What Is on the AAPC CPC Exam in 2026? Complete 100-Question Exam Breakdown
If you are preparing for the AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) exam in 2026, one of the most important questions to answer is: What is actually on the CPC exam?
The CPC exam does not simply test whether you can find codes in a book. Instead, it measures whether you can read medical documentation, understand anatomy and terminology, apply coding guidelines, select CPT®, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II codes, and recognize important compliance rules.
In 2026, the CPC exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions covering 17 areas of knowledge. You have four hours to complete the exam and need a score of 70% or higher to pass.
That means you need at least 70 correct answers out of 100.
Additionally, AAPC states that most questions use coding scenarios. The exam finishes with 10 medical-record cases, each containing one multiple-choice question.
This guide explains exactly what is on the AAPC CPC exam in 2026, how many questions come from each section, what you should study, and how to prepare strategically.
Key Takeaways: AAPC CPC Exam 2026
- The 2026 CPC exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions.
- Candidates receive 4 hours to complete the exam.
- You need at least 70%, or 70 correct answers, to pass.
- AAPC tests 17 areas of knowledge.
- CPT® represents a major portion of the exam.
- The exam also tests ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, medical terminology, anatomy, coding guidelines, and compliance.
- You will encounter 10 medical-record cases at the end of the exam.
- Most questions require you to apply coding knowledge, rather than simply memorize facts.
- AAPC permits approved CPT®, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II code books.
- In 2026, candidates may take the exam through a testing center or at home with a live remote proctor.
- Time management matters because four hours gives you an average of approximately 2.4 minutes per question.
For the current official exam requirements, review AAPC’s Taking the CPC Exam page.
What Is the AAPC CPC Exam?
The CPC exam measures the skills needed to code professional services provided by physicians and other qualified healthcare professionals.
Therefore, students should understand that the CPC is primarily a professional-fee coding certification. It is not an inpatient ICD-10-PCS certification exam.
You need to understand three major code sets:
- CPT®
- ICD-10-CM
- HCPCS Level II
However, knowing those books alone is not enough. You also need a solid understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, coding guidelines, modifiers, Medicare concepts, compliance, documentation, and reimbursement-related rules.
For students beginning their certification journey, read our How to Become a Medical Coder in 2026: 10 Steps to Start Your Career.
2026 AAPC CPC Exam Breakdown: All 100 Questions
According to AAPC’s current CPC exam outline, the 100 questions break down as follows:
| CPC Exam Section | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Medical Terminology | 4 |
| Anatomy | 4 |
| Compliance and Regulatory | 3 |
| Coding Guidelines | 7 |
| ICD-10-CM | 5 |
| HCPCS Level II | 3 |
| CPT® 10000 Series | 6 |
| CPT® 20000 Series | 6 |
| CPT® 30000 Series | 6 |
| CPT® 40000 Series | 6 |
| CPT® 50000 Series | 6 |
| CPT® 60000 Series | 6 |
| Radiology | 6 |
| Pathology and Laboratory | 6 |
| Medicine | 6 |
| Evaluation and Management (E/M) | 6 |
| Anesthesia | 4 |
| Medical-Record Cases | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Importantly, the categories overlap in practical application. For example, an integumentary surgery question may also require ICD-10-CM diagnosis selection, modifier knowledge, anatomy, and CPT® guidelines.
Therefore, studying each section in isolation will only take you so far. Eventually, you need to practice complete coding scenarios.
Medical Terminology – 4 Questions
AAPC includes 4 medical terminology questions covering terminology throughout the human body.
You should understand common:
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Root words
- Disease terms
- Surgical terms
- Directional terms
- Diagnostic terminology
For example, knowing that “-ectomy” means surgical removal can help you understand a procedure before you ever open the CPT® book.
Additionally, terminology knowledge saves valuable exam time. If you constantly stop to determine what medical words mean, you will have less time available for code selection.
CPC Student Tip
Study terminology alongside anatomy instead of treating them as separate subjects. For example, when reviewing the cardiovascular system, study its anatomy, common diseases, procedures, and terminology together.
Anatomy – 4 Questions
The CPC exam includes 4 anatomy questions covering all body systems.
However, anatomy appears indirectly throughout many CPT® coding questions as well. Therefore, these four questions do not represent the full importance of anatomy on the exam.
You should understand major structures within the:
- Integumentary system
- Musculoskeletal system
- Respiratory system
- Cardiovascular system
- Digestive system
- Urinary system
- Male and female reproductive systems
- Endocrine system
- Nervous system
Additionally, learn anatomical direction and relationships. Understanding whether a procedure involves a tendon, ligament, nerve, artery, vein, organ, or bone can quickly eliminate incorrect answers.
