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Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
The Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) is an AHIMA certification examination for professionals skilled in classifying medical data from inpatient and outpatient records, testing mastery of ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT/HCPCS coding proficiency, data quality, and regulatory compliance.
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Questions107 questions total: 97 scored items and 10 pretest items (pretest items randomly distributed and unscored)
Testing time3 hours 55 minutes of exam time within a 4-hour appointment (5 minutes of the appointment is the confidentiality agreement); no planned breaks, and the clock does not pause for breaks
ScoringPassing score of 300 on the AHIMA scaled score; cut score set by modified-Angoff standard setting and approved by CCHIIM
Exam feeUSD 299 AHIMA member / USD 399 non-member; retake fees are the same as the exam cost; USD 75 processing fee on refunds
Prep options
Study resources for CCS
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Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- AHIMA
- Category
- Health Information & Coding
- Current version
- CCS Exam Content Outline effective 05/01/2024; 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 plus medical scenarios; candidates may move back and forth between answered items and flag items for review; approved printed coding books required and are the only reference materials allowed
- Availability
- Year-round 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
97 scored items (plus 10 pretest) across five domains — Coding Knowledge and Skills (39-41%), Coding Documentation (18-22%), Provider Queries (9-11%), Regulatory Compliance (18-22%), and Information Technologies (9-11%) — plus medical-scenario coding cases covering inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department records (one third each)
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 and international candidates may test at any open Pearson VUE center, but the exam identity is the single U.S. CCS exam.
Eligibility
No mandatory prerequisite: AHIMA states experience is 'recommended, not required' — recommended routes are completed coursework (A&P, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, reimbursement methodology, ICD and CPT/HCPCS coding) plus 1 year of coding experience; 2 years of coding experience; CCA plus 1 year; another coding credential plus 1 year; or holding CCS-P, RHIT, or RHIA. Correct code books must be brought on test day.
Retake policy
New application and full exam fee required; candidates who failed must wait at least 30 days before a new CCS application is approved and cannot schedule until a new Authorization to Test is issued