CPC (Certified Professional Coder)
AAPC
Complete guide to passing the CPC (Certified Professional Coder) exam on your first attempt.
$399
~70%
Ongoing (36 CEUs/2 years)
USA
AAPC
$45k-$75k
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Complete Overview
The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is the medical coding credential awarded by AAPC, and it tests your ability to assign CPT, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II codes to physician and outpatient documentation. AAPC prices the exam at $425 for a single attempt or $499 for a voucher that covers two attempts, and a current AAPC membership is required before you can sit it. AAPC also publishes reduced student pricing of $400 for one attempt and $475 for two.
The test is 100 multiple choice questions in a single four hour sitting, which works out to about 2.4 minutes per question. It is open book, but only three code books are permitted on your desk: the AMA CPT Professional Edition, an ICD-10-CM manual from any publisher, and a HCPCS Level II manual from any publisher. AAPC allows the current year or the immediately preceding year editions, and only one copy of each. Books older than one year and next year editions are both barred.
AAPC publishes the blueprint as 17 knowledge areas plus a case section, with an exact question count attached to each. Eighty of the 100 questions map to CPT and HCPCS procedure coding, ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding, coding guidelines, terminology, anatomy and compliance. The final 10 questions are cases: full medical record excerpts where you code the encounter end to end. Because the counts are published, you can calculate your own risk. Missing every one of the 36 CPT surgery questions makes a pass arithmetically impossible.
Passing requires 70 percent overall, meaning at least 70 correct answers. Miss 31 or more and you fail. AAPC reports results to your My AAPC Account dashboard within 7 to 10 business days, and a failing report lists the knowledge areas where you scored 65 percent or less so you know what to fix before retesting.
You can take the CPC at a Pearson testing centre or at home with a live remote proctor. The at home option runs on 24/7 scheduling but requires an external webcam, which catches a lot of candidates out. Physical calculators are banned in both formats; the testing platform provides an on-screen calculator instead.
Passing without two years of coding experience earns you the CPC-A, the apprentice version of the credential. AAPC removes the A through four routes: two years of verified on-the-job coding, one year of employment plus Practicode or an 80 hour coding course, Practicode combined with an 80 hour course, or the AAPC Job-Ready Program. Employment letters must be on company letterhead, hand signed and submitted as a non-editable PDF.
Holding the CPC requires 36 CEUs every two years for a single credential, reported against your membership due date. AAPC states that CPCs earn between $23 and $32 per hour depending on location, experience and additional credentials.
Why Get CPC (Certified Professional Coder) Certified?
The CPC is the most widely recognised physician-side coding credential in the United States, and AAPC reports CPC hourly earnings of $23 to $32 depending on location and experience.
AAPC publishes the exact question count for every one of the 17 knowledge areas, so you can build a study plan around real weights instead of guesswork. The 36 questions across the CPT 10000 to 60000 surgery series alone justify months of dedicated practice.
The exam is open book. Three current code books on your desk mean the test rewards navigation speed and guideline application rather than memorising five figure code numbers.
A two attempt voucher costs $499 against $425 for one attempt, so buying the pair adds $74 and removes the cost of a second registration if the first sitting goes badly.
The credential has no degree prerequisite. AAPC recommends its training course and two years of coding experience but does not require either to register for the exam.
Failing candidates receive sub-score feedback for every area where they scored 65 percent or less, which turns a failed attempt into a targeted revision list.
AAPC's Practicode program counts as one year of coding experience towards removing the CPC-A apprentice designation, giving newcomers a route to the full credential without an employer.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
4 hours, administered in one sitting
Questions
100 questions, comprising 90 knowledge area questions and 10 coding cases with one question each
Passing Score
70 percent overall, which is at least 70 of the 100 questions correct
Question Types
- Multiple choice with four answer options
- Coding scenarios requiring CPT, ICD-10-CM or HCPCS Level II code selection
- Medical record case excerpts coded end to end in the final section
Delivery Method
Computer based at a testing centre, or online at home with a live remote proctor and an external webcam
Exam Domains & Topics
AAPC allocates 4 questions to medical terminology, 4 to anatomy and 3 to compliance and regulatory rules. Terminology and anatomy questions span every body system. The compliance questions cover Medicare coverage rules and the payment and privacy framework that governs what a coder may bill.
