How much does the CPC exam cost?

CPC costs at a glance

Exam, 1 attempt

$425

Exam, 2 attempts

$499

Student exam pricing

$400 (1 attempt) or $475 (2 attempts)

AAPC membership (required)

$229 a year, individual; $164 a year, Student AAPC

Voucher validity

1 year from purchase

The costs you can't skip

• AAPC membership. A current membership is on AAPC's list of exam registration prerequisites, and you keep paying it every year to hold the credential.
• The exam voucher. $425 for one attempt or $499 for two. Students pay $400 or $475.
• Three code books. The AMA CPT Professional Edition (no other CPT publisher is allowed), an ICD-10-CM and a HCPCS Level II manual. See which code books are allowed.

What a first attempt really costs

Student AAPC membership is for students enrolled in an AAPC or approved partner course. The three code books are an extra cost if you don't already own the current year's editions.

One attempt or two?

AAPC doesn't sell a separate retake: the second attempt is the $499 two-attempt voucher, $74 more than a single attempt. The second voucher becomes usable once your first results are released, which AAPC says takes 7 to 10 business days.

One trap: if you use your second attempt in the next calendar year, AAPC won't let you take the previous year's exam. You'd be tested on the new year's code set, so plan your attempts inside one year when you can.

How to keep the cost down

• Check student pricing if you're enrolled in an eligible course: $25 less per voucher and a cheaper membership.
• Don't buy the voucher too early. It's valid for one year from purchase; after that the payment is forfeited.
• Buy books for the year you test. Exams switch to the new code set every January, and next year's books are not allowed before then.
• Avoid a December exam you aren't ready for. AAPC's yearly blackout starts December 30, so a failed late attempt pushes your retake into the new code year.