SSCP Exam Fees and Total Cost

Published SSCP exam prices

ISC2’s pricing page currently lists the standard SSCP registration fee as US $249 in the Americas and Asia Pacific, EUR 239.04 in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and GBP 201.69 in the United Kingdom. The same US-dollar amount is listed for Middle East, Africa, and regions not listed separately. Exam prices and taxes are based on the place where you take the exam; a candidate’s billing address does not necessarily determine the fee.

Use the live ISC2 checkout as the payable quote. Currency conversion, country-specific tax, promotions, and product bundles can change what appears. A voucher from ISC2 or an authorized training partner may be priced differently from exam-only registration. Do not budget from an old screenshot or a third-party reseller listing.

What the base fee buys

The standard fee buys an exam entitlement that must be scheduled and used within 365 days of purchase. It does not reserve a seat at a particular Pearson VUE center; scheduling is a separate step. The standard purchase is one exam attempt. If you want a package with two attempts, ISC2 currently offers Peace of Mind Protection as an exam option. It includes two attempts at a lower cost than purchasing two single exams, but both must be sat within 180 days, and a 30-day waiting period applies between attempts. Compare the current package price with two standard registrations at checkout rather than assuming it is always the better value.

Training bundles can include official courses, digital materials or an exam. They have distinct access periods: course videos, digital text and exam code may each expire on different schedules. A bundle only helps if you will use the included learning product and have enough time to attend. Review the line items, start date, and expiration before purchase.

Taxes and appointment changes

ISC2’s pricing page notes that pricing and taxes depend on exam administration location and that local currency may vary. For a US candidate, the listed US $249 is the base standard registration amount before any required tax. Include the exact checkout total in your personal budget. If your employer reimburses the exam, confirm whether it covers taxes, a retake bundle, or scheduling charges.

If you later change an appointment, ISC2’s published fees are US $50 to reschedule and US $100 to cancel. Rescheduling is prohibited within 24 hours of the appointment. These are separate from the exam price. A no-show or failure to sit within 365 days can result in losing the fee; ISC2 says the standard exam fee is not refunded when you miss that purchase window. The booked appointment’s terms and any special voucher conditions also matter.

Certification costs after passing

Passing the exam does not finish the cost of earning and maintaining SSCP. If you already meet the experience requirement, you still complete the experience application and endorsement process and then pay the current maintenance fee to become certified. ISC2 currently lists a US $135 annual maintenance fee for members who hold SSCP or another professional ISC2 certification. An Associate of ISC2 pays US $50 per year while pursuing the required experience; after earning full certification, ISC2 charges the difference to reach the professional-member fee for that cycle.

The AMF is annual, not a one-time lifetime charge. For a person who holds only SSCP over a full three-year cycle at the current US rate, the simple nominal estimate is $135 × 3 = $405. Add the current US $249 standard exam price, and the exam plus three years of AMF is $654 before taxes, changes, training, study materials or a retake. That is a transparent baseline, not a quote for every candidate. Members holding multiple professional ISC2 certifications pay a single AMF, so the marginal amount for adding SSCP may be zero if the member already pays the $135 fee.

CPE and optional study costs

SSCP maintenance also requires 60 CPE credits across a three-year cycle. ISC2’s current policy divides this into 45 Group A credits plus 15 Group A or Group B credits. ISC2 suggests an annual pace of 15 Group A and five additional Group A or B, but the requirement is a three-year total. The credits do not have to be purchased: qualifying education, professional activity, writing, volunteering and other eligible activities may count under the handbook. Keep evidence and record credits in the ISC2 account.

Study costs are a separate choice. Candidates may use the official outline, their existing technical references and no-cost practice activities, or buy a study guide, question bank or instructor-led course. Price each resource against a specific gap. A candidate who already handles networks and access may need targeted cryptography and incident-response review rather than an expensive broad course. Avoid buying multiple overlapping question banks before diagnosing what you do not know.

Example candidate budgets

Self-study, first attempt: a US candidate pays the current $249 base registration plus applicable tax. If the candidate receives the SSCP certification immediately and holds no other professional ISC2 certification, add up to $405 in AMFs over the following three years at the present rate. The three-year baseline is $654 before taxes and any chosen learning materials. The 60 CPE credits can be earned through qualifying activities and are not automatically a cash fee.

Study bundle: a candidate compares the current official training-plus-exam bundle with separate registration and a chosen independent resource. The bundle is worthwhile only if the scheduled class and its access period fit the candidate’s calendar. The exam entitlement may remain valid for a different period than the course materials, so record each deadline.

Retake protection: a candidate who wants a second attempt compares the Peace of Mind bundle with two individual registrations. The bundle costs less than two single exams according to ISC2, but has a 180-day sitting window and a 30-day waiting interval. If the candidate cannot book an initial attempt early enough to leave a retake window, the package may not help. The checkout amount is the actual price to use in the comparison.

How to avoid surprise charges

Before checkout, confirm the exam name, region, currency, tax, product type, included attempts and expiration. Save the receipt. Before scheduling, check the appointment’s local date and time and read the change policy. If your work schedule is uncertain, price the possible reschedule and do not wait until the 24-hour restricted period.

Before purchasing training, ask whether the listed price includes the exam, materials, live instruction, taxes, and an eligible retake. Do not assume an “exam prep bundle” means a Pearson appointment is already booked. Before beginning certification, count the maintenance fee separately from the exam and plan how to earn CPE without paying for activities you do not need.

A useful total-cost worksheet

Write down five amounts: the live exam-only total; any optional bundle price; estimated taxes; possible scheduling or retake charges; and three years of professional AMF if you expect to hold SSCP throughout that cycle. Add study purchases separately. For the current US standard case, the baseline is $249 registration plus $405 in three annual AMFs, or $654 before tax and optional costs.

If you are an Associate first, use the Associate $50 annual fee while you earn the experience and then the transition rules at certification. If you already hold CISSP, CCSP or another professional credential, one $135 annual AMF covers multiple ISC2 certifications; do not add $135 for every badge. Recheck the AMF structure when planning because association fees can change.

Price is not the whole decision

The lowest apparent registration price is not always the lowest realistic cost. A date chosen too late can force a reschedule or leave no room for a retake. A course bundle can waste money if the sessions begin before the candidate is available. An exam-only purchase can be efficient when the candidate already has strong materials and a clear study plan. Think in terms of total relevant expense and risk rather than the sticker amount alone.

For an employer-funded candidate, send finance the official pricing page and the order confirmation. Confirm whether the employer’s voucher is region-specific and whether the reimbursement includes the AMF after certification. For a self-funded candidate, set aside the registration and AMF amounts separately so exam payment is not confused with credential maintenance.

Frequently asked cost questions

Does SSCP cost $249 everywhere? No. ISC2 lists US $249 for the Americas and Asia Pacific, EUR 239.04 for EMEA and GBP 201.69 for the UK. Location-based tax and currency rules apply.

Is the SSCP retake included? Not in the standard exam-only registration. Peace of Mind Protection is a separate two-attempt offer; its current price and expiration appear in ISC2 checkout.

How much does SSCP maintenance cost? ISC2 currently lists a US $135 annual AMF for certified members with SSCP. Associates pay US $50 annually while on the Associate status.

Do I have to pay for CPE? Not necessarily. You must earn qualifying credits, but the policy does not require purchasing a course for every credit.