Key Topics to Master:
- Root words, prefixes and suffixes across all body systems
- Surface and sectional anatomy relevant to procedure code selection
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D coverage differences
- Applying coding to payment policy and place of service reporting
- Fraud and abuse rules, NCCI edits, NCDs and LCDs
- HIPAA privacy obligations and advance beneficiary notices
- Relative value units and how they drive reimbursement
Seven questions test the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines and CPT guidelines and parenthetical notes, five test diagnosis coding across all ICD-10-CM chapters, and three test HCPCS Level II. AAPC notes that diagnosis questions also appear inside the CPT sections, so the real exposure to ICD-10-CM is wider than five questions.
Key Topics to Master:
- ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, sections I through IV
- CPT guidelines and parenthetical notes preceding each code family
- Modifier selection and sequencing rules
- Diagnosis coding across all ICD-10-CM chapters including obstetrics and injury
- Combination codes, manifestation codes and the excludes1 versus excludes2 distinction
- HCPCS Level II modifiers such as the anatomic and Medicare specific sets
- HCPCS supplies, drugs by J code, and professional services for Medicare patients
Six questions each on the integumentary, musculoskeletal and respiratory or cardiovascular families. The 10000 series covers skin and breast work, the 20000 series runs head to toe through the musculoskeletal system, and the 30000 series covers respiratory, cardiovascular, hemic and lymphatic systems plus the mediastinum and diaphragm.
Key Topics to Master:
- Lesion excision sizing, repair classification and skin graft coding
- Nails, pilonidal cysts, destruction procedures and breast procedures
- Fracture care, arthroscopy versus open procedures, spine and pelvis coding
- Shoulder, arm, hand and finger, leg, foot and toe procedures
- Endoscopic respiratory procedures and thoracic surgery
- Cardiovascular catheterisation, stenting and pacemaker coding
- Hemic and lymphatic system procedures, mediastinum and diaphragm
Another six questions each. The 40000 series covers the digestive system from lips to omentum, the 50000 series covers urinary, male and female reproductive including maternity and delivery plus endocrine, and the 60000 series covers the nervous system from skull to peripheral nerves.
Key Topics to Master:
- Endoscopy coding rules for esophagus, stomach, intestines and colon
- Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, abdomen, peritoneum and omentum
- Hernia repair by type, age and reducibility
- Urinary tract and male reproductive procedures
- Maternity care and delivery global packages
- Endocrine system procedures including thyroid and adrenal
- Skull, meninges, brain, spine and spinal cord procedures
- Extracranial, peripheral and autonomic nervous system coding
Six questions on radiology and six on pathology and laboratory. Radiology spans diagnostic and interventional work plus radiation oncology and nuclear medicine. The pathology set is the widest single topic list on the blueprint, running from organ and disease panels to cytogenetic studies.
Key Topics to Master:
- Professional and technical component splitting with modifiers 26 and TC
- Diagnostic ultrasound, radiologic guidance and mammography
- Bone and joint studies, radiation oncology treatment planning, nuclear medicine
- Organ and disease oriented panels and their required constituents
- Drug testing, therapeutic drug assays and evocative or suppression testing
- Urinalysis, molecular pathology and multianalyte assays with algorithmic analyses
- Chemistry, hematology and coagulation, immunology, transfusion medicine and microbiology
- Anatomic pathology, cytopathology, cytogenetic studies and surgical pathology levels
Six questions on the medicine section, six on E/M and four on anesthesia. E/M questions cover place and level of service across the full range of settings. Anesthesia questions focus on time reporting and the modifier structure that is unique to that section of CPT.
