# ISO 22301 Lead Implementer: pre-course reading list

A list to paste into joining instructions, or to work through yourself. Sources were read on 2 October 2026.
Times are our suggestion; PECB publishes none.

PECB's course prerequisite: "a fundamental understanding of business continuity concepts and principles".

## Before Day 1

| Done | Read | Why | Cost | Our time estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ ] | ISO 22301:2019, the standard | The exam is about it, and a hard copy is one of the three things PECB allows into the open-book exam | Buy from ISO or your national standards body | 2 to 3 hours, once through |
| [ ] | PECB Candidate Handbook, ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, version 1.5 | The seven exam domains, the 80 questions, the 70% pass mark and the exam rules | Free PDF | 30 minutes |
| [ ] | NIST SP 800-34 Rev. 1, Contingency Planning Guide for Federal Information Systems | Free, plain-English treatment of business impact analysis and recovery objectives | Free (nist.gov) | 1 hour, chapters on the BIA |
| [ ] | Optional, UK cohorts: Civil Contingencies Act 2004, section 2, and GOV.UK Emergency Preparedness, chapter 6 | Domain 1 starts with the laws and regulations an organization must comply with | Free | 30 minutes |

Links:
- ISO 22301:2019: https://www.iso.org/standard/75106.html
- PECB Candidate Handbook: https://pecb.com/pdf/candidate-handbooks/pecb-candidate-handbook-iso-22301-lead-implementer.pdf
- NIST SP 800-34 Rev. 1: https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/34/r1/upd1/final
- Civil Contingencies Act 2004: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/36/contents
- GOV.UK Emergency Preparedness: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-preparedness

## Things to know before you arrive

- [ ] The exam is on Day 5: 80 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, 70% (56 correct) to pass.
- [ ] Open book allows three things: a hard copy of ISO 22301, your training course materials, and personal
      notes taken during the training course. Notes made before the course are not on that list; ask your
      training provider before relying on them.
- [ ] Bring a valid identity card (national ID card, driver's license or passport).
- [ ] If you fail, the course page says course takers can retake once free within 12 months of the first exam date.

## Free planning sheets (credentialpress.com)

- Exam format and domain counts: https://credentialpress.com/guides/iso-22301-lead-implementer-exam
- Study plan by domain: https://credentialpress.com/guides/iso-22301-lead-implementer-study-plan
- How to tab the standard for an open-book exam: https://credentialpress.com/guides/pecb-open-book-exam-rules

Credential Press is independent of PECB and ISO. Free to copy into course joining instructions.