Compliance and Regulatory – 3 Questions
The CPC exam includes 3 compliance and regulatory questions.
AAPC identifies topics such as:
- Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D
- Payment policies
- Place of service
- Fraud and abuse
- National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits
- National Coverage Determinations (NCDs)
- Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs)
- HIPAA
- Advance Beneficiary Notices (ABNs)
- Relative Value Units (RVUs)
Although three questions may sound minor, do not ignore this area. These can become valuable points when you understand the basic concepts.
For authoritative Medicare information, students should become familiar with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Coding Guidelines – 7 Questions
AAPC assigns 7 questions specifically to coding guidelines.
This section can include:
- ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
- CPT® guidelines
- CPT® parenthetical instructions
- Modifier use
Consequently, students who memorize code numbers but ignore guidelines often struggle here.
Learn how to recognize instructions such as:
- Code first
- Use additional code
- Excludes1
- Excludes2
- Code also
- See
- See also
Likewise, pay close attention to CPT® section guidelines and parenthetical notes. A code description may appear correct at first, yet a guideline can change whether you should report that code.
The CMS ICD-10 resources provide access to current official code files and guidelines.
ICD-10-CM – 5 Questions
The CPC exam contains 5 dedicated ICD-10-CM questions, although diagnosis coding may also appear throughout CPT® sections and medical-record cases.
You should know how to:
- Use the Alphabetic Index
- Confirm codes in the Tabular List
- Apply laterality
- Recognize combination codes
- Apply sequencing rules
- Code acute and chronic conditions
- Identify manifestations and etiology
- Apply injury 7th characters
- Code neoplasms
- Use Z codes appropriately
- Recognize Excludes1 and Excludes2 notes
Never stop after finding a code in the Alphabetic Index. Instead, verify the code in the Tabular List and review all applicable instructions.
That habit helps on the exam and, more importantly, develops correct professional coding behavior.
HCPCS Level II – 3 Questions
The CPC exam includes 3 HCPCS Level II questions.
AAPC specifically identifies:
- Modifiers
- Supplies
- Medications
- Professional services for Medicare patients
You should understand how HCPCS Level II differs from CPT®. Additionally, become comfortable navigating the HCPCS book instead of waiting until the final days before your exam.
CMS continues to update HCPCS Level II throughout 2026. Therefore, students should use current resources and understand how to locate codes efficiently.
For official information, visit the CMS HCPCS Level II resources.
CPT® Surgery Sections – 36 Questions
The six major CPT® surgery ranges account for 36 questions:
CPT® 10000 Series – 6 Questions
This section focuses primarily on the integumentary system, including skin, subcutaneous tissue, nails, repairs, destruction procedures, pilonidal cysts, and breast procedures.
Pay particular attention to terminology, lesion coding, repairs, excisions, and CPT® section instructions.
CPT® 20000 Series – 6 Questions
The 20000 series covers the musculoskeletal system from head to toe.
Therefore, anatomy becomes extremely important. You may need to distinguish between bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and other structures before choosing a code.
CPT® 30000 Series – 6 Questions
The 30000 series includes procedures involving the respiratory, cardiovascular, hemic and lymphatic systems, as well as the mediastinum and diaphragm.
These questions can require careful reading because approach, anatomy, procedure type, and documentation details may change the answer.
CPT® 40000 Series – 6 Questions
The 40000 series primarily covers the digestive system.
Topics may involve the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, appendix, rectum, anus, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, peritoneum, and related structures.
Additionally, endoscopic procedures require careful attention to CPT® guidelines.
CPT® 50000 Series – 6 Questions
The 50000 series includes the urinary, male reproductive, female reproductive, maternity and delivery, and endocrine systems.
Review anatomy carefully because many procedures involve similar terminology but different anatomical structures.
CPT® 60000 Series – 6 Questions
The 60000 series primarily covers the nervous system.
Questions can involve the skull, brain, meninges, spine, spinal cord, nerves, and related procedures.
Again, strong anatomy knowledge can dramatically reduce the time required to eliminate incorrect answers.
Radiology – 6 Questions
The exam contains 6 radiology questions.
AAPC identifies topics including:
- Diagnostic radiology
- Interventional radiology
- Diagnostic ultrasound
- Radiologic guidance
- Mammography
- Bone and joint studies
- Radiation oncology
- Nuclear medicine
Rather than trying to memorize the entire section, learn how it is organized. Additionally, practice identifying whether imaging guidance is included in another service or separately reportable.
Pathology and Laboratory – 6 Questions
Expect 6 pathology and laboratory questions.
