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Selecting the proper CPT code for psychological testing is an essential part of being a mental health clinician. Accurate coding supports your clinical diagnosis, structures your treatment plans, and ensures proper insurance billing and reimbursement.
Understanding the healthcare coding system—and specifically knowing the difference between CPT and HCPCS codes—can make your administrative tasks much more efficient. When you know which CPT code for psychological testing to use for specific scenarios, you reduce the risk of claim denials.
This guide provides an overview of CPT codes for psychological assessment and evaluations so you can feel confident selecting the correct evaluation codes for your private practice.
What are CPT codes?
The American Medical Association (AMA) created Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT codes, to describe healthcare procedures, medical surgeries, and diagnostic services.
Providers, including mental health clinicians, use CPT codes to establish a standardized language across the healthcare industry. This improves the accuracy of clinical documentation, streamlines reporting, and allows organizations to track data to identify health trends.
Behavioral health clinicians use a specific CPT code for psychological testing for their clinical documentation, insurance reimbursement, and treatment planning.
Even if your practice does not directly bill insurance, a proper CPT code for psychological testing must be used to provide clients with superbills so they can submit a claim to their insurance provider for out-of-network reimbursement.
What are common CPT codes for psychological testing?
There are numerous testing and evaluation codes available. The appropriate CPT code for psychological assessment varies depending on the type of clinician, the duration of the test, and the setting in which the assessment takes place.
It is important to note the difference between test evaluation and test administration. The evaluation codes (like the 96130 CPT code) cover the professional work of integrating data, interpreting results, and writing reports. The administration codes cover the actual time spent giving the test to the client.
Furthermore, there are scope-of-practice restrictions: evaluation codes are generally restricted to qualified healthcare professionals like licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and advanced practice providers, whereas technicians can bill certain administration codes.
Here is a list of common options when selecting a CPT code for psychological testing:
When do you use the 96110 code?
This is the CPT code for psychological testing related to developmental screening or developmental testing per a standardized instrument. It is commonly used to evaluate developmental milestones, like speech and language progress in children.
When do you use the 96112 code?
CPT code 96112 covers the first hour of standardized developmental test administration, including interpretation and report preparation, when performed by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional.
When do you use the 96113 code?
CPT code 96113 is an add-on code for each additional 30 minutes of standardized developmental test administration, interpretation, and report preparation beyond the first hour billed under 96112.
When do you use the 96105 code?
This is used for the assessment of aphasia, including expressive and receptive speech and language function, language comprehension, and reading/writing ability (e.g., via the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination). It includes administration, scoring, and clinical interpretation, billed per hour. (For cognitive performance testing specifically, see 96125 below.)
When do you use the 96125 code?
Often used by speech-language pathologists, this CPT code for psychological testing denotes cognitive performance testing.
When do you use the 96116 code?
This is the code for a neurobehavioral status exam, which involves a face-to-face assessment of the patient's thinking, reasoning, and judgment. This CPT code for psychological assessment includes the testing, interpretation, and preparation of a clinical report.
Code 96116 is used for the first hour of a neurobehavioral status examination. Code 96121 is used for each additional hour.
When do you use the 96130 CPT code?
The 96130 CPT code covers psychological testing evaluation services. This includes interpretation, clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and interactive feedback. This code covers the first 60 minutes of the provider's time.
The 96130 CPT code is the standard code used for evaluating and interpreting personality tests, while the administration of those tests is billed separately.
Note that CMS guidelines restrict this code to physicians and qualified health professionals; occupational therapists generally don't bill 96130 at all, since psychological/neuropsychological testing falls outside OT scope of practice. OTs instead address cognitive function through their own evaluation codes (97165–97167) and cognitive-intervention treatment codes like 97129.
When do you use the 96131 CPT code?
Clinicians add the 96131 CPT code as an add-on code for each additional hour spent on psychological testing evaluation beyond the first hour billed under 96130.
When do you use the 96132 CPT code?
The 96132 CPT code is used specifically for neuropsychological testing evaluation, interpretation, treatment planning, and discussing the outcome with the client and their family members.
This CPT code for psychological testing defines the first hour of testing evaluation before discussing results with the patient and caregivers. Code 96133 is used as an add-on for each additional hour of neuropsychological testing evaluation.
When do you use the 96137 CPT code?
The 96137 CPT code is an add-on code used for each additional 30 minutes of test administration and scoring performed by a professional. Because it is an add-on code, it must be billed alongside primary code 96136, which covers the initial 30 minutes of administration.
When do you use the 96138 code?
Code 96138 is used for neuropsychological test administration and scoring performed by a technician for the first 30 minutes. Additional 30-minute increments may be billed with code 96139.
When do you bill for automated testing?
When determining the right CPT code for psychological testing for automated platforms, 96146 covers a single automated instrument administered via an electronic platform, with automated results only.
What is a CPT code for psychological assessment?
A CPT code for psychological assessment often differs slightly from specialized testing codes. These assessment codes specify the clinical setting, the type of provider, and the duration of the visit.
Here is a list of other common evaluation and management codes:
90838: Individual psychotherapy with evaluation and management services, 60 minutes.
90833: Individual psychotherapy with evaluation and management services, 30 minutes.
90836: Individual psychotherapy with evaluation and management services, 45 minutes.
90791: Psychological diagnostic evaluation performed by a psychologist or therapist.
90792: Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services. This may include medication management.
99202: Evaluation and management services for a new patient with minimal concerns and assessment (outpatient); requires a minimum of 15 minutes.
99203: Evaluation and management services for a new patient with low complexity, limited assessment (outpatient); requires a minimum of 30 minutes.
99204: Evaluation and management services for a new client with moderate complexity, moderate assessment (outpatient); requires a minimum of 45 minutes.
99205: Evaluation and management services for a new client with high complexity, extensive assessment (outpatient); requires a minimum of 60 minutes.
96127: Brief emotional and/or behavioral assessment, such as ADHD or depression measures, scoring, and documentation. This is often used for assessments in children and adolescents.
Note: In 2024, the AMA updated the time requirements for E/M codes (99202–99205), replacing the old time ranges with a single minimum time threshold that must be met or exceeded.
What are potential add-on and modifier codes?
Behavioral health modifiers can be added alongside a CPT code for psychological testing to denote the type of clinician, the status of the visit, and specific billing information. Common modifiers include:
95: Synchronous telehealth session
GT: Synchronous telehealth session (Medicare)
AJ: Licensed clinical social worker
AF: Psychiatrist
AH: Clinical psychologist
25: Separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same clinician on the same day as the primary service
GN: Services delivered by an outpatient speech pathologist
H9: Court ordered
HA: Child/adolescent service or program
HB: Adult program or service
HE: Mental health service
HF: Substance use disorder program
UT: Describes attending to a patient in crisis
Sources
American Medical Association. (2026). CPT code set overview.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2024). Billing and coding: Psychological and neuropsychological tests.
AAPC. (2024). CPT 2024 brings more E/M changes.
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