8.4 After the Exam and Next Steps

Passing: Credential Issuance

A scaled score of 300 or higher (on AHIMA's 100–400 scale) means you passed, and you receive the result and score report immediately after the exam. For the RHIT, AHIMA must receive your official transcript before the certificate number is issued; your virtual certificate is then available in your AHIMA CEU Center. Early testers may not use the credential until all requirements are verified. Once it is granted, you may use the RHIT designation after your name.

Your 2-year recertification cycle begins on the day you pass. Plan early: rather than scrambling at the end, log CEUs as you earn them. New RHITs sometimes immediately pursue an AHIMA membership (if not already a member) because members get reduced CEU and event pricing — and you already paid the lower member exam fee if you joined before testing.

Maintaining the RHIT: CEUs and Recertification

AHIMA credentials are maintained through continuing education units (CEUs) reported in the AHIMA CEU Center. For a single credential, the RHIT requires 20 CEUs per 2-year cycle.

Key rules: CEUs count only toward the cycle in which they are earned — even if you recertify early, they cannot be applied to a future cycle. AHIMA audits a stratified random sample of credential holders each year, so retain documentation for every activity. Missing the deadline moves the credential to inactive (6 months), then temporarily revoked (6 more months), then permanently revoked; see "Inactive and revoked status" below.

If You Do Not Pass: Retake Process

A failing result is recoverable. The score report includes percent correct by domain — use it to target your re-study toward your weakest domains.

To retake, you reapply through AHIMA and pay the exam fee again ($229 member / $299 non-member). RHIT candidates must wait 30 days before the new application is approved and they can schedule, and AHIMA cannot waive the retest period. Transcripts stay on file. Do not simply re-sit cold: rebuild your weakest domains, redo timed practice assessments, and re-drill the cold-recall facts from Section 8.2 before booking the next appointment.

Career Progression from RHIT

The RHIT is an associate-degree-level credential and a launchpad, not a ceiling. Common advancement paths:

Many RHITs move into coding, CDI, data analytics, release-of-information supervision, or HIM department management, then layer on a specialty credential or the RHIA. Each new AHIMA credential adds to your CEU obligation but expands your scope, title, and earning potential — the RHIT is the foundation the rest of an HIM career is built on.

How CEUs Actually Work

Not every learning activity counts the same, and knowing the categories prevents a last-minute shortfall:

• AHIMA programming — webinars, the annual conference, and journal-based CEU quizzes are common sources.
• External activities — employer in-services, college coursework, and other approved continuing education in the HIM/HIIM domains can qualify.
• Steady progress — log CEUs as you earn them across the 2-year cycle so you are not racing the deadline.
• No carryover — CEUs apply only to the cycle in which they are earned; even if you recertify early, extra CEUs cannot be applied to a future cycle.

Inactive and revoked status

If you miss the requirement, the credential moves to inactive for 6 months (reactivate by meeting the requirements and paying a late fee), then temporarily revoked for 6 more months (reinstate with qualifying CEUs and a $368 reinstatement fee, or by retaking and passing the exam), and then permanently revoked — a strong reason to log CEUs steadily rather than gambling on a final-month sprint.

Why the ladder matters

Earning a second credential (say, CCS for coding depth or CHDA for analytics) does not double your CEU burden; AHIMA adds 10 CEUs per additional credential, up to 50 CEUs in total. Layering credentials is how RHITs move from technician roles into coding leadership, CDI, privacy/compliance, and HIM management — each step backed by the verified competency the credential represents.

First moves as a new RHIT

In the weeks after passing, three actions pay off. First, update your resume, badge, and email signature to add "RHIT" — many HIM job postings list it as a requirement, so the credential immediately widens your options. Second, set a CEU plan now: schedule the AHIMA webinars or journal quizzes that will cover the cycle so you are not scrambling at month 23. Third, pick a specialization direction — if you gravitate to coding, start tracking the experience and study that lead to CCS; if you prefer data, aim at CHDA; if records management and privacy interest you, build toward CHPS or an RHIA.

The RHIT proves you can manage the legal health record, protect patient information, support the revenue cycle, and use health data — every higher credential and leadership role builds directly on that foundation.