How to Apply for the AACE CCP Exam: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Two things to sort out before you apply

First, make sure you qualify. You need 8 years of industry-related experience, or 4 years plus a 4-year industry-related degree; the degree can stand in for up to 4 years of the experience. Our eligibility guide goes through the grey areas.

Second, think about timing. Your 6-month registration window starts the day AACE clears you, not the day you sit the exam. AACE's own staff recommend finishing your study before you register, so the window isn't eaten up while you're still on chapter three.

Get the employer letter right

AACE needs verification from your employer showing your dates of service, your job title and a short description of your duties. Your employer can write a letter or complete AACE's Certification Application Employment Verification Form. What AACE won't accept is your CV, your application, a job description, an employment contract or offer letter, or another body's certification.

If a previous employer has closed or simply doesn't reply, don't give up on those years. AACE's handbook explains that your current employer can verify past employment if it ran a background check when it hired you. Self-employed applicants follow AACE's Self-Employment Policy instead.

For the degree route, upload a copy of your diploma or transcripts. Anything not in English needs an official translation from a translation service. A translation you've typed yourself will be rejected.

Setting up the application

1. On AACE's portal, click Get Started and enter your email. If you're already in AACE's system you'll get a password reset; otherwise you'll create a new profile.
2. Write down your AACE ID (customer number) from your home screen. You'll need to type it into your exam memo, and you can't take notes into the exam.
3. Under Apply for New Certifications, choose Certified Cost Professional (CCP).
4. Add each employer separately with start date, end date and name, and upload the verification for each. A running total shows how much experience you've entered against the 8-year requirement.
5. If you're using a degree, add the institution, degree type, field of study and graduation date, with your document.
6. Once you meet the minimum, accept the Terms and Conditions, check the summary and add it to your cart.

Paying

You pay before the application goes in, and the fee is non-refundable. It covers AACE's review of your documents and the testing fee. Membership isn't required, though members pay $165 less on the exam. Our cost guide puts the whole budget together.

Clearance and booking

After payment, AACE reviews your file. According to its FAQs, clearance for professional-level certifications usually comes within a few business days if there are no problems. If something is missing, AACE will normally give you the chance to fix it.

When you're cleared, go to Check Certification Status and choose how you want to sit the exam: at a Kryterion test centre or by online proctoring. It's worth reading our online vs test centre guide before you pick. Kryterion then emails you scheduling instructions, and you book your date and time in its Webassessor system. AACE suggests booking soon after clearance so you have room for resits if you need them.

After the exam

Because the memo is marked by AACE volunteer graders once a month, results usually arrive by email two to three weeks after the grading cycle starts on or around the 15th. You'll be told pass or fail; AACE doesn't release individual scores. Pass, and you can download your certificate from your AACE profile.

Questions about eligibility can go straight to AACE's Certification Department at certification@aacei.org. For the bigger picture, see our CCP Certification Guide or 3FOLD Training's overview of the CCP exam.