The AACE International (AACEI) Certified Cost Professional (CCP) exam is a single long sitting, so the format shapes how you prepare almost as much as the content does. Most of the rules that surprise candidates, such as the memo, the averaged scoring and the delayed results, sit in AACEI’s own pages. This guide puts them in one place and shows how to plan your time across the exam.

CCP exam format at a glance

What is the structure of the CCP exam?

The CCP exam has 7 domains: 6 of multiple-choice questions and 1 memo assignment, according to AACEI’s CCP details page. The 119 multiple-choice questions are a mix of simple questions and compound scenario questions.

What is a compound scenario question?

AACEI describes the multiple-choice questions as simple or compound scenario questions, which suggests a question can build on a scenario instead of standing alone. AACEI does not publish sample questions on its CCP details page, so treat any practice question as an illustration of the style, not of the real exam.

What is the memo assignment?

The memo is the Communication domain, a single assignment with a given scenario. AACEI publishes separate memo guidance, and we cover its format and structure in a dedicated guide.

How long is the CCP exam?

The CCP exam lasts 5 hours maximum, and AACEI sets one limit for the whole exam. It does not state separate times for the multiple-choice questions and the memo, so the 300 minutes cover everything.

AACEI schedules no breaks during the exam, although short bio breaks are permitted. The timer keeps running during a bio break, so any break comes out of your 300 minutes.

Are you eligible to take the CCP exam?

Check your experience against the requirement before you register, because AACEI reviews your application before it clears you to take the exam. AACEI requires 8 years of industry-related experience, or 4 years with a 4-year industry-related degree. Our CCP eligibility guide explains the rules in full.

How is the CCP exam scored?

You need an overall average score of 70% or higher to pass. AACEI states that the final result is arrived at by averaging the scores of all 7 domains, and that results are released on a pass or fail basis only, so no individual scores are given.

The pass rule applies to the overall average of all 7 domains.

Do you need to pass every domain?

The pass rule applies to the overall average. AACEI’s 2023 exam update said candidates need not pass every domain on its own, as long as the overall result reaches the pass mark. Check AACEI’s current wording before you plan around this.

When do you get your results?

AACEI does not give CCP results immediately. The memo is graded in monthly grading cycles, on or around the 15th of the month, and results follow approximately 2 to 3 weeks later.

What are the rules for exam day?

The CCP exam is closed book, so you bring no reference material, but onscreen formula sheets are available during the exam. AACEI permits any stand-alone, battery-operated calculator, and the testing center does not provide one.

What do you need to bring?

At a test center, bring two IDs, one of them a government-issued photo ID, and the Candidate Authorization Code from your exam confirmation email. Personal items such as bags, phones and watches are not allowed in the exam room.

What can you use during an online proctored exam?

For an online proctored exam, AACEI lists a calculator, blank loose scratch paper, a pen or pencil and a clear beverage in a clear container. No other people may be in the exam area, and dual monitors are not allowed.

Where do you take the CCP exam?

You take the exam at a Kryterion test center or through online proctoring, according to AACEI’s examination delivery page. At a test center, arrive 15 minutes early. For online proctoring, the Launch Exam button appears in Webassessor about 10 minutes before your start time.

Can you reschedule your exam appointment?

You can reschedule or cancel without forfeiting the fee if AACEI receives notice at least 72 hours before the exam. If you do not show up on time, you forfeit the scheduling fee and the missed appointment counts as one of your attempts.

What if you need to retake the exam?

You have 6 months after clearance to take the exam up to 3 times, and 2 of the attempts are at a reduced fee, according to AACEI’s certification FAQs. After the 6 months, you must begin a new registration and pay the full exam fee.

How should you prepare for this format?

Prepare for the format as well as the content: practice working through a long exam against the clock. Our AACE CCP study plan shows how to schedule your weeks, the CCP study guide covers what to study, and our CCP mock exam guide explains how to use practice tests. For a first check, try our CCP sample exam questions.

Which domains deserve the most attention?

Managing Project Costs has the most questions, 43 of the 119, followed by Interface with Other Disciplines with 28. Because AACEI averages all 7 domains, a weak small domain can still pull your overall average down. Our article on whether the CCP is useful in construction shows how your daily work maps to the domains.

FAQ: CCP exam format

Where does 3FOLD Training fit?

3FOLD Training is an AACEI Approved Education Provider, licensed by KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) in Dubai. Our CCP exam preparation program is self-paced on the 3FOLD Learn LMS (learning management system), with 40 on-demand video lessons, a complete CCP study guide, 3 full-length mock exams, a memo writing guide, a formula sheet and glossary, and support with your AACEI application. 3FOLD Training was established in 2008. 3FOLD Training has prepared 30,000+ learners. LMS access terms and the current course fee are on the course page.