CPC
Offered by AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders)
The AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is the core physician-practice medical coding credential. It tests whether you can assign CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II codes accurately from source documentation, apply guidelines and modifiers, and work through full cases.
EXAM AT A GLANCE
Questions
100
Testing time
4
hours
Sections
7
Delivery
Meazure Learning test center or live remote proctoring (not Pearson VUE)
Passing score
70% (70 of 100)
Cost
$425 USD one attempt or $499 two-attempt bundle, plus required AAPC membership
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What the exam covers
CPT surgery series and other CPT sections
Evaluation and management (E/M)
ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding
HCPCS Level II
Coding guidelines and modifiers
Medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology
Cases
About the CPC certification
The exam is 100 questions in 4 hours and is open-book for current printed coding manuals (not e-books or devices). AAPC requires current membership to sit. Candidates without the required experience typically earn CPC-A (apprentice) until they document qualifying work.
Who it’s for
People preparing for professional coding roles in physician offices, billing companies, and health systems.
- Validity
- Maintain with AAPC membership and continuing education; CPC-A converts to CPC after documented experience
- Prerequisites
- Current AAPC membership. No formal experience requirement to sit; two years of coding experience is recommended. Without experience you are typically credentialed as CPC-A.
Official exam page· Details verified September 2026
Exam details can change. Always confirm current requirements, fees, and exam policies with the certification provider before registering.
How to prepare
01
Buy the current-year AMA CPT Professional, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II books and tab them the way you will use them on exam day.
02
Practice looking up — speed with the index and guidelines matters more than memorizing codes.
03
Work full cases under a 2.4-minute-per-item pace (100 questions / 4 hours).
04
Drill E/M, modifiers, and ICD-10-CM guidelines; those miss patterns show up on score reports.
05
If you are new to paid coding work, plan for CPC-A and the experience path rather than treating the exam as the last step.
FAQ
Is the CPC exam open book?
Yes. AAPC allows current printed CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II manuals. Electronic code books and notes apps are not allowed.
What is CPC-A?
Apprentice status. You can pass the exam without two years of experience, then use CPC-A until you document qualifying coding work and convert to CPC.
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