Key Topics to Master:
- Immunisations, biofeedback, dialysis and central nervous system assessments
- Hydration, medical nutrition, therapeutic and diagnostic administration, chemotherapy administration
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment, photodynamic therapy and moderate sedation
- Office and other outpatient, hospital observation, hospital inpatient and consultation E/M
- Emergency department, critical care, nursing facility and home services
- Preventive medicine, prolonged services, chronic and transitional care management
- Anesthesia time reporting and qualifying circumstances add-on codes
- Physical status modifiers P1 through P6 and anesthesia for obstetric services
The exam closes with 10 cases carrying one question each. Each case gives you medical record documentation and asks you to code the encounter accurately using CPT, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II together. These are the longest items on the paper and the ones that punish poor time management most severely.
Key Topics to Master:
- Operative report abstraction and identifying the definitive procedure
- Sequencing principal versus secondary diagnoses from a full note
- Recognising bundled services and applying NCCI logic within a case
- Modifier assignment across multiple procedures in one session
- Distinguishing documented findings from suspected or ruled out conditions
- Reading pathology results appended to an operative note
- Working backwards from answer choices when documentation is ambiguous
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Work through AAPC's medical terminology and anatomy essentials courses, or an equivalent text, one body system per day
- 2Build a system by system sheet linking anatomy to the CPT series that codes it
- 3Drill root words, prefixes and suffixes until you can parse an unfamiliar operative term without a dictionary
- 4Take a 20 question terminology and anatomy self-quiz to establish a baseline for the 8 questions these areas carry
- 1Buy the current year AMA CPT Professional Edition, an ICD-10-CM manual and a HCPCS Level II manual, since these are the only three permitted
- 2Tab the CPT section dividers, the appendices, and the E/M and anesthesia guideline pages using tabs that only mark a page rather than adding information
- 3Read the CPT Professional Edition introduction and Appendix A modifier list end to end
- 4Practice 30 timed code lookups using the index rather than jumping straight to the tabular list
- 5Write margin notes in your print books, keeping them limited to daily coding activities as AAPC requires
- 1Read the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in full, then reread sections I.A and I.B
- 2Drill excludes1 versus excludes2, combination codes and manifestation code pairs
- 3Code 50 diagnosis-only scenarios covering neoplasms, diabetes, injury and obstetrics
- 4Tab the ICD-10-CM chapter starts and the neoplasm and drug tables
- 1Work through HCPCS Level II modifiers, J codes for drugs, and durable medical equipment supply codes
- 2Study Medicare Parts A, B, C and D coverage differences and where each applies
- 3Review NCCI edits, NCDs and LCDs, advance beneficiary notices and the RVU components
- 4Code 40 HCPCS scenarios covering supplies, medications and Medicare professional services
- 1Study integumentary rules on lesion sizing, repair classification and graft coding
- 2Work the musculoskeletal section head to toe, including fracture care and arthroscopy conversion rules
- 3Code 60 practice questions split evenly across the two series, matching the 12 questions they carry on the exam
- 4Log every question you miss in a single error notebook with the guideline that would have caught it
- 1Study respiratory, cardiovascular, hemic and lymphatic coding, including catheterisation families
- 2Work the digestive system with attention to endoscopy base code rules and hernia repair variables
- 3Code 60 practice questions across both series
- 4Add cardiovascular and endoscopy quick reference tabs to your CPT book
- 1Study urinary, male and female reproductive, maternity and delivery, and endocrine procedures
- 2Work the nervous system section including skull, spine and peripheral nerve procedures
- 3Code 60 practice questions across both series
- 4Review the maternity global package rules, which are a frequent source of wrong answers
- 1Drill professional and technical component splitting with modifiers 26 and TC
- 2Memorise which constituents are required for each organ or disease oriented panel
- 3Study surgical pathology levels 88300 through 88309 and how specimen complexity drives the level
