so the code surfaces from either pathway.
• Onset and course: childhood onset, characteristic waxing-and-waning course, frequent attenuation by adulthood.
• Comorbidity coding: ADHD (6A05) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (6B20) are commonly co-occurring and should be coded separately where present, as they often drive functional impairment more than the tics themselves.

This contrasts with ICD-10, where Tourette sat under F95.2 within behavioural and emotional disorders — the ICD-11 move signals the consensus shift toward a neurodevelopmental framing.

When to refer

Refer for structured developmental and neurological assessment where tics are persistent (>12 months), cause functional or social impairment, or co-occur with attentional, obsessive-compulsive or emotional-regulation difficulties. Sudden-onset, explosive, or focal-neurological presentations warrant prompt neurology review rather than therapy-first pathways.

The Pinnacle way

AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from a code lookup or an online form. For a child with tics and co-occurring profiles, our behavioural and developmental therapy pathways and a clinician-administered AbilityScore® translate the diagnostic picture into a measurable, family-ready plan. Partner with Pinnacle for shared-care across 70+ centres.

Trusted sources

WHO ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, tic disorders category; WHO classification framework for neurodevelopmental and nervous-system disorders.

Next step — Refer a child with persistent tics for structured assessment — connect with a Pinnacle clinical team.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.