How much does the CISA exam cost?
ISACA charges US$575 to register for the CISA exam if you are an ISACA member and US$760 if you are not. That registration fee is the largest single cost, but it is not the only one: certification adds a one-time US$50 application fee, and keeping CISA adds an annual maintenance fee.
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CISA exam fee for members and non-members
The CISA exam fee is set by membership status at the moment you register: US$575 for ISACA members, US$760 for non-members. ISACA’s candidate guide states that exam registration fees are based on membership status at the time of exam registration, so joining after you have paid does not lower the price you already paid.
The registration fee must be paid in full before you can schedule an appointment. CISA exam fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable — if your plans change, the options are rescheduling or an eligibility extension, not a refund.
Source: ISACA — Certification Exam Candidate Guide (CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE), version 1.26. Checked 9 October 2026.
What the ISACA CISA exam fee covers
The ISACA CISA exam fee buys one attempt within a six-month eligibility period that starts on the day you register. You can book a testing appointment as early as 48 hours after paying, at a PSI testing centre or as a remotely proctored exam, and appointments are only available 90 days in advance.
Rescheduling inside the eligibility period is free if you do it at least 48 hours before the appointment. Inside those 48 hours you either sit the exam or forfeit the registration fee, and a missed appointment counts as a no-show with the fee forfeited.
Source: ISACA — Certification Exam Candidate Guide (CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE), version 1.26. Checked 9 October 2026.
Extra charges: retakes, extensions and rescoring
Three situations cost more than the original registration. The candidate guide lists them as follows:
- Retake: candidates must pay the registration fee in full for each exam attempt. ISACA allows four attempts within a rolling 12-month period, with waits of 30 days before the second attempt and 90 days before the third and fourth.
- Eligibility extension: US$75 for one six-month extension, allowed once per exam. A scheduled appointment has to be cancelled at least 48 hours ahead to use it.
- Rescore request: US$75 per request, submitted in writing within 30 days of the result release.
Source: ISACA — Certification Exam Candidate Guide (CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, CDPSE), version 1.26. Checked 9 October 2026.
Total cost of CISA exam, application and upkeep
Passing the exam does not make you certified. After your official scores are released, ISACA asks for a one-time US$50 application processing fee and an application showing five or more years of information systems auditing, control or security experience.
Once certified, CISA carries an annual maintenance fee of $45 for ISACA members and $85 for non-members, alongside a minimum of 20 CPE hours a year and 120 over each three-year period. Any training you take to earn those CPE hours is a separate cost.
Source: ISACA — Earn a CISA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
ISACA CISA exam cost at a glance
Every figure ISACA publishes for the CISA route, in the order you meet them:
- Exam registration: US$575 for members, US$760 for non-members.
- Retake, if needed: the full registration fee again.
- Eligibility extension, if needed: US$75.
- Certification application: US$50, one time.
- Annual maintenance: $45 for members, $85 for non-members.
Source: ISACA — Maintain CISA certification. Checked 24 September 2026.
Does ISACA membership pay off for the exam?
On the exam alone, the member price is US$185 lower than the non-member price, and the annual maintenance fee is $40 lower for members. Whether that outweighs the membership dues depends on the dues ISACA charges you, so compare the two before you register — the price is fixed by your status on the day you pay.
Source: ISACA — CISA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
Preparation costs you can control
ISACA sells its own preparation material for CISA, including a review manual, an on-demand online review course and a questions, answers and explanations database, and it offers a free 10-question CISA practice quiz on its certification page.
Certsqill is a practice and readiness layer rather than a course: expert-developed CISA practice questions with an explanation for every answer option, and a readiness score for each of the five domains, so you can see whether you are ready before you spend the registration fee. It comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
Source: ISACA — CISA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
CISA cost: questions people ask
How much is the CISA exam?
US$575 for ISACA members and US$760 for non-members, based on your membership status when you register. Source: ISACA CISA page and candidate guide, checked 9 October 2026.
How much is CISA exam registration without ISACA membership?
US$760. Members pay US$575. Source: ISACA candidate guide, checked 9 October 2026.
How much does CISA exam cost if I have to retake it?
The full registration fee again: ISACA’s candidate guide states that the fee must be paid in full for each exam attempt. You get up to four attempts in a rolling 12-month period. Checked 9 October 2026.
Is the cost for CISA exam registration refundable?
No. ISACA states that exam registration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. You can reschedule without penalty at least 48 hours before your appointment, or buy a one-time six-month eligibility extension for US$75. Checked 9 October 2026.
Is the US$50 application fee part of the CISA exam fee?
No. It is a separate, one-time fee paid after your official exam scores are released, when you apply for certification. Source: ISACA, Earn a CISA certification, checked 9 October 2026.