- 4Code 50 practice questions across radiology, pathology and the medicine section
- 1Work every E/M setting on the AAPC blueprint from office visits to home services
- 2Study preventive medicine, prolonged services, chronic care and transitional care management
- 3Learn anesthesia time reporting, qualifying circumstances codes and physical status modifiers P1 through P6
- 4Code 40 mixed E/M and anesthesia questions under timed conditions
- 1Sit a full AAPC practice exam under strict four hour timing with only your three code books
- 2Work 20 operative report cases, mirroring the 10 case section at the end of the real exam
- 3Review every missed question and trace it back to a guideline or an index habit
- 4Recheck your books for anything AAPC prohibits, such as notes copied from practice exams
- 1Sit a second full AAPC practice exam and record your time at question 25, 50 and 75
- 2Rehearse the two pass method: answer everything you can in under two minutes, mark the rest, return at the end
- 3Rebuild any tab that you reached for slowly during the mock
- 4Target the weakest two knowledge areas from your error notebook with 40 fresh questions each
- 1Sit a final timed practice exam and aim for a margin above the 70 question pass mark
- 2Confirm your AAPC membership is current, your voucher is unused and your address on file is correct
- 3Check your government issued photo ID matches your exam confirmation name exactly, since temporary, paper, copied and digital IDs are refused
- 4If testing at home, test your external webcam and run the AAPC exam tutorial video end to end
- 5Pack only the three permitted books and leave every device with an on or off switch outside the room
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Best Study Resources
AAPC CPC Preparation Course
Official training courseAAPC's own preparation course, offered self-paced or virtual instructor-led. AAPC states most people complete the coursework and pass the exam in 4 to 8 months. Completing it earns 40 CEUs once you are certified.
Package pricing published by AAPC, starting at $3,099 for the bundled path
AMA CPT Professional Edition
Code bookOne of only three books allowed on your desk. The Professional Edition is specified by AAPC by name, so the standard or spiral editions from other publishers do not satisfy the requirement.
Priced by AMA and resellers, current year edition
ICD-10-CM code book, current year
Code bookAAPC accepts any publisher for ICD-10-CM. Only one copy is permitted and it must be the current or immediately preceding year. The Official Guidelines printed at the front are the source for the 7 guideline questions.
Varies by publisher
HCPCS Level II code book, current year
Code bookAny publisher is accepted. AAPC has stated that 2025 HCPCS Level II codes apply to exams before 2 March 2026, and that either the 2025 or 2026 book may be used on or after that date.
Varies by publisher
AAPC official CPC practice exams
Practice examsFull length practice papers written to the published 100 question blueprint. Notes taken from these practice exams may not be written into your code books, so use them for pacing and error logging rather than as a source of margin notes.
Sold individually and in bundles by AAPC
AAPC Practicode
Coding simulation platformA real record coding simulator. Completing Practicode counts as one year of experience towards removing the CPC-A apprentice designation, which is why it appears in two of AAPC's four removal pathways.
Sold separately or included in most AAPC training packages
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
Free government documentPublished by CMS and NCHS and reprinted in every ICD-10-CM book. Seven exam questions target these guidelines and CPT guidelines directly, and diagnosis questions elsewhere on the paper depend on them too.
Free
National Correct Coding Initiative edit files
Free government referenceCMS publishes the NCCI procedure to procedure edits and the NCCI policy manual. The compliance and regulatory questions and several case questions turn on knowing which pairs of codes cannot be billed together.
Free
AAPC exam tutorial video
Free vendor videoAAPC lists reviewing the exam tutorial video among the basic exam requirements. It shows the testing platform, including the on-screen calculator that replaces the physical calculator you are not allowed to bring.
Free
AAPC discussion forum
Free communityAAPC hosts a public forum where certified coders answer code selection questions and post exam experience threads. Useful for checking how a guideline is applied in practice rather than as a primary study source.
