How to Pass CPC Exam: 800+ Free CPC Practice Exam Questions (2023)
Preparing for the CPC can be daunting, and the best way to shake off those worries is to get some actual practice! We've compiled a list of 800+ absolutely free CPC practice exam questions, including 1 full free CPC practice test, that you can use today.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam Resources
We've compiled this list of free resources to help you prep for the CPC exam. See below for our complete guide on how to use it, complete with practice tests and study plan.
| Resource | Number of Questions | Full Practice Test? | Study Tips | |
| 1 | MCA Practice Test 1 | 100 (all free) | Yes | Our very own full-length practice tool and practice exam, with 100 questions. The only full-length mock exam on the internet! | 2 | PracticeQuiz | 100 | Yes | Can choose between Study Mode to review questions and timed Test Mode in the interactive tool |
| 3 | PocketPrep | 500 (30 Free) | No | Exceptionally detailed explanations and answer key; interactive quiz that tracks your learning |
| 4 | TestQuestions | 530 (all free) | Can be used as | 530 questions covering diagnostics, compliance, procedures, insurance, anatomy, and terminology. Updated for 2022. |
| 5 | BestTestReview | 20 | No | 20 diagnostic questions given in quiz format. Good for getting familiar with the exam format. |
| 6 | Tests.com | 30 | No | 30 multiple choice questions covering clinical classification, confidentiality, reimbursement, health records, and compliance. Useful for practicing non-diagnostic topics. |
| 7 | CareerCoders | 100 | No | 100 multiple choice questions covering anatomy, medical terminology, CPT & ICD-10 guidelines, Medicare, modifiers, and billing. Questions are drawn from practice book, good for practicing your coding guidelines and healthcare system knowledge. |
1. PracticeQuiz.com offers the only free full-length CPC practice exam on the Internet (100 Questions)
PracticeQuiz offers a free 100-question practice exam, recently updated for ICD-10. The interactive interface presents one question at a time in a design that's easy on the eyes, and you have the option of studying in untimed "Study Mode", or timed "Exam Mode".
Because it's a whole practice test, it's great for getting a baseline idea of how prepared you are. We recommend taking this exam first and using it as a baseline to measure your future growth.
If you score > 70%, congratulations! You're close to ready to take the CPC.
If you score < 70%, fret not! Now that you know, you have plenty of time to identify your areas of weakness, and study up before attempting the real CPC examination.
Win-Win!
2. PocketPrep provides 500+ CPC exam questions, in a quiz-based, interactive format (30 questions are free)
PocketPrep offers 30 free CPC exam questions, along with a very calming user interface that tracks your progress as you learn. While not a full practice test, the interface offers the option for "Quiz Modes", where you can test your weakest subject area, previously missed questions, or a random 10 questions drawn from the pool.
It also offers a premium version for $14.99/month that unlocks a full set of 500 practice questions, accessible on the web or via their mobile app. While a bit pricey, the question quality is high and the missed answer explanations are extremely detailed. If you have a few bucks to spend, and are the type of person who likes to study on the go, this is a great option for reinforcing your learning and getting in some additional practice between tests.
3. Test-Questions.com has 530 free high-quality exam questions, covering diagnostic coding, healthcare law, and billing procedures
Test-Questions.com is a test bank with 530 free CPC exam questions. Questions are presented in a multiple-choice format, 10 at a time on the page. While not a full practice test, Test-Questions has the most free practice questions in one place available on the Internet, and is great for testing your general knowledge, doing intermittent practice, or putting together a mini-practice quiz.
We recommend using Test-Questions.com to practice the test-taking format and diagnostic questions. You can track which questions you've completed with our handy Study Tool.
4. BestTestReview provides 20 free CPC practice questions, focused on diagnostic coding
BestTestReview.com has 20 free CPC practice test questions, presented one-by-one in an interactive format. Feedback is provided in the form of right/wrong answers, which makes it a great tool for some quick knowledge-testing.
The test bank is quite short, so we recommend it as a supplement to your other practice. It's a great tool to get your test prep started if you don't feel ready for a full practice test.
5. Tests.com provides 30 more free practice questions spread across clinical classification and law
Tests.com provides 30 free practice questions spread across clinical classification, confidentiality and law, reimbursement methodologies, data consent, and compliance. The exam is scored all at once, so it's a great way to dip your feet in before taking a full practice test, or if you just don't have the time for a full two-hour test.
What we really like about this one is its focus on diagnostic questions. With 10 exam-quality diagnostic questions here, Tests.com is a great tool to practice your highlighting and note-taking and get ready for the real thing.
5. CareerCoders offers 100+ practice exam questions created by real CPCs, spread across 13 subject areas including ICD-10 and CPT guidelines
CareerCoders.com is a test bank of 100+ CPC practice questions created by their staff of certified medical billers and coders. There are 8-10 questions in each of 13 subject areas, covering anatomy, medical terminology, ICD-10, Medicare/Medicaid, Compliance, Insurance, modifiers, and billing.
We like this one because it's created by certified billers and coders who know what kind of questions they see every day in their daily practice. It's not a full practice test, but you can use it as one in a pinch - just take the whole thing at once, keep track of your scores on each section, and add them up at the end.
