# ISACA CISA: exam-day checklist

Rules come from the ISACA Certification Exam Candidate Guide, version 1.26 (2026), and ISACA's Remote Proctoring Guide, version 12.24, read on 2 October 2026. Suggestions are marked as ours. Check ISACA's Exam Candidate Guides page before your exam in case anything has changed.

## When you register

- [ ] You have six months from registration to sit the exam; one six-month extension costs USD 75 (ISACA rule)
- [ ] Registration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable (ISACA rule)
- [ ] You can schedule from 48 hours after paying; appointments open 90 days ahead (ISACA)
- [ ] Need accommodations? Request them at least four weeks before your preferred date (ISACA rule)

## Before the day

- [ ] Reschedule free of charge up to 48 hours before; inside 48 hours you sit or forfeit the fee (ISACA rule)
- [ ] One current, original, government-issued ID with your name, signature and photo; the name must match your registration (ISACA rule)
- [ ] Remote: use your own computer if you can; a technical failure on an employer laptop means a retake at your own expense (ISACA)

## Test center

- [ ] Arrive at least 30 minutes early; more than 15 minutes late forfeits the fee (ISACA rule)
- [ ] No notes, paper, calculators, phones, smart watches, or food and drink, including water (ISACA rule)

## Remote proctoring

- [ ] Check-in opens 30 minutes before the appointment (ISACA)
- [ ] 360-degree room scan and a mirror check (ISACA rule)
- [ ] Closed book; chat with the proctor in English only (ISACA rule)

## In the exam

| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Questions | 150 multiple choice, four options, one best answer |
| Time | 4 hours (240 minutes) |
| Average per question | 1 minute 36 seconds |
| Breaks | Up to two of 10 minutes with the proctor's permission; the timer keeps running |
| Wrong answers | No penalty, so answer every question |
| Scale | 200 to 800; 450 passes, and 450 is not a percentage |

## After

- [ ] Preliminary pass or fail shows on screen; the official score arrives within 10 working days (ISACA)
- [ ] Not passed: a rescore costs USD 75 and must be requested within 30 days of results (ISACA rule)
- [ ] Retakes: four attempts in a rolling 12 months; wait 30 days, then 90, then 90; full fee each time (ISACA rule)
- [ ] Passed: apply within five years, with the USD 50 application fee and your experience (ISACA rule)