- The Number: 60% on 45 Questions
- What the Score Does and Does Not Tell You
- Reading Your Score Report
- Seven Domains, One Combined Score
- Exam Conditions That Protect Your Score
- Retakes, Vouchers, and Expiration
- A Domain-Ordered Plan for Reaching 60%
- After You Pass: Certificate and Next Steps
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The CodeHS Python Level 1 exam has 45 multiple-choice questions, a 90-minute limit, and a 60% passing score.
- Your result arrives within 36 hours on school days, with an overall score and topic-level performance report.
- The 60% threshold is a pass mark, not a cohort pass rate; no official pass rate has been verified.
- Each voucher covers one attempt, so a retake requires purchasing another voucher.
The Number: 60% on 45 Questions
If you are preparing for the CodeHS Python Level 1 Certification, the passing score is the single most useful fact to anchor your plan around: you need 60%. The exam consists of 45 multiple-choice questions delivered online in a 90-minute window. That gives you an average of two minutes per question, which is generous for the kind of short Python-reading and code-tracing items this exam uses.
This article focuses specifically on the scoring side of the exam: what the threshold means, how results are reported, how the seven official topic groups feed into your overall result, and how to build a preparation plan that targets a comfortable margin above 60%. For broader preparation, see our CHS-P1 study guide for passing on your first attempt.
What the Score Does and Does Not Tell You
The 60% threshold is a pass mark, not a pass rate
Candidates often confuse two very different numbers. The passing score is the minimum performance you must reach on your own attempt: 60%. A pass rate would describe what share of all test-takers succeed. CodeHS has not published an official pass rate that we could verify, so any figure you see quoted online should be treated with skepticism. For a careful look at what is and is not known, see CHS-P1 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
What we have not verified
Two details are worth stating plainly because candidates ask about them constantly:
- No official scored versus unscored item split has been verified. You should not assume that all 45 questions count, nor that some are unscored. Treat every question as if it matters.
- No percentage-weighted blueprint has been verified. The seven topic groups are official, but the exam overview lists them without weights, so you cannot calculate how many questions come from each one.
That second point shapes your strategy. Because you cannot bank on any domain being "light," the safest approach is balanced competence across all seven groups rather than a bet on a favorite.
What 60% looks like in practice
Because the exam has 45 questions and the pass mark is 60%, the arithmetic is straightforward: 60% of 45 is 27. In practical terms, think of 27 correct answers as the mark to clear, and aim well above it so that a couple of tricky questions do not decide the outcome. Whether you land exactly on the line or comfortably past it, a pass is a pass; but your preparation should target a buffer, not the minimum.
Reading Your Score Report
CodeHS releases results within 36 hours on school days. Your report includes an overall score and a topic-level performance report. Successful candidates can download a certificate.
The topic-level report is the most valuable piece if you do not pass. It tells you where your performance was weaker, which lets you retarget your review instead of restudying everything. Use it the way a coach uses game film: identify the topic groups that pulled your score down, then rebuild those first.
Seven Domains, One Combined Score
The official exam overview lists seven top-level topic groups. They are exam-topic groupings, not course modules and not a weighted blueprint. Your 60% is earned across all of them together. Here is what each group asks of you.
Domain 1: Data Types and Operators
The foundation for everything else. Expect to read short snippets and predict results.
- Distinguish integers, floats, strings, and booleans
- Evaluate arithmetic, comparison, and logical operators, including order of operations
- Predict the output of mixed-type expressions and type conversions
Domain 2: Conditionals
Control flow that depends on boolean logic.
- Trace if, elif, and else branches to determine which block runs
- Combine conditions with and, or, and not
- Spot off-by-one and boundary mistakes in comparisons
Domain 3: Loops
Repetition is where many wrong answers come from careless tracing.
- Trace for and while loops iteration by iteration
- Understand how
continuealters the flow of a loop, which the overview expressly includes - Work out how many times a loop body executes
Domain 4: Program Structure
How code is organized and how information moves through it.
- Read and write functions, including parameters and return values
- Follow the order in which statements and function calls execute
- Recognize variable scope effects
Domain 5: Error Handling
What happens when code does not behave.
- Identify the kinds of errors Python raises and what causes them
- Trace code that uses try and except to see which path executes
- Distinguish a syntax mistake from a runtime error
Domain 6: Lists
The overview explicitly covers one- and two-dimensional lists, list methods, indexing, and slicing.
- Index and slice lists, including negative indexes
- Use list methods and predict how they change a list
- Navigate nested (two-dimensional) lists with row and column indexes
Domain 7: Strings
Strings behave like sequences, so many list skills transfer.
- Index and slice strings
- Apply string methods and predict the returned value
- Remember that strings are immutable when tracing code
For deeper coverage of each group, our complete guide to all 7 CHS-P1 content areas goes topic by topic.
Why balance beats specialization
Since no weighting is published, a candidate who is excellent at Lists and Strings but shaky on Error Handling and Program Structure is gambling. Items from the groups you neglect still count toward the same 60%. Lists and Strings are often the most hands-on topics, which is why they feel comfortable, but the same overall score pools every group. Use the table below to see how the groups relate to the kinds of reasoning they test.
| Domain | Main Skill Tested | Common Trap |
|---|---|---|
| Data Types and Operators | Predicting expression results | Mixing types and operator precedence |
| Conditionals | Tracing branch selection | Boundary comparisons and overlapping conditions |
| Loops | Counting iterations and tracing state | Misreading where continue jumps |
| Program Structure | Following function calls and scope | Confusing printed output with returned values |
| Error Handling | Predicting which path runs when errors occur | Misjudging when an exception is raised |
| Lists | Indexing, slicing, methods, nested lists | Off-by-one slices and nested index order |
| Strings | Indexing, slicing, methods | Forgetting strings are immutable |
Exam Conditions That Protect Your Score
Your knowledge is only half of reaching 60%; the other half is not losing points to avoidable procedural problems. Here are the verified conditions that shape your testing session.
