<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAAPC sells a voucher, and you redeem it for one of two formats: a live remote proctored (LRP) exam at home, or an exam at a testing center. After you buy or transfer a voucher, you receive a Notice to Schedule from Meazure Learning (formerly Scantron), and you pick your date and time there. On exam day you log in to your Meazure Learning account and connect with a live proctor on the ProctorU platform, using ProctorU’s Guardian secure browser. AAPC’s proctoring partner has changed over the years, and some older guides name Examity, so trust the names on your own scheduling emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\nItem<\/th> What the official sources say<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Exam<\/td> Certified Professional Coder (CPC), issued by AAPC<\/td><\/tr> Delivery platform<\/td> Meazure Learning scheduling, ProctorU live proctoring, Guardian secure browser<\/td><\/tr> Delivery options<\/td> Live remote proctored at home, or a Meazure Learning testing center<\/td><\/tr> Where remote testing is offered<\/td> Only in the U.S., U.S. Territories, the Bahamas and Jamaica<\/td><\/tr> Where testing centers are offered<\/td> AAPC says hundreds of centers across 110 countries<\/td><\/tr> Questions<\/td> 100 multiple-choice questions<\/td><\/tr> Time<\/td> 4 hours, in one sitting<\/td><\/tr> Passing score<\/td> 70% (confirm on the official page)<\/td><\/tr> Format<\/td> Open-book, using approved code books<\/td><\/tr> Check-in window (remote)<\/td> Log in 15 minutes before your appointment<\/td><\/tr> Cancel or reschedule (remote)<\/td> No fee if you do it more than 48 hours before the exam<\/td><\/tr> Missed appointment<\/td> Counts as a no-show; the voucher is cancelled and a new one (or a second attempt, if you have one) is needed<\/td><\/tr> Results<\/td> Posted within 7 to 10 business days<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe format and time come straight from AAPC’s electronic exam page. AAPC’s own exam-day instructions list 100 questions for the CPC, and the 70% pass mark appears in AAPC’s older proctor instructions and in third-party summaries, so check it on your CPC exam page before you book (confirm on the official page).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now the part that matters if you read “global” as “anywhere.” AAPC’s format page says live remote proctoring is only available in the U.S., U.S. Territories, the Bahamas and Jamaica. AAPC also states that an exam bought or taken with falsified information, explicitly including falsified geographic or location information, violates its code of ethics and costs you all credentials and your membership. Do not try to book a remote exam from another country. If you live elsewhere, the testing center is your route, and its ID rules are the same as the remote ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exam Tip:<\/strong> Check your country against AAPC’s list before you spend time on a webcam and a room setup. Outside the U.S., U.S. Territories, the Bahamas and Jamaica, book a testing center. Using a VPN or a false address to get around the restriction is the one mistake here that can cost you your credentials, not just your exam fee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Pre-Exam Preparation<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Hardware and Network Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThese come from AAPC’s remote exam requirements and its at-home exam page. ProctorU’s general rules are looser in places, and where they differ AAPC’s rules win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Computer:<\/strong> a reliable laptop or desktop that passes the minimum system requirements. AAPC lists 2 GB of RAM or more (confirm on the official page), and it must stay plugged into power.<\/li>Browsers:<\/strong> the Chrome browser, plus the Guardian secure browser. You download Guardian before exam day and sign in through it.<\/li>Internet:<\/strong> at least 5 Mbps up and down, and 10 Mbps preferred. Wireless is acceptable, but wired is preferred. Do not use a VPN.<\/li>External webcam:<\/strong> at least 720p, with 1080p preferred, and a 6-foot cord. Cameras built into a laptop or desktop and phone cameras are not allowed.<\/li>Camera position:<\/strong> it must show your face, your hands, your keyboard and about 10 inches of desk around the keyboard.<\/li>Audio:<\/strong> working speakers and a working microphone connected to the computer. Bluetooth speakers and headphones are not allowed.<\/li>Screens:<\/strong> no external monitor. AAPC says a laptop connected to a monitor is not allowed, even with the lid closed.<\/li>System check:<\/strong> a successful run of Test It Out, which you do by logging in to your AAPC profile and redeeming your voucher. You must pass it before you can schedule.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nUse a standard, up-to-date personal computer and avoid virtual machines. AAPC also offers a demo exam, so run one on your exam computer to feel the process before the real day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exam Tip:<\/strong> The webcam rule is the one candidates miss. A laptop’s built-in camera is not accepted, even though most other proctoring services take it. Buy an external webcam with a 6-foot cord, and set it up the night before so it can see your hands and the 10 inches of desk around your keyboard. AAPC says you forfeit your voucher if you do not comply with the setup requirements.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>ID Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou need one valid, government-issued photo ID. AAPC’s examples are a driver’s license, a passport and a state-issued ID card. Temporary IDs, paper IDs, copies and digital IDs are not permitted. The first and last name on the ID must exactly match the details on your exam confirmation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Name matching has one extra rule. If your ID shows more than one last name, or a suffix, the same last names and suffix must appear on your confirmation notice. If the name on your confirmation is wrong, AAPC’s exam instructions tell you to contact AAPC at 800-626-2633 before the exam. A failure to meet the requirements counts as a no-show and costs you the voucher, so assume a mismatch does too (confirm on the official page).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a global audience, bring a passport. It appears on AAPC’s list, it is accepted everywhere, and it carries your name in a consistent form. AAPC does not mention national identity cards as such, so if a national ID card is all you have, ask AAPC before you book\u00a0(confirm on the official page).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exam Tip:<\/strong> Compare three things side by side a few days before: the name on your ID, the name on your exam confirmation, and the name in your AAPC profile. If your ID has two surnames or a suffix, check that your confirmation shows them too. A proctor cannot change your registration on the day.