Free to browse
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Bringing an unapproved code book or a fourth book to the exam. Candidates often assume a specialty guide or a coder's desk reference is allowed because the exam is open book.
AAPC permits exactly three books: the AMA CPT Professional Edition, one ICD-10-CM manual and one HCPCS Level II manual, one copy each. Pack those three and nothing else.
Writing study guide or practice exam content into the margins of the code books. Candidates treat their books as a cheat sheet and copy answer explanations into the blank pages.
AAPC allows handwritten notes only if they relate to daily coding activities, and explicitly prohibits notes from study guides, practice exams or the exam itself. Long passages on blank pages are also barred. Keep margin notes to short working reminders.
Using tabs that supplement rather than mark. Some candidates print mini reference cards and staple them in as tabs.
Tabs may be inserted, taped, pasted, glued or stapled, but only to earmark a page with a word or a number. Anything that adds information to the book can disqualify you at check-in.
Buying next year's code books because they are on sale before the exam date.
Upcoming year books are not allowed. AAPC accepts the current year or the immediately preceding year only, and books older than one year are refused. If you use a second attempt in a new calendar year, you cannot sit the previous year's version of the exam.
Spending eight minutes on a difficult 60000 series nervous system question early in the paper and running out of time before the 10 cases.
The cases are worth 10 questions and sit at the end. Answer everything you can inside two minutes on a first pass, mark the rest, and reserve at least 45 minutes for the case section.
Leaving questions blank because you are not confident in the answer.
There is no penalty for a wrong answer. AAPC's own guidance is that a one in four chance beats a zero chance, so mark something on every one of the 100 questions before time expires.
Treating the four ICD-10-CM chapters you find hardest as optional because only five questions are labelled ICD-10-CM.
AAPC states that diagnosis questions also appear inside the CPT sections and in the 10 cases. Weak diagnosis coding costs you far more than five questions.
Choosing the at-home remote proctored option without an external webcam.
AAPC requires an external webcam for the at-home format, not the laptop's built-in camera. Run the technical check well before exam day or book a testing centre instead.
Booking the exam before AAPC membership is active, then finding the voucher cannot be redeemed.
Current AAPC membership, a valid email and address on file, and an unused electronic exam voucher are all listed as basic exam requirements. Verify all three in your My AAPC Account before scheduling.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Bring a valid government issued photo ID whose first and last name match your exam confirmation exactly. AAPC refuses temporary IDs, paper IDs, copies and digital IDs, and a middle initial mismatch has stopped candidates at check-in.
- 2
Leave every electronic device with an on or off switch outside the exam room. AAPC warns that phones and tablets in the room may result in disqualification of your exam.
- 3
Do not pack a physical calculator. The electronic testing platform provides an on-screen calculator, and physical ones are not permitted.
- 4
If you selected eBooks instead of print, expect a shared library with a search function but none of your own tabs or notes. Decide which format you want well before exam day and practise in that format.
- 5
Check every tab in your print books the night before. A tab that carries a written reminder rather than just a page label is a problem you want to find at home, not at the check-in desk.
- 6
Read the four answer choices before reading the question stem on coding scenarios. If all four options share the same base code, the question is really about the modifier or the units.
- 7
Track your pace against 2.4 minutes per question. Hitting question 50 at the two hour mark leaves the case section intact.
- 8
For the at-home option, clear your desk to the three permitted books before the proctor's room scan, and have the external webcam positioned so the proctor can see your workspace.
- 9
Expect results in your My AAPC Account dashboard under My Exams within 7 to 10 business days rather than on screen at the end of the sitting.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Outpatient or physician practice coder
Assigns CPT, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II codes to physician office and outpatient encounters for claim submission. AAPC's 2026 salary report puts the 2025 average for CPC holders at $67,147, up 19.6 percent on 2020, and AAPC's own CPC page quotes hourly earnings of $23 to $32 depending on location, experience and additional credentials.
