CPC Medical Coding exam-day guide
CPC Medical Coding · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID. The name on the ID should match the name on your exam registration; if it does not (for example, a recent name change), contact the certification body before exam day to fix it. Confirm with the exam provider which ID forms they accept at your specific test location or remote-proctoring setup.
Exam appointment confirmation / authorization
Bring your appointment confirmation or authorization number, printed or accessible on your phone before you enter the testing room. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required, since some sites do not allow phones past check-in.
Approved code books (CPT, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II)
The CPC exam is open-book for code manuals. Bring the current-year editions and confirm with the certification body which editions and year are accepted for your exam date. Books should be professionally bound - no loose pages, stapled packets, or unbound printouts.
Notes, tabs, and highlighting in your books
Handwritten notes, highlighting, and index tabs are commonly permitted inside bound code books, but the exact rules (including limits on loose insertions and printed material) can change. Verify the current written-annotation policy with the exam provider before you mark up your manuals.
Pencils/eraser or writing instrument
Many testing centers supply scratch materials and writing instruments and prohibit bringing your own. Confirm with your test site what you may and may not bring into the room.
No scratch paper, sticky notes, or loose reference sheets
Loose paper is generally prohibited; scratch material is usually provided by the proctor. Do not tuck loose notes into your code books. Verify with the provider.
Leave smart devices behind or plan for secure storage
Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and any other electronic or wearable device are not permitted in the testing room. Plan where you will store them; many sites offer only limited locker space.
Remote-proctoring system check (if testing from home)
If you are testing by live remote proctoring, run the required system/equipment check and room scan setup in advance, and clear your desk area. Requirements vary by provider and platform - confirm the current technical checklist with them.
Logistics: route, parking, arrival time buffer
Know the exact address, parking situation, and building/room entry procedure. Arrive well before your scheduled start time; confirm with the provider how early check-in opens and what happens if you are late.
Pre-exam fuel and hydration plan
Eat a normal meal and hydrate before you arrive. The exam is long with limited or no scheduled break time, so avoid heavy meals and excess caffeine that will distract you mid-exam. Confirm the break policy with your provider.
Timing practice completed
Before exam day, complete at least one full-length timed practice set under exam conditions so you know your pace per question and your personal cut-off point for guessing and moving on.
Any approved accommodation paperwork
If you requested a testing accommodation, confirm in advance that it has been approved and appears on your appointment. Bring any confirmation the provider tells you to bring.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Reread your own notes and the sections of your code books you have tabbed most heavily. Do one timed block of 25-30 questions to check pace, then review only the rationales for the ones you missed.
Verify the exam appointment details: date, time, address or remote-proctoring link, and any check-in instructions. Confirm your ID name matches the registration. Resolve any discrepancy now, not on exam morning.
Reconfirm the materials policy with the exam provider - which code book editions are allowed, whether handwritten notes and tabs are permitted, and whether writing instruments or scratch paper are supplied. Pack only what is allowed.
Protect sleep. Do not trade sleep for extra study; recall and pacing both degrade more from fatigue than from one fewer review session.
Do a light pass only: skim your tab structure, review your personal list of high-error topics, and check that your books are intact with no loose pages.
Lay out your ID, confirmation, approved books, and any permitted items by the door. Charge nothing you are not allowed to bring; leave devices and notes outside the bag you will carry in.
Confirm transportation and set two alarms. If testing remotely, repeat the system check on the same equipment you will use.
Eat a normal meal, arrive early with a buffer for traffic and check-in, and use the waiting time for calm breathing rather than last-minute cramming.
At check-in, present your ID and confirmation, follow the proctor's instructions exactly, and ask the proctor any clarifying question about break and room rules before the clock starts.
Work steadily at your practiced pace. Answer the straightforward questions first; for long operative-report or coding-scenario items, mark a flag and move on rather than burning minutes early.
Alternate between solving questions and flagging them. If you are stuck between two answers, pick the best one, flag it, and return only if time allows. Watch your elapsed time at each quarter of the exam.
Reserve enough time to answer every remaining flagged question. There is normally no penalty for a wrong answer on multiple-choice format, but confirm the scoring rule with the provider; in any case, leave no question blank unless instructed otherwise.
Confirm no unanswered questions remain, verify you have not skipped a line on the answer sheet or interface, and submit only after a final scan.
Rules to check
Bring identification that matches your registration name exactly. If your legal name differs from the name on your registration, resolve it with the certification body before exam day - do not expect the proctor to waive the requirement.
Bring only approved materials into the testing room. Code books must be bound; loose pages, unbound printouts, and outside reference sheets are generally not permitted. Confirm the current materials policy with the exam provider, since it can be updated.
No phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, earbuds, or other electronic or wearable devices in the testing room. Do not attempt to photograph, copy, or transmit exam content; doing so is an integrity violation regardless of whether you finish the exam.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not discuss or share specific exam questions afterward. This applies to both in-person and remote-proctored administrations.
Break policy varies by administration and proctoring mode. The clock generally continues to run if you leave the room, so confirm the break rules with your proctor before you begin and plan your hydration accordingly.
Scoring is based on the number of correct answers, and a minimum passing score must be met. Confirm the current passing standard and whether unanswered questions count as incorrect with the certification body rather than relying on secondhand information.
Follow all proctor instructions, including room scans, desk clearances, and identity verification steps. A proctor's direction overrides your own assumptions about what is allowed.
If a technical or facility problem interrupts your exam, stop and notify the proctor immediately and ask for the incident to be documented. Do not attempt to troubleshoot a remote-proctoring failure on your own without informing the proctor.