CDPSE Exam Fees and Total Cost

CDPSE exam registration price

The 2026 ISACA Candidate Guide lists US$575 for members and US$760 for nonmembers. Membership status at the time of exam registration determines which price applies. The guide says exam registration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable, so include your eligibility window and likely appointment date in the decision before paying.

The listed exam price covers registration for one attempt. It does not include a prep manual, online course, question database, travel to a test center, or any membership dues. Those may affect a candidate’s personal budget, but they are separate choices and should not be folded into the exam price as if every candidate must buy them.

Certification and annual maintenance charges

After passing and meeting experience requirements, the CDPSE application has a one-time US$50 processing fee. Certification maintenance is separate: ISACA lists an annual fee of US$45 for members and US$85 for nonmembers. Holders also have to report the required CPE hours. The exam fee therefore is only the cost of attempting the exam, not the full long-term cost of holding the designation.

Membership may change the exam and maintenance prices, but a candidate should compare the relevant savings with current membership dues and any other membership value they would actually use. Do not assume joining solely for one discount automatically lowers total spending. The membership purchase and certification charges are separate transactions.

Retakes and appointment changes

A failed attempt does not include a free retake. Each new attempt requires the full registration fee for the candidate’s membership status at that registration. ISACA permits four attempts in a rolling 12 months, with waits of 30 days after the first attempt, then 90 days after the second and third. These limits are policy, not a recommended study schedule.

Rescheduling is different from retaking. A candidate can change an appointment without penalty if the change is made at least 48 hours before the appointment and remains within eligibility. A late change or missed appointment can forfeit the fee. ISACA also allows one six-month eligibility extension for US$75. These are contingency charges and should not be counted as inevitable costs.

A nonpassing candidate can request a rescore within 30 days after official result release for US$75. It is optional and is not a retake; PSI reviews the score. If the candidate later retakes the exam, a new full registration fee applies.

Example budgets

The first example totals US$625 in exam and application charges before any study purchase or travel. The nonmember example totals US$810 on the same basis. A member who needs a second attempt and later qualifies for certification pays US$1,200 in two exam registrations plus the US$50 application fee, before study and travel costs. These arithmetic examples use the published fees and do not include membership dues.

A practical cost decision

Suppose a candidate expects to test remotely and already owns a suitable computer. Their direct costs can be limited to the exam registration, chosen preparation, and the eventual application if they meet experience requirements. Another candidate may need travel and a hotel for an authorized PSI center. Both face the same ISACA exam fee, but their total outlay differs because logistics differ.

Estimate only expenses that apply to you. Separate required ISACA charges from optional materials, membership, travel, and employer training. Leave room for a possible retake if a failed attempt would be financially difficult, but do not treat that contingency as a certainty or use a practice percentage to guarantee a result.

Build a complete budget from separate decisions For a member who passes on the first attempt, the listed exam fee of US$575 plus the US$50 certification application fee produces US$625 in exam and award charges before preparation expenses. A nonmember paying US$760 for the exam would have US$810 in those two charges. These figures do not include annual maintenance, continuing education, travel, or optional study resources. If membership is being considered only to reduce the exam price, compare the total membership charge with the exam-price difference and include only other benefits that matter to you. Do not assume a membership purchased after registering changes the price already paid. Confirm the account's membership status at checkout and use the member or nonmember rate displayed for that transaction. Maintenance continues after certification. The annual amount is US$45 for members or US$85 for nonmembers. It is separate from the exam, application, and CPE obligation. A three-year estimate should include the applicable annual fee for each year, plus the time or actual costs associated with earning and reporting CPE. Avoid adding an expensive course unless it is part of your plan; eligible activities can have different costs. Compare retake and extension costs correctly A failed candidate pays the full exam registration fee for another attempt. A scheduling change or missed appointment can create a separate cost under the candidate guide, so do not treat an appointment change as a free retake. A registration extension, when available, only adds time to use an existing eligibility window. It does not provide another exam attempt. Consider a nonmember budget: US$760 for the first attempt, US$50 for the application after passing, then US$85 per year in maintenance. If a retake is needed, add another US$760. If the candidate buys a review manual or course, place that purchase in the preparation line rather than describing it as a required certification fee. Do not add a retake and an extension unless both will actually be used. Record each cost by when it is due: before scheduling, after a pass, annually after certification, or only if a contingency occurs. This makes the plan useful for employer reimbursement as well. Ask whether reimbursement applies to a first attempt only, covers the application fee, or requires proof of a pass. Keeping those questions separate prevents the exam price from being mistaken for the full cost of earning and maintaining the credential.

Build a complete budget from separate decisions For a member who passes on the first attempt, the listed exam fee of US$575 plus the US$50 certification application fee produces US$625 in exam and award charges before preparation expenses. A nonmember paying US$760 for the exam would have US$810 in those two charges. These figures do not include annual maintenance, continuing education, travel, or optional study resources. If membership is being considered only to reduce the exam price, compare the total membership charge with the exam-price difference and include only other benefits that matter to you. Do not assume a membership purchased after registering changes the price already paid. Confirm the account's membership status at checkout and use the member or nonmember rate displayed for that transaction. Maintenance continues after certification. The annual amount is US$45 for members or US$85 for nonmembers. It is separate from the exam, application, and CPE obligation. A three-year estimate should include the applicable annual fee for each year, plus the time or actual costs associated with earning and reporting CPE. Avoid adding an expensive course unless it is part of your plan; eligible activities can have different costs. Compare retake and extension costs correctly A failed candidate pays the full exam registration fee for another attempt. A scheduling change or missed appointment can create a separate cost under the candidate guide, so do not treat an appointment change as a free retake. A registration extension, when available, only adds time to use an existing eligibility window. It does not provide another exam attempt. Consider a nonmember budget: US$760 for the first attempt, US$50 for the application after passing, then US$85 per year in maintenance. If a retake is needed, add another US$760. If the candidate buys a review manual or course, place that purchase in the preparation line rather than describing it as a required certification fee. Do not add a retake and an extension unless both will actually be used. Record each cost by when it is due: before scheduling, after a pass, annually after certification, or only if a contingency occurs. This makes the plan useful for employer reimbursement as well. Ask whether reimbursement applies to a first attempt only, covers the application fee, or requires proof of a pass. Keeping those questions separate prevents the exam price from being mistaken for the full cost of earning and maintaining the credential.