This category can include:
- Organ and disease panels
- Drug testing
- Therapeutic drug assays
- Chemistry
- Hematology
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Surgical pathology
- Cytopathology
- Molecular pathology
- Transfusion medicine
Students sometimes overlook this section while concentrating heavily on surgery. However, six questions represent six possible points toward the 70 you need.
Medicine – 6 Questions
The Medicine section contains 6 questions and covers many types of services.
Possible areas include:
- Immunizations
- Dialysis
- Hydration
- Therapeutic and diagnostic injections
- Chemotherapy administration
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment
- Medical nutrition
- Central nervous system assessments
- Health and behavior assessments
- Patient education
- Moderate sedation
Because the Medicine section is broad, efficient code-book navigation becomes especially important.
Evaluation and Management – 6 Questions
The CPC exam contains 6 E/M questions.
You should understand coding for settings such as:
- Office and other outpatient services
- Hospital inpatient and observation services
- Emergency department services
- Nursing facilities
- Home and residence services
- Critical care
- Preventive medicine
Additionally, know how medical decision making and time affect code selection when applicable.
Do not rely solely on memorizing E/M code ranges. Instead, understand the guidelines and how the documentation supports the service level.
Anesthesia – 4 Questions
The CPC exam contains 4 anesthesia questions.
AAPC identifies:
- Anesthesia time
- Qualifying circumstances
- Physical status modifiers
- Anesthesia for surgical services
- Diagnostic procedures
- Obstetric services
Students should know how anesthesia coding differs from ordinary CPT® procedure coding. Moreover, practice working with anesthesia time and modifiers before exam day.
The 10 CPC Medical-Record Cases
The final portion includes 10 medical-record cases, with one multiple-choice question for each case.
These questions test your ability to combine:
- CPT®
- ICD-10-CM
- HCPCS Level II
- Anatomy
- Medical terminology
- Guidelines
- Modifiers
- Documentation interpretation
This portion closely reflects what medical coders actually do: read documentation, identify the relevant information, and determine the correct coding.
Long cases can also consume valuable time. Therefore, learn to identify the procedure, diagnosis, anatomy, approach, and important documentation without getting distracted by unnecessary details.
For additional practice, read How to Approach a Long Medical Coding Exam Scenario.
What Books Can You Use on the CPC Exam in 2026?
AAPC currently permits the following approved coding books:
- AMA CPT® Professional Edition
- ICD-10-CM, any publisher
- HCPCS Level II, any publisher
Current-year books are highly recommended because code sets change annually. AAPC currently permits the preceding year’s books, the current year’s books, or a combination, but candidates may have only one copy of each book.
Additionally, AAPC allows properly placed tabs that identify pages with words or numbers. Handwritten notes related to normal coding activity may also be permitted, while copied practice-exam questions, long passages, and other prohibited material are not allowed.
Always review AAPC’s current exam-day rules before your scheduled test because policies can change.
How Much Time Do You Have Per CPC Exam Question?
You receive 240 minutes for 100 questions.
That averages approximately:
2.4 minutes per question.
However, you should not try to spend exactly 2.4 minutes on every question.
Some terminology or anatomy questions may take less than a minute. Meanwhile, complicated surgical scenarios can require considerably more time.
Therefore, your goal should be to bank time on easier questions and avoid becoming trapped on one difficult problem.
CPC Student Tips for the 2026 Exam
First, learn how to navigate your code books quickly. The CPC exam rewards students who know where to find information, not just students who memorize code numbers.
Next, practice eliminating obviously incorrect answers. Sometimes you can narrow four choices to two before performing a complete code search.
Additionally, read the CPT® guidelines before attempting hundreds of practice questions. Many mistakes occur because students find a code but overlook an instruction that changes the answer.
Practice full-length exams under timed conditions as your test date approaches. For additional preparation, read How to Study for the AAPC CPC Exam.
Finally, review every missed practice question. Do not simply record the correct answer. Instead, determine why you selected the wrong one and what rule would have led you to the correct answer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on the CPC Exam
One of the biggest mistakes is trying to memorize thousands of codes. Instead, learn the structure of the code books and how to research efficiently.
Another common problem involves spending too much time on one difficult question. Mark the question, move forward, and return to it if time allows.
Students also lose points when they ignore CPT® guidelines, parenthetical notes, ICD-10-CM instructional notes, and modifiers.
Likewise, do not neglect anatomy and medical terminology because they appear throughout coding scenarios, not only in their dedicated sections.
Another mistake involves practicing only individual code questions. The exam includes 10 longer cases, so you need experience reading realistic medical documentation.