6. The AAPC offers 3 official practice tests you can take online (not free, but the closest you can get to the real thing)
The AAPC offers 3 official practice tests you can take online for $79.95. These aren't free, but since they're created by the test-makers themselves, they are the best practice you can get without taking the real test.
If you can, we recommend purchasing these once you've already completed all the other free resources, including PracticeQuiz's full free practice test. Because they're created by the test creators and revised every year, they're great for gauging your readiness for the Real Thing.
The practice tests are taken online, and you'll receive your score along with immediate feedback and answer explanations for each question in the test. You can retake each exam an unlimited number of times to see how you improve.
For more info on how to use these and where they fit in to a study plan, check out our suggested CPC Exam Study Plan below.
How to use these free CPC practice questions - recommended CPC Study Plan (8 weeks)
- (Week 1) Once you've completed your CPC prep course, take the full-length practice test from PracticeQuiz.com above.
Record your score (is it above 70%?), and review any missed questions. Identify why you missed them (followed guideline incorrectly? missed a legal requirement?). For any new study areas, make flashcards and review the areas you missed during the week. - (Week 2) Take the 100 questions on CareerCoders, and treat them as a practice exam.
Record your score (is it above 70%?), make flashcards, and review any areas you missed during the week. - (Week 3) Take the first 100 questions on Test-Questions.com as a practice test. Record your score and make flashcards. During the week, do another 100 questions from Test-Questions as you review. You should be seeing some improvement at this point.
- (Week 4) Do another 100 questions on Test-Questions.com as a practice test. Record your score and make flashcards. Review any areas you missed, adding to your notes and highlights as you go.
- (Week 5) You're ready for the AAPC practice tests! Purchase the ABC practice test bundle and take test A online. Record your score and make flashcards for any missed study areas. During the week, review your subject areas or take 50-100 questions from Test-Questions to keep practicing.
- (Week 6) Take AAPC practice test B. Record your score and make flashcards for any missed study areas. You're almost there! During the week, review your subject areas or take 50-100 questions from Test-Questions to keep practicing.
- (Week 7) Take AAPC practice test C. How'd you do?
If your score is above 70%, congratulations! You're ready to take the CPC exam.
If your score is less than 70%, not to worry! Just keep doing what you're doing. You have another 200 questions on Test-Questions.com, and all of PocketPrep, BestTestReview, and Tests.com to practice. You can also consider purchasing the AAPC D-E-F practice test bundle, or taking an additional review course from a site like Contempo Coding.
Either way, the community is here for you as you study! Keep us posted, and don't forget to go outside and see friends and family as you study. Preparing for the CPC can be tough, but you've got this. - (Week 8) If you feel ready, register to take the CPC. You'll need to be an AAPC member, and you can take it online or in person. During the week leading up to the test, we recommend keeping studying to a minimum!
So you've just taken 7 practice tests and completed over 1000 questions...
Congrats! You're already prepared, so stay fresh, get enough sleep, and look forward to the test date.
If you've been following this plan, you'll have taken 7 full-length practice tests and completed over 1000 questions. You're ready to tackle the CPC. As the test date approaches, remember to drink water, rest up, and get some exercise so you can be in your best shape for the test. Trust your preparation, and best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CPC Exam hard?
It's about as hard as any other exam that involves knowledge and focus. It takes study! However, it's not insurmountable - 60% of test takers, and 80% of students in the AAPC's official exam prep course, pass on their first try.
The CPC tests the skills you'll need on the job as a medical coder. With hard work and dedication, and the support of your peers, anyone can learn these skills and be on their way to earning $60, $70, or even $80,000 per year as a medical coding and billing professional.
What is the best way to prep for the CPC exam?
We highly, highly recommend preparing by taking the AAPC's official credentialing course. It's written by the same people that make the test, so it's by far the best way to be prepared. You learn the material straight from the horse's mouth - the same way that it's presented on the test.
Beyond that, the AAPC also provides 3 (unfortunately, not free) official practice tests for the price of $79.95. While this is pricey, it is the absolute best way to know how you'll score when you take the actual exam.
However, because it's expensive and because you can't retake a practice test once you've taken it, we recommend starting with other, free resources - like the ones above - before taking the AAPC practice exams.
Study hard using the free ones, and save the AAPC exams for a delicious last. Once you're already confident in your CPC test-taking skills, you can use the AAPC exams to get a good idea of how ready you are to take the official CPC exam.
When should I take practice tests? How long will I need for them?
We like to take practice tests on the weekend because that's when we have the most time, but you can take them whenever you have 2+ uninterrupted hours of time.
Make sure to have your manuals with you, drink some water, and mark them up!
Can I retake the CPC exam if I don't pass the first time?
Yes! You are welcome to take the CPC as many times as you'd like, with no penalty. However, keep in mind that you are paying the $349 fee each time you'd like to take it.
Even if purely in the interest of your wallet - and maybe your mental health as well - we highly recommend using practice exams and making sure you can pass them with 70% or higher - before registering for the actual CPC.
Congrats! You're ready to take the CPC Exam
Best of luck! You are now well-prepared to tackle the CPC and any practice tests that come your way.
If you have any questions or medical coding topics you'd like covered, just shoot us an email at medicalcodingace@gmail.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. We love hearing from you all.