IAPP

Which IAPP certification should you take: CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, CIPT or AIGP?

2 October 2026Credential Press4 min read

Five IAPP certifications by audience: CIPP/E for EU data protection law, CIPP/US for US privacy law, CIPM for running a privacy program, CIPT for privacy in technology, AIGP for AI governance. Four exams are 90 questions in 2.5 hours at US$550; the AIGP is 100 questions in 3 hours at US$799. All pass at 300 on 100 to 500.

The IAPP offers several certifications, and five of them split privacy and AI work by job: the law of a jurisdiction (CIPP/E, CIPP/US), running a privacy program (CIPM), building privacy into technology (CIPT) and governing AI (AIGP). Four share the same exam format and price; the AIGP is longer and costs more. This page compares them from the IAPP's own pages, read on 2 October 2026.

90Questions, CIPP, CIPM, CIPT

300To pass, all (100 to 500)

US$550Exam, member or not

US$375Second certification

Which certification fits which job?

Certification	The IAPP says it is for
CIPP/E	"Data protection professionals whose work is within the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation and other EU data protection laws, guidance, and standards"
CIPP/US	"Everyone who needs in-depth knowledge of the U.S. privacy environment for compliance and other privacy management responsibilities"
CIPM	"Professionals responsible for integrating privacy requirements into daily operations"
CIPT	Software developers, information security professionals, data architects, privacy engineers, and network and cloud engineers who build privacy controls into technology and products
AIGP	"Any professionals tasked with developing AI governance and risk management in their operations"

The audience statements are from each IAPP training page's "Who should train?" section. The CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM and CIPT are accredited by ANAB under ISO/IEC 17024:2012, the standard for bodies that certify people.

How do the exams compare?

	CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, CIPT	AIGP
Questions	90	100 (85 scored, 15 unscored)
Time	2.5 hours, optional 15-minute break halfway	3 hours
Pass mark	300 on 100 to 500	300 on 100 to 500
Exam fee	US$550, member or not	US$799; US$649 for members
Retake or second certification	US$375	See the AIGP fee guide
Where	Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online, all year; sit within one year of purchase
Upkeep	US$250 per two-year term, or membership at US$295 a year; 20 CPE credits per certification per term

Sources: the IAPP's certification FAQ, Candidate Handbook version 5.3.2, IAPP Store and CPE Policy version 3.3.1. The IAPP FAQ adds that "The passing score for all IAPP exams is 300 (which does not represent 60%)." Our AIGP fee guide has the AIGP retake prices.

Role-to-credential matrix

Person,Current role,Main work today,Candidate credential,Board's audience statement fits (yes or no),Experience needed to certify,Experience held,Gap (years or hours),Can sit before the experience? ,Target exam date,Exam outline version and date,Book,Notes
Example: GRC analyst,GRC analyst,IT risk assessments and control testing,CRISC (ISACA),yes,3 years IT risk management and IS control (no waivers),2 years,1 year,Check with ISACA before booking,2027-03-01,Check isaca.org/credentialing/crisc,CRISC Exam Guide,
,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,
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"Experience rules read from each board's pages on 2 October 2026: ISACA (CISA 5 years, CISM 5 years, CRISC 3 years), ISC2 (CISSP and CCSP 5 years), PECB ISO Lead Implementer (5 years, 2 in the field, 300 project hours), GARP FRM (2 years full-time risk management). IAPP documents we read state no experience prerequisite for CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM or CIPT. Template from credentialpress.com/guides/which-certification-for-which-role.",,,,,,,,,,,,

Which is the best second certification?

The IAPP Store charges US$375 instead of US$550 to anyone who already holds an IAPP certification, and one maintenance fee keeps all of a person's IAPP certifications current. So a second IAPP certification costs less to sit and nothing extra in maintenance fees, though each needs its own 20 CPE credits per term. Our suggestion is to pair by job: law plus program (a CIPP with the CIPM) for a DPO or privacy lead, program plus technology (CIPM with CIPT) for privacy engineering leads, and a CIPP with the AIGP for privacy teams taking on AI.

CIPP/E or CIPP/US?

Choose by the law you work under. The CIPP/E covers the GDPR and EU data protection law across five domains, and the CIPP/US covers U.S. federal and state privacy law across five domains, with state privacy laws carrying 17 to 21 questions. Our guides to the CIPP/E exam and the CIPP/US exam have the domain ranges.

AIGP or a CIPP?

The AIGP tests AI governance across laws, standards and frameworks; a CIPP tests one jurisdiction's privacy law. They overlap only where AI uses personal data. Our guide to the AIGP blueprint lists its competencies, and the AIGP or ISO 42001 comparison covers the other AI governance option.

How should you prepare?

The IAPP recommends at least 30 hours of study for each certification. Split them by the published question ranges: our CIPP/E study plan and AIGP study plan do it for you. The CIPP/E study guide and the AIGP study guide follow the current bodies of knowledge.

What should you do this week?

Read the audience statements above against what you do most weeks, pick one, and check the current body of knowledge on the IAPP's page before you buy the exam, because the purchase starts a one-year clock. Credential Press is independent of the IAPP.

Frequently asked questions

Which IAPP certification should I take first?

The one that matches your daily work. The IAPP aims the CIPP/E at professionals working under the GDPR and EU data protection law, the CIPP/US at people who need the U.S. privacy environment, the CIPM at those integrating privacy into daily operations, the CIPT at engineers and architects building privacy into technology, and the AIGP at people developing AI governance and risk management.

How much do IAPP exams cost?

On the IAPP Store on 2 October 2026: US$550 for the CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM or CIPT, member or not, and US$375 for anyone who has attempted that exam before or already holds an IAPP certification. The AIGP is US$799, or US$649 for IAPP members.

What is the IAPP passing score?

300 on a scale of 100 to 500 for every IAPP exam. The IAPP's FAQ notes that 300 does not represent 60%.

How long are IAPP exams?

The CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM and CIPT are 90 questions in 2.5 hours, with an optional 15-minute break halfway. The AIGP is 100 questions in 3 hours.

What does it cost to keep IAPP certifications?

A certification maintenance fee of US$250 per two-year term, or IAPP membership at US$295 a year, which includes it, plus 20 continuing privacy education credits per certification per two-year term.

Can I take an IAPP exam online?

Yes. IAPP exams run at Pearson VUE test centers or through OnVUE online proctoring, all year round.