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Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) is an AHIMA entry-level certification examination for early-career professionals in medical coding, testing coding and classification skills across clinical classification systems, reimbursement methodologies, health record content, compliance, information technologies, and confidentiality and privacy.
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Questions105 questions total: 90 scored items and 15 pretest items
Testing time2 hours
ScoringPassing score of 300 on the AHIMA scaled score; cut score set by modified-Angoff standard setting
Exam feeUSD 199 AHIMA member / USD 299 non-member; retake fees are the same as the exam cost
Prep options
Study resources for CCA
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- AHIMA
- Category
- Health Information & Coding
- Current version
- CCA Exam Content Outline effective 05/01/2022 (2024 revision); exams delivered on or after May 1, 2026 require the 2026 code book list
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- AHIMA scaled score with 300 required to pass; domain performance reported as percentage correct and cannot be averaged to obtain the scaled score
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based at a Pearson VUE test center; multiple-choice items; candidates may not move back and forth between items or flag items for review; approved printed coding books are required and are the only reference materials allowed
- Availability
- By appointment at any open Pearson VUE test center; must be scheduled and taken within the eligibility window (4 months / 120 days from eligibility), otherwise the fee is forfeited
- Results
- Official pass/fail score report received immediately upon completion of the exam, at the test center
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
90 scored items (plus 15 pretest) across six domains — Clinical Classification Systems (30–34%), Reimbursement Methodologies (21–25%), Health Records and Data Content (13–17%), Compliance (12–16%), Information Technologies (6–10%), and Confidentiality & Privacy (6–10%)
Where rules vary
U.S. national certification exam built on U.S. code sets and reimbursement rules (ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT/HCPCS, NCCI edits, DRG/APC); AHIMA states the exam is offered domestically and globally, but the exam identity is the single U.S. CCA exam.
Eligibility
High school diploma required. Recommended, not required: at least one of six months of hands-on coding experience, completion of an AHIMA-approved PCAP coding program, or other coding training covering anatomy & physiology, medical terminology, basic ICD diagnostic/procedural coding, and basic CPT coding. Correct code books must be brought on test day.
Retake policy
New application and full exam fee required (transcripts stay on file); candidates who failed must wait at least 30 days before retaking the CCA exam and cannot schedule until a new Authorization to Test is issued