$67,147 average
Medical billing and revenue cycle specialist
Works claims from coding through submission, denial management and appeals. NCCI edits, LCD and NCD knowledge from the compliance section of the CPC blueprint maps directly onto denial work. AAPC reports a 2025 average of $63,874 for holders of its Certified Professional Biller credential, which is a stand-alone certification requiring no CPC first.
$63,874 average
Coding auditor
Reviews coded encounters against documentation for accuracy and compliance. AAPC's CPMA is the usual next credential and reports a 2025 average of $81,591. Holding the CPC and the CPMA together raises the continuing education requirement from 36 to 40 CEUs every two years.
$81,591 average
Clinical documentation improvement specialist
Queries clinicians to close gaps between what was performed and what the record supports. Strong ICD-10-CM guideline knowledge is the core skill, which is why many CDI specialists start as CPCs. AAPC reports a 2025 average of $83,611 for its Certified Documentation Expert-Outpatient credential.
$83,611 average
Risk adjustment coder
Codes diagnoses for Medicare Advantage and other risk adjusted populations. AAPC's CRC is a stand-alone certification with no requirement to hold the CPC first, but the two are commonly held together, and AAPC reports a 2025 CRC average of $74,629.
$74,629 average
Coding educator or trainer
Teaches coding curriculum in a school, employer or AAPC local chapter setting. AAPC runs an instructor certification path and licenses its curriculum to institutions. AAPC Approved Instructors reported the highest 2025 average in its salary report at $94,357.
$94,357 average
Prerequisites & Requirements
- There is no degree, licence or formal education requirement to sit the CPC exam.
- A current AAPC membership is required. AAPC lists individual annual membership dues at $229 plus tax where applicable, payable every year even in a year when no CEUs are due.
- You must have a current email address and valid postal address on file with AAPC.
- You need a valid, unused electronic exam voucher purchased at $425 for one attempt or $499 for two.
- AAPC recommends completing its CPC training course plus medical terminology and anatomy coursework before sitting, but does not require it.
- Two years of coding experience is recommended. Without it you pass as a CPC-A apprentice and remove the A later through employment verification, Practicode, an 80 hour course, or the Job-Ready Program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the CPC exam and how long do I get?
The CPC exam is 100 multiple choice questions with four hours to complete them in a single sitting. AAPC calculates that as roughly 2.4 minutes per question. Ninety questions are drawn from 17 knowledge areas and the final 10 are cases based on medical record documentation, one question each.
What score do I need to pass the CPC exam?
You need 70 percent overall, which means at least 70 of the 100 questions answered correctly. AAPC states that if you get more than 30 questions wrong you will not pass. There is no separate minimum for any individual knowledge area.
How much does the CPC exam cost?
AAPC prices the CPC exam at $425 for one attempt or $499 for a voucher covering two attempts. Student pricing is $400 for one attempt and $475 for two. These are the fees AAPC publishes for its core exams, which also include COC, CIC, CRC, CPMA, CPCO, CPPM, CDEO, CDEI and CPB. A current AAPC membership is required on top of the exam fee.
What happens if I fail the CPC exam?
You receive a report identifying every knowledge area where you scored 65 percent or less, so you know which topics to rework before retesting. If you bought the two attempt voucher at $499 the second sitting is already paid for. If you bought a single attempt you purchase another voucher to retest.
Can I use the previous year's code books if I retake in a new calendar year?
No. AAPC states that examinees using a second attempt in the next calendar year will not be permitted to take the previous year's exam. AAPC updates its exams every January for the new code sets, so a retake in a new year is scored against the new code set and you need books that cover it.
Which code books am I allowed to bring?
Exactly three: the AMA CPT Professional Edition, an ICD-10-CM manual from any publisher, and a HCPCS Level II manual from any publisher. Only one copy of each is allowed. You may use the current year edition, the immediately preceding year edition, or a mix of both. Books older than one year and next year's editions are refused.