Finally, avoid using outdated preparation materials without checking them against current 2026 information. CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, and exam policies can change.
What Should You Study Most for the CPC Exam?
Start with your weakest areas, but consider the number of available questions as well.
CPT® deserves significant study time because surgery, radiology, pathology and laboratory, Medicine, E/M, and anesthesia make up a large portion of the test.
However, do not underestimate the easier points available through medical terminology, anatomy, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, guidelines, and compliance.
A balanced study plan works better than mastering one section while ignoring another.
Most importantly, practice application rather than memorization. The CPC exam tests whether you can interpret a scenario and reach the correct answer efficiently.
2026 CPC Exam Freshness: What Students Should Know
AAPC currently lists the CPC exam as 100 multiple-choice questions completed in four hours, with 70% required to pass.
Candidates may take the exam at a testing center or through AAPC’s at-home live remote proctoring option.
Additionally, AAPC now provides an online calculator within the electronic testing platform; physical calculators are not permitted.
Coding resources continue to change as well. CMS published FY 2026 ICD-10-CM resources and an April 1, 2026 update. Moreover, new FY 2027 ICD-10-CM codes take effect October 1, 2026.
HCPCS Level II also receives updates throughout the year. Therefore, students should verify current code sets and AAPC exam rules as their exam date approaches rather than relying on an older social media post or study guide.
Authoritative Resources for CPC Students
Use reliable sources throughout your CPC preparation:
These resources can help you verify exam requirements, current coding guidance, and annual code-set updates.
Frequently Asked Questions About the AAPC CPC Exam in 2026
How many questions are on the CPC exam in 2026?
The AAPC CPC exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions. These questions cover 17 areas of knowledge, including CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, anatomy, medical terminology, coding guidelines, compliance, and 10 medical-record cases.
How long is the AAPC CPC exam in 2026?
Candidates have four hours to complete the CPC exam. Therefore, you have an average of approximately 2.4 minutes per question.
What score do you need to pass the CPC exam?
You need a score of 70% or higher. Because the exam contains 100 questions, you must correctly answer at least 70 questions to pass.
What is the biggest section of the CPC exam?
CPT® represents the largest overall part of the exam when its individual sections are combined. The six surgery ranges alone account for 36 questions. Additionally, the exam includes questions covering radiology, pathology and laboratory, Medicine, E/M, and anesthesia.
Therefore, strong CPT® skills are essential.
Is ICD-10-CM on the CPC exam?
Yes. The exam contains 5 dedicated ICD-10-CM questions, while diagnosis coding can also appear within CPT® questions and the 10 medical-record cases.
Students should understand the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in addition to knowing how to locate diagnosis codes.
Are there medical coding cases on the CPC exam?
Yes. The CPC exam includes 10 medical-record cases, with one multiple-choice question per case.
These cases require you to interpret documentation and apply CPT®, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II coding knowledge. Consequently, students should practice full coding scenarios before exam day rather than studying only short questions.
Is the CPC exam open book in 2026?
Yes, but AAPC restricts which books candidates may use. The approved books include the AMA CPT® Professional Edition, an ICD-10-CM code book, and an HCPCS Level II code book.
Additionally, AAPC has rules regarding notes, tabs, electronic devices, and other exam materials. Always check the current AAPC rules before your exam date.
What is the best way to prepare for the CPC exam in 2026?
Build a strong foundation in anatomy and medical terminology first. Next, learn ICD-10-CM, CPT®, HCPCS Level II, modifiers, coding guidelines, and compliance concepts.
Then, complete practice questions and realistic coding scenarios. As your exam approaches, take full 100-question timed practice exams so that you can improve both speed and accuracy.
Most importantly, learn how to use your code books efficiently. Passing the CPC exam depends much more on understanding coding rules and finding information quickly than memorizing thousands of codes.
Final Thoughts: What Is on the CPC Exam in 2026?
The 2026 AAPC CPC exam tests much more than your ability to look up a code.
You need to understand medical terminology, anatomy, CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, modifiers, coding guidelines, compliance, and medical documentation. Additionally, you need enough speed to complete 100 questions within four hours.
Fortunately, you do not need a perfect score.
You need 70 correct answers.
Therefore, prepare strategically. Strengthen your weakest sections, become comfortable navigating all three code books, practice realistic scenarios, and learn how to move past difficult questions instead of allowing one problem to consume valuable exam time.
Finally, remember that CPC preparation should do more than help you pass an exam. The same skills you develop while learning to interpret documentation, apply guidelines, research codes, and verify your answers will become the foundation of your work as a professional medical coder.
