Castleport Test Prep

AHIMA Exam Retake Policy

If you didn't pass an AHIMA certification exam, you can retake it after a 30-day wait (CCA, CCS, RHIT, RHIA) or a 90-day wait (CCS-P, CDIP, CHDA, CHPS). Every retake needs a new application, the full exam fee, and a new Authorization to Test (ATT) before you can book. (AHIMA retesting policy; AHIMA application rules)

AHIMA retake waiting periods and member and non-member retake fees for all eight certification exams
Exam (links to AHIMA's policy) Wait before your retake can be approved Retake fee, AHIMA member Retake fee, non-member
CCA – Certified Coding Associate 30 days $199 $299
CCS – Certified Coding Specialist 30 days $299 $399
RHIT – Registered Health Information Technician 30 days $229 $299
RHIA – Registered Health Information Administrator 30 days $229 $299
CCS-P – Certified Coding Specialist – Physician-based 90 days $299 $399
CDIP – Certified Documentation Integrity Practitioner 90 days $259 $329
CHDA – Certified Health Data Analyst 90 days $259 $329
CHPS – Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security 90 days $259 $329

A retake costs exactly the same as a first attempt. AHIMA can't waive the waiting period. Fees are in U.S. dollars.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team · Last verified October 22, 2026, against AHIMA's policy pages

When does your waiting period end?

Use the waiting period for your exam and your last test date to plan your retake.

Two quick examples (hypothetical test dates, using calendar-day addition and the current published fees):

Two hypothetical AHIMA retake planning examples with planning dates and fees
You tested Exam Wait Planning date Retake fee (member / non-member)
November 3, 2026 RHIT 30 days December 3, 2026 $229 / $299
October 22, 2026 CHPS 90 days January 20, 2027 $259 / $329

These calculated dates do not confirm when AHIMA will approve your new application. You can't book a seat until your new ATT email arrives.

How to retake an AHIMA exam

You can send your new application while the wait is still running. AHIMA just won't approve it, and Pearson VUE won't let you book, until the 30 or 90 days have passed. (Candidate Guide, "Process to Retake Examinations," printed p. 15; AHIMA application rules)

  1. Save your score report and your test date. The date starts your waiting period. The report shows how you did in each content area (AHIMA calls them domains), which is your study map for the next attempt. If you got a beta-exam "test completion notice" instead of a result, that notice is not a pass/fail result. Your result comes later through your Pearson VUE account. (AHIMA: exam results)

  2. Submit a new application and pay the full fee in MyAHIMA. It's the same online process as last time, paid by credit card. RHIT and RHIA transcripts stay on file, so you don't send them again. If you need testing accommodations, AHIMA wants a written request each time, so send it with this application. (AHIMA application rules)

  3. Wait for the new ATT, not just the receipt. Your order receipt confirms payment. Only the ATT email says you're approved to schedule. (AHIMA: scheduling instructions)

  4. Book through MyAHIMA → My Exams → Schedule. That button takes you to Pearson VUE. If you have approved accommodations, wait for AHIMA's confirmation email and use the scheduling phone number it provides. CCA, CCS, CCS-P, RHIT and RHIA are taken at Pearson VUE test centers. CDIP, CHDA and CHPS candidates in the U.S. can also test online through OnVUE. Pearson VUE advises booking as soon as you can to get the date you want. (AHIMA scheduling instructions; Pearson VUE: AHIMA testing)

  5. Test within 120 calendar days of approval. You have to schedule and sit for the exam inside that window. If it runs out, you reapply and pay again. Need more time? Follow the Candidate Guide's earlier deadline: your extension request must be received at least 14 business days before your exam date or your eligibility end date. Extensions come in 30-day blocks, up to 90 days, at $50 per block. Cancel any scheduled appointment with Pearson VUE first; AHIMA cannot authorize an extension after your eligibility expires. Extension fees are nonrefundable. Once AHIMA bills your MyAHIMA account, the form gives you 48 business hours to pay before the request is closed. (AHIMA: eligibility period; Candidate Guide, printed p. 11; extension request form)

  6. Recheck what to bring for the new date. For CCA, CCS and CCS-P, AHIMA's 2026 code book requirement took effect May 1, 2026. Check your exam page for the list that applies to your new appointment date. Without the correct books, you won't be allowed to test, and you lose the fee. Lists: CCA, CCS, CCS-P. Your name on the ATT must also match your ID exactly. (AHIMA scheduling instructions)

Ready to apply? Start a new application on MyAHIMA.

Can AHIMA waive the waiting period?

