What is the CPC and how do you earn it?
The CPC (Certified Professional Coder) is the most widely held medical coding credential, issued by AAPC. It validates ability to assign CPT, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II codes for physician and outpatient services. The exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours, open code books, with 70% required to pass; it costs $399 for one attempt or $499 with a second attempt, plus AAPC membership ($222/yr). New coders without two years of experience earn the CPC-A (Apprentice) until experience is documented. Renewal requires 36 CEUs every 2 years.
- The CPC is AAPC's flagship medical coding credential: 100 open-book questions in 4 hours with 70% required to pass.
- Exam costs $399 for one attempt or $499 with a retake, plus AAPC membership at $222/yr.
- New coders hold the CPC-A (Apprentice) designation until two years of experience (or Practicode equivalent) are documented.
- Renewal requires 36 CEUs every 2 years; BLS pegs the medical records specialist median at $51,140 with certified coders earning more.
CPC at a glance
| Cost | $399 exam (1 attempt) or $499 (2 attempts) + AAPC membership $222/yr |
| Duration | 4-hour exam; typical prep 4–8 months |
| Issued by | AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders) |
| Format | In-person at AAPC-approved sites or live remote proctored; open code books |
| Exam length | 100 multiple-choice questions, 70% to pass |
| Expiry | Renews with 36 CEUs every 2 years + annual AAPC membership |
| Who needs it | Medical coders, billers and auditors in physician practices, hospitals and payers |
| Apprentice rule | CPC-A designation until 2 years of coding experience are documented |
Sources: AAPC, CPC Certification · BLS OEWS 29-2072, Medical Records Specialists · AAPC CPC exam and certification policies. Reviewed July 2026 by the GlobalCybers team.
CPC Exam Format, Open Books, Real Coding
Open-book, case-based exam
The CPC is a 100-question multiple-choice exam taken in one 4-hour sitting with a 70% passing score. It is open book: you bring the current-year CPT Professional Edition, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II manuals (handwritten notes allowed, no loose pages). Questions present operative notes and clinical scenarios and ask for the correct code set, so speed with your manuals matters as much as memorization.
Logistics and scoring
Does the CPC increase your pay as a medical coder?
BLS OEWS May 2025 puts the national median for medical records specialists (SOC 29-2072), the occupation covering medical coders, at $51,140. AAPC's annual salary survey consistently shows certified coders earning well above non-certified peers:
GlobalCybers reimburses CPC exam fees after a successful permanent placement through our network.
What the CPC Exam Covers, Core Topics
CPT Procedure Coding
The core of the exam: surgery sections (10000–69999), radiology, pathology/laboratory, medicine and anesthesia coding from operative notes and clinical vignettes.
ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding
Selecting diagnosis codes to the highest specificity, sequencing rules, and the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting that anchor several questions.
HCPCS Level II
Codes for drugs, durable medical equipment, supplies and ambulance services used by Medicare and other payers alongside CPT.
Evaluation & Management
Office and hospital E/M levels under the 2021+ MDM/time framework, a high-weight section that separates passing from failing scores.
Anatomy & Terminology
Body systems, root words, prefixes and suffixes tested directly and embedded inside every coding case.
Compliance & Modifiers
NCCI bundling edits, modifier use (25, 59, 51, RT/LT), fraud-and-abuse basics, HIPAA, and payer documentation requirements.
How do you get CPC certified, step by step?
Join AAPC and prepare
AAPC membership ($222/yr individual) is required to sit the exam. Most candidates take a coding course first, AAPC's own CPC preparation course, a community college program, or an accredited online course, typically 4 to 8 months of study covering CPT, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS.
Register and pick your format
Pay $399 for a single attempt or $499 for the two-attempt bundle, then schedule either an in-person exam at an AAPC-approved site or a live remote proctored exam at home. Bring current-year CPT Professional, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II manuals; handwritten margin notes are allowed.
Pass the exam (70%+)
Answer 100 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours. Results post to your AAPC account within about 7 to 10 business days. If you bought the two-attempt bundle and fall short, you can retake at no extra exam fee.
Remove the apprentice designation and maintain
Without two years of coding experience you are credentialed as CPC-A (Apprentice). Submit proof of two years of on-the-job experience (or one year plus completion of AAPC's Practicode program, with coursework credit) to convert to full CPC. Maintain the credential with 36 CEUs every 2 years and annual membership renewal.
Where the CPC is Effectively Required
No state licenses medical coders, but the CPC functions as the de facto hiring requirement across outpatient coding. Physician practices, hospital professional-fee departments, billing companies and national payers routinely list CPC (or the equivalent AHIMA CCS) as a minimum qualification, and most remote coding jobs screen for an active AAPC credential before an interview. Medicare compliance programs also expect certified coders for audit and documentation-review roles.
CPC, Frequently Asked Questions
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