I Passed My CPC: Exam-Day Tips From a CCO Student

This was one of the most popular posts in the CCO Community archive. A CCO student shared what she learned after passing the CPC on her first attempt. We kept her best advice and updated the exam details for 2026.

What the exam looks like now

• 100 multiple-choice questions, four hours, one sitting. That works out to about 2.4 minutes per question (AAPC exam details).
• The last 10 questions are medical record cases.
• A score of 70% (70 correct) is required to pass.
• It is open book. You may bring the AMA CPT Professional Edition plus an ICD-10-CM and a HCPCS Level II code book, and the testing platform provides a calculator (CPC exam FAQs).
• You can test at home with a live remote proctor or at a testing center.

The original post mentioned paper answer sheets and a 150-question exam. Both are out of date, so ignore older advice built around them.

Her tips that still hold up

Answer every question. A blank is always wrong. If you are stuck, eliminate what you can, choose, flag it, and move on.

Do the cases when your mind is fresh. Several students, including this one, found the record cases slower than expected. Decide before exam day whether you will work them first or save them, and stick to the plan.

Use the answer choices. Look at what is different between the options. Often one digit or one modifier separates them, and that tells you exactly what to verify in the book.

Tab and highlight with a purpose. Tab the guidelines you actually use: E/M, modifiers, the ICD-10-CM chapter guidelines, and the section guidelines at the start of each CPT chapter. Short notes are allowed; long written passages are not.

Watch the clock in blocks. Check your pace every 25 questions. If you are more than 10 minutes behind, speed up on the questions you know.

Plan your break. The clock keeps running during breaks, so keep them short and decide in advance when you will take one.

Expect the wait. Results usually post in 7 to 10 business days.

Practice the way you will test

Timed, full-length practice exams build the pacing that the real exam demands. CCO students can take timed practice exams in the CCO Exam Center and review the rationale for every question.

Refreshed from the CCO Community archive, November 2026.