No. AHIMA says it isn't authorized to waive retest periods because of test security policies. A job deadline or a near-pass won't change that, so plan around the date. (AHIMA application rules)

Is the wait 30 days or 90 days?

It depends on the exam: 30 days for CCA, CCS, RHIT and RHIA, and 90 days for CCS-P, CDIP, CHDA and CHPS.

You may have seen "90 days for every AHIMA exam." That line still appears in AHIMA's own general application FAQ. The dedicated retake sources we checked use the 30/90 split. That includes the retesting answer, the retake policy on the Apply page, the Candidate Guide, and all eight exam pages. Follow the exam-specific rule.

If your account or ATT doesn't match the rule for your exam, use AHIMA's support request form to confirm or correct your authorization before scheduling.

How many times can you retake an AHIMA exam?

AHIMA's published retake policies for these eight certification exams do not state a numerical attempt limit. Each attempt needs its own application, fee and waiting period. Each ATT authorizes one attempt. (Candidate Guide)

One exception for students: the RHIT/RHIA early-testing form (for students in their last term) can only be submitted twice per exam. That limits the early-testing route, not your total attempts. If you've used both, ask AHIMA which route applies before you pay again. (AHIMA early tester form, effective November 18, 2025)

Retaking, rescheduling and missing an exam aren't the same

Retaking, rescheduling, missing an exam and expired eligibility compared
Your situation What to do
You sat for the exam and didn't pass Follow the retake steps above: new application, full fee, 30- or 90-day wait, new ATT.
You need to move an upcoming appointment Reschedule through Pearson VUE at least one full business day (24 hours) ahead. Changes made between 14 days and one full business day (24 hours) before your appointment cost $30. If you have accommodations, use the Pearson VUE call center. (AHIMA scheduling instructions)
You missed your appointment or changed it too late That counts as a no-show, and you forfeit the exam fee. You'll need a new application and fee to test. Ask AHIMA how it applies to your record before assuming a waiting period. (AHIMA scheduling instructions; AHIMA cancellation policy)
Your 120 days ran out before you tested Your eligibility has expired. Reapply and pay all applicable fees, then use the dates on your new ATT. (AHIMA eligibility period)

Cancelling an appointment doesn't get you a refund by itself. Refunds go through AHIMA, not Pearson VUE. Eligible refund requests must be made at least 14 business days before your scheduled test date or eligibility end date, after you cancel the appointment with Pearson VUE. Submit the request through AHIMA's secure inquiry form. Refunds carry a $75 nonrefundable processing fee, plus any applicable cancellation fee. Refunds are not granted after eligibility expires or the exam is forfeited. (AHIMA scheduling instructions; AHIMA refund policy)

How to use the waiting period

Your score report breaks your result down by domain. Use it to aim your study, with two limits in mind. Domain results can't be averaged into your scaled score, and a strong domain this time isn't guaranteed next time. AHIMA's own sample report says to study the whole exam while paying special attention to weaker domains. (Candidate Guide, sample fail score report, printed p. 22) The passing score is 300 on each of the eight certification exams above; see the "Passing score" section on each linked AHIMA exam page.

Here's a simple way to split the time. This is our suggestion, not AHIMA guidance.

Castleport suggested study schedule for 30-day and 90-day AHIMA waiting periods
Phase 30-day exams (CCA, CCS, RHIT, RHIA) 90-day exams (CCS-P, CDIP, CHDA, CHPS)
First few days Apply. Write down your two or three weakest domains. Same.
Most of the wait About three weeks on your weakest domains, worked against your exam's current content outline. About eight weeks rotating through weak domains, then mixed review of everything.
Final stretch Timed mixed practice. For CCA and CCS, drill code book lookups with the books you'll actually bring. Timed mixed practice. Keep the last few days light.

Each exam's content outline, which lists the tasks and percentage weighting for each domain, is linked from its AHIMA page in the table at the top.

If something went wrong on test day

Tell your Pearson VUE proctor immediately. If you failed and believe irregular testing conditions played a part, AHIMA accepts written complaints no later than 7 days after you receive your score report. Email certification@ahima.org, describing the problem and the remedy you are requesting. AHIMA doesn't release exam questions or your answers to individual items. (AHIMA: Examination Complaints)

Not taking an AHIMA certification exam?

Sources

Last verified October 22, 2026. We checked the waiting periods, retake fees, application and ATT steps, the 120-day eligibility window and extension terms, scheduling and refund rules, 2026 code book dates, the early-testing form, and the complaint deadline against these pages:

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by AHIMA, CCHIIM or Pearson VUE. Exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Confirm your own dates in your MyAHIMA account and ATT email.