With a length of 7.2 kilometers (4.5 mi), it begins at its intersection with PR-165 on the Contorno–Galateo line in Toa Alta, and ends at its junction with PR-677 and PR-679 in Espinosa barrio in Dorado.

[3] Due to its rural characteristics, PR-823 has a single lane per direction in the entire length.

In Toa Alta, PR-823 goes to the south through Río Lajas barrio from the Dorado municipal limit to PR-820, where it turns to the east.

After the river, PR-823 serves as the boundary for Contorno and Galateo barrios until its eastern terminus at PR-165 junction.

The current numerical designation corresponds to the 1953 Puerto Rico highway renumbering, a process implemented by the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (Spanish: Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas) that increased the insular highway network to connect existing routes with different locations around Puerto Rico.