PLA background
Proprietary Laboratory Analyses (PLA) codes were created as a specialized addition to the CPT® code set, following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule on June 17, 2016. This rule, implemented under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), outlined the new pricing, coding and reporting requirements for clinical laboratory tests on the Medicare Clinical Lab Fee Schedule (CLFS). PLA codes, alpha-numeric CPT codes with a corresponding descriptor, allow labs or manufacturers to more specifically identify their advanced diagnostic laboratory tests (ADLTs) or FDA-cleared/approved clinical diagnostic laboratory tests (CDLTs), especially in cases where no applicable CPT Category I code exists.
These codes are designated for tests performed on human specimens that do not include a physician work component and must be requested by the clinical laboratory or manufacturer offering the test. PLA codes can represent tests from a single "sole-source" lab or those licensed to multiple providers and are contained in a distinct non-Category I subsection of the CPT code set. If a specific PLA code has not been established for a test, reporting should be done using either a CPT Category I laboratory code or an Administrative Multianalyte Assays with Algorithmic Analyses (MAAA) code listed in Appendix O.
To guide the development and review of new PLA codes, the AMA CPT® Editorial Panel established the Proprietary Laboratory Analyses Technical Advisory Group (PLA-TAG). This group is composed of industry experts and stakeholders—including representatives from independent and commercial labs, private payers, professional organizations, academia, and practitioners—who play a key role in reviewing PLA code applications and ensuring all new ADLTs and CDLTs are accurately tracked and represented within the coding system.
Types of PLA code tests
PLA codes, which include many types of tests, have been assigned an alphanumeric structure to expand the code number capacity in the CPT code set and to distinguish these codes from other CPT codes.
The PLA Code section includes (but is not limited to) Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (ADLTs) and Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests (CDLTs) as defined under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA). These analyses may include a range of medical laboratory tests including, but not limited to, Multianalyte Assays with Algorithmic Analyses (MAAA), Genomic Sequencing Procedures (GSP), Infectious Disease/Microbiology, and Chemistry. The descriptor nomenclature follows, where possible, existing code conventions (e.g., MAAA, GSP).
PLA specific requirements
PLA codes are not required to fulfill Category I CPT code criteria. Tests that have a physician work component do not meet eligibility for a PLA code. Applications that are incomplete or contain significant errors after the submission deadline are subject to rejection or termination during review. For an application to be considered complete, the test’s Standard Operating Procedure(s) must be submitted and must describe all aspects of the test.
The standards for inclusion in the PLA section are:
- The test must be commercially available in the United States for use on human specimens by the time the application is submitted.
- The CLIA-certified or accredited clinical laboratory performing the PLA test or the manufacturer offering an FDA-approved, cleared, or classified in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test must request the code.
In addition, per the CPT guidelines for PLA codes, applications must satisfy all applicable criteria for inclusion in the PLA code set, which include:
- All aspects of the analysis must be performed by a single (“sole-source,” including the same or different locations, owned and operated by the same entity) laboratory or licensed or marketed to multiple providing laboratories (e.g., cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA]).
- Algorithm-only analyses of existing test results, without accompanying biomarker analysis, do not meet eligibility criteria for a PLA code.
Apply for PLA codes
PLA code change applications are reviewed quarterly and code change applications are accepted all year. Check the PLA calendar for important deadlines and review dates.
All code change applications are to be submitted via the CPT Smart App. Applications previously submitted and/or drafted in the PLA platform will remain accessible until Feb. 10, 2026, but the PLA platform will no longer be usable. This change does not affect any current or previous PLA panel actions or reviews. Review instructions for submitting a code change application via the CPT Smart App including:
- CPT Smart App resources including instructional videos
- Submission and requirements for code change applications
- Additional reference materials and resources
Please review the PLA tutorial (PDF), the PLA FAQs page and the CPT Smart App FAQ page for additional information on how to apply.
PLA code review, meeting and publication schedule
PLA test codes will be released and posted online on a quarterly basis (fall, winter, spring and summer) in data files. New codes are effective in the quarter following their publication. These codes will also be included in the annual update of the CPT codebook beginning based on publication date. Review the application submission calendar for additional information on:
- Code change application submission deadlines for quarterly review cycle
- Dates for code change application review by the PLA Technical Advisory Group (PLA-TAG)
- Dates for the CPT® Editorial Panel consideration of code change applications
- Publication dates for the approved codes
- Effective dates for the new codes
For a complete listing of all upcoming dates and deadlines, including publication and effective dates for approved codes, please refer to the PLA Editorial Panel meetings & calendar.
For additional information on the application and review process, visit the PLA FAQs page.
Approved PLA codes
View the PLA codes with full descriptions, PLA code medium descriptors, and the PLA code short descriptors that were approved by the CPT Editorial Panel.
CPT Proprietary Laboratory Analyses Codes Short Descriptors (PDF, updated Dec. 30, 2025)
CPT Proprietary Laboratory Analyses Codes Medium Descriptors (PDF, updated Dec. 30, 2025)
CPT Proprietary Laboratory Analyses Codes Long Descriptors (PDF, updated Dec. 30, 2025)
Contact us
For all questions or further information regarding PLA codes, contact CPT staff at [email protected].