Am I allowed to write in my code books?
Yes, with limits. AAPC permits handwritten notes in print code books when they pertain to daily coding activities. Notes taken from study guides, practice exams or the exam itself are prohibited, and long passages of information on blank pages are not allowed. Altering, whiting out, painting over or printing over pages to supplement information is also prohibited.
Can I bring a calculator to the CPC exam?
No physical calculator is permitted. The electronic testing platform provides an on-screen calculator that you use instead. Electronic devices with an on or off switch, including phones and tablets, are not allowed in the exam room at all, and bringing one may result in disqualification.
What ID do I need on exam day?
A valid, government issued photo ID whose first and last name match your exam confirmation exactly. AAPC does not accept temporary IDs, paper IDs, photocopies or digital IDs. Check the spelling on your confirmation against your ID when you book, not on the morning of the exam.
Can I take the CPC exam at home?
Yes. AAPC offers an online at home option with a live remote proctor and 24/7 scheduling, alongside testing centre delivery at hundreds of locations. The at home route requires your equipment to meet AAPC's technical requirements including an external webcam. Testing centres provide the equipment and an on-site proctor for technical problems.
How long do CPC results take?
AAPC states results are available within 7 to 10 business days of completing the exam, posted to your My AAPC Account dashboard under My Exams. AAPC notes the timeframe can vary with exam volume and time of year. Once you pass, the certificate is mailed to you.
What is a CPC-A and how do I remove the A?
The A means apprentice, and it is attached to your credential if you pass without two years of coding experience. AAPC removes it through four routes: two years of verified on-the-job coding using CPT, ICD-10-CM or HCPCS Level II; one year of verified employment plus AAPC's Practicode or an approved 80 hour coding course; Practicode plus an 80 hour course; or AAPC's Job-Ready Program. Employer letters must be on company letterhead, hand signed, dated, include contact details and be uploaded as a non-editable PDF.
How do I keep the CPC credential current?
Hold a current AAPC membership, abide by the AAPC Code of Ethics, and complete 36 CEUs every two years if you hold one credential. AAPC increases the requirement as you add credentials, moving to 40 CEUs for two certifications and 44 for three. CEUs are reported every two years on or before your membership due date, and membership fees are payable annually even in a year when no CEUs are due.
Do I need to hold a CPC before taking other AAPC exams?
No. AAPC states that CPMA, CPCO, CPPM, CRC, CIC, CPB and its specialty credentials are stand-alone certifications with no requirement to hold a CPC, COC or CPC-P first. AAPC does note these are difficult, high-level exams that are not intended for candidates with little or no coding experience, and recommends around two years of relevant experience.
How does the CPC compare with the COC and the CIC?
All three are AAPC core exams priced identically at $425 for one attempt or $499 for two, but they target different settings. The CPC covers physician and outpatient coding. The COC targets outpatient hospital and facility coding. The CIC targets inpatient facility coding. Each exam measures only the credential named on it, so passing one does not grant any of the others.
How long does it take to get CPC certified from scratch?
AAPC states most people complete the coursework and pass the exam in 4 to 8 months. That assumes a structured preparation course plus the medical terminology and anatomy background AAPC recommends. Candidates who already code professionally often prepare in less time by concentrating on code book navigation and timed practice.
Are accommodations available for the CPC exam?
AAPC handles testing accommodation requests through its customer service team rather than publishing a self-serve process on the exam page. Contact AAPC customer service on 1-800-626-2633 before you purchase or schedule a voucher, since accommodations need to be arranged with the testing provider ahead of your appointment.
Is the CPC exam offered in languages other than English?
AAPC delivers the CPC in English. The exam is built around the AMA CPT Professional Edition, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II, all of which are published in English, and AAPC does not publish alternative language versions of the exam on its certification pages.
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