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Testing Environment<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nUse a closed room with window coverings. Open-concept rooms are not permitted.<\/li> Keep the door closed for the whole exam, and make sure any windows are non-transparent, with blinds closed or curtains drawn.<\/li> Sit at a table or desk, in a chair. Couches, beds and floors are not allowed.<\/li> Remove pets and other people from the room. AAPC lists them as prohibited.<\/li> Clear the desk of electronic devices, including your phone, calculator, tablet, smartwatch, headphones and anything with an on\/off switch.<\/li> Remove whiteboards, scratch paper and writing utensils. All three are prohibited.<\/li> Put out only your approved code books, if you are using print, and an optional clear water bottle or cup.<\/li> If you use a water container, it must be clear, unobstructed and without labels.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis follows AAPC’s own start-your-exam steps. The screens can change, so treat the order as typical (confirm on the official page).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prepare days ahead.<\/strong> What to do: download the Guardian browser, pass Test It Out, and finalize your code book selections in your AAPC account at least 48 hours before the exam. Sticking point: leaving the book selection for exam day. Fix: do it when you schedule.<\/li>Set up the room the night before.<\/strong> What to do: clear the desk, close the door, cover the windows and place the external webcam. Sticking point: a webcam cord that is too short. Fix: use the full 6-foot cord, and move the computer closer to a power outlet.<\/li>Log in 15 minutes before your appointment.<\/strong> What to do: use the username and password from your Notice to Schedule email, click Schedule\/Take Your Exam, then click Start Session in the ProctorU platform. Sticking point: a login problem. Fix: use the support chat in the platform right away.<\/li>Complete the pre-checks.<\/strong> What to do: review the terms of service, the privacy policy and the recording notice for your session. Sticking point: none, except that the session is recorded. Fix: read it, because you are agreeing to it.<\/li>Share your camera, microphone and screen.<\/strong> What to do: click Begin Recording and Continue. Sticking point: a blocked permission. Fix: allow the browser to use your camera and microphone before you start.<\/li>Take your photo.<\/strong> What to do: line your face up with the green guide on the screen. Sticking point: poor lighting. Fix: face a lamp, not a window.<\/li>Photograph your ID.<\/strong> What to do: take the same kind of photo of your original government-issued photo ID. Sticking point: glare and blur. Fix: lay the ID flat in even light and retake it until every line is sharp.<\/li>Agree to the exam rules.<\/strong> What to do: review the rules and the other resources allowed during the exam. Sticking point: not reading them. Fix: take the time, because the proctor will repeat them.<\/li>Do the self-guided room scan.<\/strong> What to do: show your room and your desk, then click My Space is Secure. Sticking point: a view blocked by furniture or a short cord. Fix: practice the 360-degree scan beforehand, as AAPC advises.<\/li>Wait for the proctor to connect.<\/strong> What to do: the proctor reviews your photos against your ID. Sticking point: a long wait. Fix: stay in your seat and in camera view, and use the support chat if the wait is unusually long.<\/li>Complete the book check.<\/strong> What to do: the proctor checks your code books. Sticking point: an unapproved or prohibited reference. Fix: bring only approved books, and see the prohibited list below.<\/li>Agree to the rules in chat, then begin.<\/strong> What to do: the proctor posts the rules and requirements in the exam session chat, and you agree to them. Sticking point: none. Fix: read them before you reply, then start the exam.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nWhen you finish, submit the exam and use the chat to tell your proctor. The proctor reconnects to confirm you are done, and then you close the exam page and complete a short post-exam survey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Scan<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe proctor wants to confirm that you are alone, that nothing prohibited is in reach, and that you are who your ID says you are. These are the things to have ready:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your photos:<\/strong> the proctor compares the pre-check photo of your face with your ID photo.<\/li>Your desk:<\/strong> no phone, calculator, tablet, smartwatch, whiteboard, scratch paper or writing utensils, and no external monitor.<\/li>Your room:<\/strong> a closed door, covered windows, and nobody else in the space, including pets.<\/li>Your books:<\/strong> approved code books only, with no study guides or prohibited references.<\/li>Your camera:<\/strong> an external webcam showing your face, hands, keyboard and the area around it.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe room scan is not a one-time event. AAPC says that after any break you must pass a new security check and a full room scan before you continue. AAPC also says each proctor watches about two examinees at a time and that AI supports the monitoring, so assume nothing goes unnoticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Rules During the Exam<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAAPC does not publish a warning stage for remote exams. It describes problems that cost you the attempt, and ethics violations that cost you far more. The split below follows what AAPC publishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Tier 1: Problems That Cost You the Attempt<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAAPC treats these as a no-show. The voucher is cancelled, and you need a new voucher, or a second attempt if you bought one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not showing up to your scheduled exam.<\/li> Not meeting the requirements to take the exam, which includes an ID that does not match your confirmation.<\/li> Not complying with the webcam and room requirements.<\/li> Cancelling or rescheduling less than 48 hours before the exam, which forfeits the voucher (confirm on the official page).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Tier 2: Violations That Can Cost You Your Credentials<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAAPC says any member who violates its code of ethics by cheating will lose their credentials and will not be allowed to sit any future AAPC exam. Treat each of these as covered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n