OBJECTIVES: To determine the pattern and predictors of ambulatory care visits for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in adolescents and young adults. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the 2008-2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data. Annual visits for SUD were estimated using the ICD-9CM codes 303-305; descriptive statistics were performed on the weighted sample. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of SUD visits identified based on previous literature. Adolescents and young adults were defined as individuals 12-25 years of age. RESULTS: An estimated 23.45 million patient visits were attributable to SUD during 2008-2010. About 15.47% of these visits were by adolescents and young adults. Majority of these visits were by male (65.21%), white (89.33%), and had comorbid anxiety (23.43%), or bipolar disorder (29.78%). The probability of SUD related visit decreased by 5.3% [OR=0.947, CI-0.939-0.955] with each year increase in age. Males had twice the odds of SUD visit than females [OR=2.193, CI-1.285-3.742]. No racial differences were found, although literature suggests racial variation in SUD. Likelihood of SUD visit was 72% lower [OR=0.281, CI-0.129-0.615] in the West than in the Midwest. Literature suggests strong association between SUD and psychiatric comorbidities. The present study specifically found that comorbid anxiety or bipolar disorder increased the odds of SUD visits by 5.2 [OR=5.220, CI-2.616-10.414] and 16.6 [OR=16.625, CI-5.871-47.076] times respectively. Significant associations were observed between SUD visits and psychiatric co-medications. Patients receiving prescription for Alpha-2 agonists and mood-stabilizers had 10 [OR=10.122, CI-1.618-63.323] and 2.4 [OR=2.420, CI-1.085-5.400] times higher odds of SUD visits respectively while receiving anxiolytics had an opposite effect [OR=0.454, CI-0.208-0.989]. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study are in congruence with previous literature using adult samples. Study suggests early onset of SUD in children and adolescents with higher visit rates in patients with mood or anxiety disorders.