CCZT certification: exam, cost, passing score and prep
The CCZT is the Cloud Security Alliance’s Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust. The exam is online and open book, with 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes and a passing score of 80%. A token costs US$175 and includes two attempts within two years, there are no prerequisites, and the certificate does not expire.
- Credential
- Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT), from the Cloud Security AllianceCSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026
- Exam cost
- US$175 per token, two attempts includedCSA Exams Platform, checked 10 October 2026
- Questions
- 60 multiple choiceCSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026
- Duration
- 120 minutes, cannot be pausedCSA CCZT page and Exams FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Passing score
- 80%CSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026
- Format
- Online, open bookCSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- None — no work experience or prior qualification requiredCSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026
- Token validity
- 2 years from purchase; no waiting period between attemptsCSA Exams FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Expiry
- The certificate does not expireCSA Exams FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
Know if you're ready for CCZT — before you book.
Certsqill measures your CCZT readiness across every official exam domain — one 0–100 score from coverage, accuracy and consistency that tells you whether to book, keep studying, or sit.
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Why you can trust these CCZT questions
What is the Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT)?
The Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) is the Cloud Security Alliance’s credential for zero trust security. It covers zero trust from foundational concepts through strategy, planning, architecture and implementation, including the software-defined perimeter and NIST and CISA best practice.
CSA calls it a certificate, not a certification, though most people search for it as the CCZT certification. In practice it works the same way: you pass an exam and receive a PDF certificate and a digital badge.
CSA designed it for all key stakeholders in organisations planning to adopt, architect and implement zero trust, naming C-suite executives, security engineers and analysts, and compliance managers as examples.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT. Checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the CCZT certification cost?
The CCZT exam costs US$175 per token, and each token includes two test attempts. If you use both attempts without passing, an additional token is another US$175.
If you want training as well, CSA sells a self-paced Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust Exam Bundle for US$455, which includes a CCZT exam token. A combined CCSK v5 and CCZT exam bundle costs US$1,250. Two short self-paced courses on the software-defined perimeter cost US$99 each.
Source: CSA Exams Platform — Exams Overview. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT exam format
The CCZT exam has 60 multiple-choice questions and a 120-minute time limit — two minutes per question. It is taken online and is open book.
Once started, the exam cannot be paused or stopped, so CSA advises setting aside 120 minutes of uninterrupted time. CSA also recommends relying on study materials as little as possible during the exam: open book helps with a lookup, but two minutes is not enough time to research every question.
On language, CSA’s sources disagree: the CCZT page says the training and exam are offered only in English, while the exam platform announces that the CCZT exam is now available in Spanish and Japanese. Check the platform when you buy if you want a language other than English.
Source: CSA Exams Platform — FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT passing score
The minimum passing score for the CCZT is 80%. On 60 questions that means 48 correct answers, so you can afford at most 12 mistakes.
That is a high bar for an open-book exam, and it is why the open-book format should not be read as easy. You need to know the material well enough that a lookup only confirms what you already think.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT. Checked 10 October 2026.
What is on the CCZT exam?
CSA lists seven areas that the CCZT covers. They run from the basics of zero trust to turning it into a plan and implementing it, with the software-defined perimeter as a named topic and NIST and CISA guidance as the reference frameworks. CSA does not publish weightings for these areas.
- Zero Trust Foundational Concepts
- Zero Trust Architecture
- Software Defined Perimeter
- Zero Trust Strategy
- Zero Trust Planning
- Zero Trust Implementation
- NIST and CISA Best Practices
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT prerequisites
There are none. CSA states that the CCZT does not require any official work experience or prior qualification. It does recommend a basic grounding in cloud security, and it calls the CCSK an excellent precursor to CCZT training.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT. Checked 10 October 2026.
Does the CCZT expire?
No. The CSA exam FAQ states that your certificate will not expire, though CSA advises keeping up with the latest version of the certificate.
The token is a different matter. Exam tokens are valid for two years from the date of purchase, and you can use your two attempts at any time before then; there is no enforced waiting period between attempts. CSA recommends taking the exam within one year of buying the token.
Source: CSA Exams Platform — FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT training and study prep
CSA offers CCZT training self-paced online and instructor-led, online or in person. The self-paced exam bundle teaches the fundamentals of zero trust security, including strategy, governance, architecture, planning and implementation. CSA does not list instructor-led prices on its CCZT page; it links to a course schedule instead.
If you prefer to study on your own, CSA offers a free Prep Kit. It contains a guide to earning the CCZT, an overview presentation, study guides, a knowledge guide, an FAQ, the curriculum, sample questions, and additional resources including a mapping of zero trust architecture components to the software-defined perimeter and authoritative sources from CISA, NIST and the NSTAC report.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT Prep Kit. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT exam dumps
Collections of supposed CCZT exam questions are not a reliable way to prepare. They are not published by CSA, nothing confirms they match the current exam, and an 80% pass mark leaves little room for answers memorised from an unverified list.
The official route is shorter anyway: CSA’s free Prep Kit includes sample questions written for the exam format, and its study guides cover the same seven areas the exam does.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCZT Prep Kit. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT vs CCSK
Both are Cloud Security Alliance certificates delivered through the same exam platform. The CCSK, the Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge, is CSA’s cloud security certificate; the CCZT focuses on zero trust. CSA lists the same basic exam shape for both: 60 questions, open book, online, with an 80% pass mark.
CSA presents them as a sequence rather than alternatives: it calls the CCSK an excellent precursor to CCZT training, and sells a combined CCSK v5 and CCZT exam bundle.
Source: Cloud Security Alliance — CCSK. Checked 10 October 2026.
CCZT practice questions
Certsqill’s CCZT practice questions are expert-developed with an explanation for every answer option, and your readiness score is shown for each of the seven areas, so you know whether you are clear of the 80% mark before you spend an attempt.
CCZT questions people ask
What is the CCZT certification?
The Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust from the Cloud Security Alliance, earned by passing an online, open-book exam. Checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the CCZT exam cost?
US$175 per token, with two attempts per token. Source: CSA Exams Platform, checked 10 October 2026.
How many questions are on the CCZT exam?
60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes. Source: CSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026.
What is the CCZT passing score?
80%. Source: CSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026.
Is the CCZT exam open book?
Yes. The CCZT exam is open book and online. Source: CSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026.
Does the CCZT expire?
No. The CSA exam FAQ states the certificate will not expire. Exam tokens are valid for two years from purchase. Checked 10 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites for the CCZT?
No official work experience or prior qualification is required; CSA recommends basic cloud security knowledge. Source: CSA CCZT page, checked 10 October 2026.
How do I prepare for the CCZT exam?
CSA offers self-paced and instructor-led training and a free Prep Kit with study guides and sample questions. Source: CSA, checked 10 October 2026.