Format and integrity rules
- One sitting: The exam must be completed in a single sitting, so plan a quiet 90-minute block.
- Randomly selected questions: Your question set is drawn randomly, so memorizing someone else's version is not a strategy.
- Honor Code and Focus Mode: You agree to an Honor Code, and Focus Mode blocks navigation to other CodeHS pages. It is not described as a system-wide browser lockdown, but you should still treat the session as closed-book on the web.
- Proctoring: Testing is available at home or school, monitored by a teacher or authorized proctor through the CodeHS Certifications app and Proctor Dashboard.
What you may and may not use
A Python examination reference sheet is provided. CodeHS suggests having paper, a pencil, and a calculator on hand. Prohibited are external websites, collaboration, copying or sharing exam questions, and running code in another website or program. That last rule matters: because you cannot run code to check yourself, the exam rewards the ability to trace programs mentally and on paper.
Key Takeaway
Practice tracing code by hand on paper, with no interpreter. Since you cannot run code during the exam, your score depends on predicting output from reading alone. Rehearse with a reference sheet beside you so its layout feels familiar on test day.
Accommodations
Extended-time and read-aloud accommodations are supported. Other accommodation requests require platform review, so raise any needs with your teacher or proctor well before test day rather than the morning of. For eligibility and setup details, see CHS-P1 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Retakes, Vouchers, and Expiration
The passing score interacts directly with how vouchers work, so it is worth understanding the mechanics before your first attempt.
- One voucher, one attempt. Each purchased voucher permits a single attempt.
- No numerical retake limit. You may retake as many times as you need, but every additional attempt requires another purchased voucher.
- Vouchers expire. Unused school or district vouchers expire at the end of the contract term and do not roll over between school years.
- Pricing is by quote. CodeHS provides school and district voucher pricing by direct quote; no public numeric fee was verified.
Together, these facts mean a failed attempt carries a real cost in vouchers, and an unused voucher can be lost entirely at contract end. The practical lesson: do not burn a voucher on a "trial run." Treat your first attempt as the real one, and use practice resources to measure readiness beforehand. For more on the money side, read CHS-P1 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
A Domain-Ordered Plan for Reaching 60%
Rather than a generic schedule, order your preparation by how the seven groups build on one another. Data Types and Operators underpins every later topic, so it comes first. Lists and Strings share indexing and slicing logic, so they pair naturally. Here is one way to sequence it.
Data Types, Operators, and Conditionals
- Drill expression evaluation until operator precedence is automatic
- Trace if/elif/else chains with boundary values
Loops and Program Structure
- Hand-trace for and while loops, including
continue - Follow function calls and track return values versus printed output
Lists and Strings
- Practice indexing and slicing with negative indexes
- Work through one- and two-dimensional lists and the common list and string methods
Error Handling and Full Review
- Trace try/except paths and identify error types
- Take timed full-length practice sets and review misses by domain
CodeHS also lists an official Level 1 Certification Practice course in its catalog, and the recommended (not required) background is the Introduction to Python Programming course. Those preparation courses are not extra exam domains, and they do not establish exhaustive coverage of what appears on the test, so supplement them with timed practice on the seven topic groups above. You can find realistic timed questions on our CHS-P1 practice test site.
Calibrating readiness against the 60% line
After each practice set, score yourself by domain, not just overall. If your overall practice score hovers near 60%, you have no margin for exam-day nerves or an unlucky question draw. A better target is to see your practice results consistently clear the line across every domain before you commit a voucher. If your effort is concentrated on a weak area, our guide on how hard the CHS-P1 exam really is can help you judge where candidates typically feel the most pressure.
After You Pass: Certificate and Next Steps
Passing earns you a downloadable certificate. Earned certificates expire after 10 years, which is long enough that the credential works as a durable entry on a student portfolio or application. There are no certification prerequisites, so there is nothing you must complete before attempting the exam.
If you are weighing what the credential does for you beyond the score itself, these resources help you think it through: Is the CHS-P1 Certification Worth It? and the CHS-P1 cheat sheet for a one-page review of must-know facts. Keep your expectations grounded: the credential demonstrates foundational Python knowledge, and it is best presented as one piece of evidence alongside projects and coursework.
Frequently Asked Questions
The passing score is 60%. The exam has 45 multiple-choice questions and a 90-minute time limit, so 60% corresponds to 27 correct answers out of 45.
No. The 60% figure is the score you must reach to pass. It is not a statement about how many candidates pass. No official pass rate has been verified, so be cautious about any percentage presented as one.
Results are released within 36 hours on school days. You receive an overall score and a topic-level performance report, and successful candidates can download a certificate.
Yes. There is no numerical limit on retakes, but each attempt requires its own purchased voucher. Unused school or district vouchers expire at the end of the contract term and do not roll over between school years.
The seven topic groups are official, but no percentage weighting or scored versus unscored item split has been verified. Prepare all seven groups: Data Types and Operators, Conditionals, Loops, Program Structure, Error Handling, Lists, and Strings.