How Much Does the CBCS Exam Cost? NHA Billing and Coding Fees (2026)

NHA does not publish one fixed public price for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam. Per NHA’s Candidate Handbook, current exam fees are shown in the Shop section of nhanow.com, and the fee appears again when you register for the exam inside your NHA account. What NHA does publish, and what is worth planning around ahead of time, are the ongoing costs of holding the credential. A CBCS certification is valid for 2 years from the date printed on your certificate. Renewing on time costs $195 and requires 10 continuing education (CE) credits, current as of September 2026. Let your certification lapse for more than 30 days but less than 1 year, and reinstating it costs $391.50 total: a $292.50 renewal fee plus a $99 reinstatement fee, on top of 15 CE credits instead of 10. Wait longer than 1 year, and NHA requires a full retake of the exam at the full exam fee, with no reinstatement option available. Every exam attempt, first try or retake, carries the full exam fee since NHA does not offer a discounted retake rate.

What the CBCS Exam Fee Actually Covers

The exam fee you pay at registration covers one seat for the CBCS exam itself: 125 multiple-choice questions (100 scored plus 25 unscored pretest items NHA mixes in unmarked) delivered over 180 minutes at a PSI testing center or through PSI’s Live Remote Proctoring option. It does not include study materials, a retake if you do not pass, or the recertification fees that come later in the credential’s life, all of which are separate costs. Whichever delivery option you choose, your official score report posts to your NHA account, within about 48 hours for PSI test center and Live Remote Proctoring sittings per NHA’s Candidate Handbook. Because NHA periodically adjusts pricing, treat the number displayed during checkout on nhanow.com, not an older PDF or a third-party blog post, as the number that matters when you register.

Retaking the Exam Costs the Same as the First Attempt

NHA’s Candidate Handbook does not offer a reduced fee for a retake. If you do not pass on your first attempt, you log back into your NHA account, re-register, and pay the full examination price again for each additional attempt: 3 attempts with a minimum 30 day wait between each, and a 12 month wait before every attempt after the third. That makes preparation cost, not just certification cost, part of the real financial picture: a candidate who tests before they are ready is not just risking a fail, they are paying the full fee again to try a second or third time.

Keeping Your CBCS Certification Current: The 2-Year Renewal Cost

Once you pass, your CBCS certification is valid for 2 years from the date on your certificate, and NHA calls the process of keeping it active “recertification” or “renewal.” On-time renewal, before your certification’s expiration date, requires two things: submitting documentation of 10 continuing education credits earned during that 2 year cycle, and paying a $195 renewal fee. NHA describes this cost, spread across the certification period, as roughly $8 a month. CE credits can come from NHA’s own CE library or from outside courses and programs NHA accepts, and NHA allows a one month grace period after your expiration date to submit documentation and payment before the certification is treated as lapsed.

If Your Certification Lapses: Reinstatement Costs

Miss the renewal window and NHA gives you a defined path back, but it costs more than staying current. Reinstating a certification that lapsed between 30 days and 1 year after its expiration date requires 15 CE credits instead of the standard 10, plus a $292.50 renewal fee and a separate $99 reinstatement fee, for a combined total of $391.50. Wait longer than 1 year past expiration and reinstatement is no longer available at all: NHA requires you to re-register, retake the full CBCS certification exam, and pay the full exam price to become certified again, the same as a brand new candidate. There is no partial credit for having held the certification previously once that 1 year window closes.

Start full length CBCS practice tests built around NHA’s actual test plan to prepare for the fee you only want to pay once, or try a free CBCS practice test first to see where you stand before you register.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the CBCS exam cost?

NHA does not list the CBCS exam fee on its certification pages. Per the Candidate Handbook, current exam fees appear in the Shop section of nhanow.com, and the fee is shown again when you register inside your NHA account, so check there for the current amount before budgeting.

Does it cost more to retake the CBCS exam after failing?

No discount applies. Each attempt, including retakes, requires the full exam fee shown at registration. NHA allows 3 attempts with a minimum 30 day wait between each, and every attempt after a third failure requires a 12 month wait first.

How much does it cost to renew a CBCS certification?

$195 every 2 years, along with documentation of 10 continuing education credits earned during that cycle, as of September 2026.

What happens if I do not renew my CBCS certification on time?

Reinstatement within 1 year of expiration costs $391.50 total (a $292.50 renewal fee plus a $99 reinstatement fee) and requires 15 CE credits. After 1 year, reinstatement is no longer available and you must retake the full exam.

Sources

• Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) certification page, nhanow.com
• NHA Certification Renewal & Reinstatement, nhanow.com
• NHA Candidate Handbook, nhanow.com (updated June 2026)

Med Preps is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) or Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI). NHA, CCMA, CPT, and CBCS are trademarks of Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.