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CO-302 Denial Code: Authorization Time Limit Expired

CO-302 means the precertification, notification, authorization, or pre-treatment time limit expired. Either the service happened after the approval's valid period ended, or the request or notification wasn't made within the payer's required timeframe.

Quick facts

Code
CO-302 (CARC 302)
Status
Active In use since November 1, 2020.
Code set
Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The usual group. The provider is responsible and generally can't bill the patient for the denied amount.
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): Some plans put the penalty on the member when the member was responsible for notification. Bill the patient only if the payer reports PR.
Official description
Precertification/notification/authorization/pre-treatment time limit has expired.
X12 Claim Adjustment Reason Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What CO-302 means

CARC 302 says the precertification, notification, authorization, or pre-treatment time limit has expired. Authorizations aren’t open-ended. They’re valid for a date range, and many plans also set deadlines for when a request or notification must be made, for example within a set time after an emergency admission. If the service falls outside the valid period, or the notice came too late, the payer denies with CO-302.

The denial often surprises practices because an authorization number is on file and looks valid. The problem is the calendar: the approval may have covered 60 or 90 days, and the service happened on day 95.

Common causes

  • Service delivered after the authorization end date, common with long courses of therapy or delayed surgeries.
  • Rescheduled procedure moved outside the approved window.
  • Late admission notification for inpatient stays.
  • Late notification for services that require notice rather than full approval, such as some maternity or home health admissions.
  • Authorization dates entered wrong in the practice’s tracking system.

How to fix it

  1. Compare the date of service to the authorization’s start and end dates and any notification deadline.
  2. If the payer’s dates are wrong, send proof of the approved dates and request reprocessing.
  3. If notification was timely, appeal with fax confirmations, portal timestamps, or call reference numbers.
  4. Ask about retroactive extension when care continued under the same plan of care.
  5. Appeal with circumstances such as an emergency or payer-side delay, following the plan’s timeframes.
  6. Write off if no exception applies. Don’t bill the patient under CO.

How to prevent it

  • Track authorization end dates and remaining visits and request extensions before they run out.
  • Recheck authorization when a procedure is rescheduled.
  • Build notification deadlines into admission workflows, including weekends and holidays.
  • Keep submission proof for every request and notice. See authorization and referral denials.

Specialty notes

PT/OT and behavioral health practices with ongoing treatment plans see CO-302 when approvals lapse mid-course. Hospitals see it on admissions where notification deadlines were missed over a weekend.

Remark codes that may appear with CO-302

  • N385 (Notification of admission was not timely according to published plan procedures.): Notification of admission was not timely according to published plan procedures.
  • N54 (Claim information is inconsistent with pre-certified/authorized services.): The claim is inconsistent with the pre-certified or authorized services, including dates.
  • CO-210 (Payment adjusted because pre-certification/authorization not received in a timely fashion): Pre-certification or authorization not received in a timely fashion, typically a request made late.
  • CO-197 (Precertification/authorization/notification/pre-treatment absent.): No authorization on file at all.
  • CO-198 (Precertification/notification/authorization/pre-treatment exceeded.): Authorization exceeded, such as more visits or units than approved.
  • CO-296 (Precertification/authorization/notification/pre-treatment number may be valid but does not apply to the provider.): Authorization valid but for a different provider.

CO-302 FAQ

How is CO-302 different from CO-210?

Both involve timing. CO-210 focuses on an authorization that wasn't received in time. CO-302 says the time limit itself expired, often meaning the service fell outside the approval's valid dates or a notification deadline passed. Payers use them somewhat differently, so read the remark code.

Can I extend an authorization after it expires?

Some payers allow an extension or a new authorization with retroactive dates when services continued under the same plan of care. Many don't. Call the utilization management department as soon as you notice.

Can I appeal CO-302?

Yes, if there's a reason: the payer's system shows the wrong dates, the notification was made on time and you have proof, or an emergency delayed the request. Include fax confirmations, portal records, or call reference numbers.

What about inpatient admission notifications?

Many plans require notice of an admission within a set time, such as one business day. Late notice can trigger CO-302 on the facility claim even when the stay is medically necessary.