High school students take CodeHS certification exams to show their skills in areas such as Python, Java, web design and cybersecurity, and adults in the workforce can take them too. This page explains the exam format and rules as CodeHS publishes them and matches each exam to our free practice sets. It also works through sample questions that we wrote ourselves. They are not taken from the real exam.
The CodeHS has 45 questions and takes about 1.5 hours[1] (CodeHS, verified Oct 25, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 45 multiple-choice questions[1] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes, one sitting[1] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Passing score | 60% (Java: 50%)[2] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee | Purchased voucher required per attempt; price by quote from CodeHS sales[2] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Unlimited retakes; one voucher per attempt[2] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | Certificate expires after 10 years[2] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online, at home or at school, with a teacher-issued voucher[1] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility | No prerequisites; adults in the workforce may also test[2] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release | Within 36 hours, counting school days[1] | CodeHS · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to CodeHS, “Each exam is timed at 90 minutes and contains 45 multiple-choice questions.”[1]
CodeHS has a range of certification exams, and each one covers a single subject at a set level, such as Python, Java, web design or cybersecurity. Each exam lasts 90 minutes and has 45 multiple-choice questions. You must finish it in a single sitting. You take it online, at home or at school, with a voucher your teacher gives you. There are no specific prerequisites, so adults in the workforce can test as well as students.
To pass, you need 60% on every exam except Java, where the passing score is 50%. CodeHS shares results within 36 hours of finishing the exam, and only school days count toward that time. A test taken just before a weekend or holiday may therefore take longer to come back. You can retake an exam as many times as you need, but every attempt needs its own purchased voucher. CodeHS does not publish a list price. Schools get a quote from CodeHS sales. A certificate you earn expires after 10 years.
Some things vary by school: voucher pricing, which exams your school offers, and how your teacher schedules attempts. For anything not covered here, check the CodeHS Help Center articles on certification exam format and the certifications FAQ. Those are the official sources for the facts on this page.
The content areas below are copied from the official CodeHS content outline published by CodeHS. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| AI Level 1[1] | CodeHS Artificial Intelligence and Machine... Practise core AI and machine learning ideas such as training data, models, bias and how a system makes predictions. |
| Cybersecurity Level 1[1] | CodeHS Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking A... Practise security basics such as passwords, authentication, types of malware, phishing and safe online habits. |
| Cybersecurity Level 2[1] | CodeHS Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking A... Go further into network security, encryption, common attack methods and ethical hacking concepts. |
| Java Level 1[1] | CodeHS Programming Language Accreditations Practise Java syntax, data types, conditionals, loops, methods and basic classes and objects. |
| JavaScript Level 1[1] | CodeHS Programming Language Accreditations Practise JavaScript variables, functions, control flow, events and changing the content of a web page. |
| Python Level 1[1] | CodeHS Programming Language Accreditations Practise Python variables, conditionals, loops, functions and lists, and practise reading short code to predict what it prints. |
| Web Design Level 1[1] | CodeHS Web Development Accreditations Practise HTML structure, CSS styling, page layout and basic accessibility and design choices. |
| Web Development Level 1[1] | CodeHS Web Development Accreditations Practise using HTML, CSS and JavaScript together, including how pages are structured, styled and made interactive. |
Prepare for the CodeHS - Code High School Certifications exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What does 'professional boundaries' mean in the context of a teacher-student relationship?
Answer: A. Maintaining appropriate distance in all personal and digital communications
Explanation:
A is correct. Professional boundaries mean a teacher keeps an appropriate distance from students in every channel: in person, by email, in messages and on social media. The aim is to keep every interaction appropriate and transparent. It is not about holding back help.
Rule to remember: boundaries are about the nature of the relationship, not about how much help or content a student gets.
Question: Which coding language is primarily taught in CodeHS's introductory Python curriculum?
Answer: A. Python 3
Explanation:
A, Python 3, is correct. CodeHS introductory Python courses teach Python 3. It is the actively maintained version of the language and the one new learners are expected to use.
Rule to remember: questions about modern introductory Python point to Python 3. Names like Jython or MicroPython describe implementations, not versions of the language.
Question: Which action constitutes a breach of client confidentiality?
Answer: A. Sharing client information with unauthorized parties without consent
Explanation:
A is correct. Confidentiality is breached when client information reaches people who have no right to it and the client has not agreed.
Rule to remember: ask who received the information, and whether consent or legal authority covers that disclosure. The same reasoning applies to student records in a school.
First, confirm with your teacher which CodeHS exam you are taking, because each subject has its own exam. Then read the official exam format and FAQ pages so you know about the 90-minute limit, the 45 questions and your passing score before test day.
If you do not pass, use your results to find your weakest topics. Then repeat the cycle and arrange a new voucher for the next attempt.
Each CodeHS certification exam has 45 multiple-choice questions and a time limit of 90 minutes. You must finish it in a single sitting, so you cannot pause and come back another day. Plan your pacing before you start, and leave a little time at the end to go back to any questions you were unsure about.
You need 60% to pass every CodeHS certification exam except Java, where the passing score is 50%. CodeHS gives these as percentages of the exam. It is better to aim at answering as many of the 45 questions correctly as you can than to aim at a specific raw count.
Yes. CodeHS lets you retake an exam as many times as you need, but each attempt requires a purchased voucher. A retake therefore means getting a new voucher, usually through your teacher or school. Use your results to work on your weak topics before you try again, rather than retaking straight away.
CodeHS does not list a fixed price on its help pages. You need a purchased voucher for every attempt, and the price comes as a quote from CodeHS sales. A school or district usually arranges this. Ask your teacher whether your school has vouchers available before you plan an attempt.
CodeHS shares results within 36 hours of finishing the exam, and only school days count toward that time. If you test just before a weekend or holiday, expect a longer wait in calendar days. If your results have not arrived after that time, ask your teacher to check.
There are no specific prerequisites for CodeHS certification exams. Students can take them, and so can adults in the workforce. You take the exam online, at home or at school, with a voucher from your teacher. If you earn a credential, the certificate expires after 10 years.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.