Frequently asked questions

The CPC exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and you get four hours in one sitting, which works out to about 2.4 minutes per question. The last 10 questions are short medical-record cases, one question each.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam

You need an overall score of 70%, which means at least 70 correct answers out of 100. If you don't pass, AAPC tells you which areas scored 65% or less so you know what to study before retesting. Results usually arrive within 7–10 business days.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam

Yes. You may use the AMA's CPT® Professional Edition plus an ICD-10-CM and a HCPCS Level II code book from any publisher, printed or as eBooks in the exam platform. Short handwritten notes about everyday coding and page tabs are allowed in printed books; long passages, practice-exam questions and altered pages are not. Phones and other electronic devices are not allowed in the exam room.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam

AAPC lists the CPC exam at $425 for one attempt or $499 for two attempts. Keeping the credential once you pass requires an annual AAPC membership and 36 continuing education units (CEUs) every two years.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam · AAPC: Certified Professional Coder (CPC)

Yes. You can take it at home with a live remote proctor (you'll need an external webcam and a setup that meets AAPC's requirements) or on a computer at a testing center. Register at least three weeks before your exam date.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam · AAPC: Certified Professional Coder (CPC)

The 100 questions are spread across 17 areas: medical terminology (4), anatomy (4), compliance and regulatory (3), coding guidelines (7), ICD-10-CM (5), HCPCS Level II (3), the CPT® surgery series 10,000–60,000 (6 each), radiology (6), pathology and laboratory (6), medicine (6), E/M (6), anesthesia (4), and 10 medical-record cases.

Source: AAPC: Taking the CPC exam

Learn the ICD-10-CM conventions and Official Guidelines first, because they decide most diagnosis questions. Then practise timed questions with your own code books open, review every explanation (including for questions you got right), and keep returning to the questions you missed. Our practice sets and spaced review are built around that loop.

The FY2027 code set took effect on October 1, 2026, for encounters through September 30, 2027. According to the official CDC addenda, it adds 190 codes, deletes 30 and revises 4, for 74,879 codes in total. The Official Guidelines were updated at the same time.

Source: CDC/NCHS: ICD-10-CM files

All ICD-10-CM questions are checked against the FY2027 code set and Official Guidelines (effective October 1, 2026). When the code set changes each October, we re-check the questions and fix or remove any that no longer hold.

Questions and study guides are written with AI (Anthropic's Claude) from the official ICD-10-CM guidelines, then checked automatically: every code must exist in the current official code set, and an independent AI check must reach the same answer without seeing the key. They have not been reviewed by a credentialed coder yet, so use them as practice and report anything that looks wrong.

Yes. Every practice set, explanation and study guide is free, with no account needed. A free account only adds syncing of your results and review deck across devices.

No. Without an account your results and review deck are saved in your browser. Create a free account if you want to keep them across devices.

ICD-10-CM codes describe diagnoses (why the patient was seen). CPT® codes describe the procedures and services a provider performed. HCPCS Level II codes cover supplies, drugs, equipment and some services not in CPT®, mostly for Medicare. The CPC exam tests all three.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8% growth for medical records specialists from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,000 openings a year, and reports a median pay of $51,140 in May 2025. Certification may be required or preferred by employers.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical Records Specialists

No. Medical Coding Prep Test is an independent practice resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by AAPC, AHIMA or the American Medical Association.