The SHRM-SCP exam: dates, testing windows and pass rate
The SHRM-SCP exam is offered only in two testing windows a year, in person at Prometric test centres. The window open now for applications runs from 1 December 2026 to 15 February 2027; standard applications close on 24 December 2026. The exam takes four hours, including 3 hours 40 minutes of testing time for 134 questions, and SHRM publishes a global pass rate of 52%.
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SHRM-SCP exam dates 2026: the testing windows
SHRM does not offer the exam year-round. It sets two testing windows, and you apply for one of them. For 2026, SHRM lists these SHRM-SCP exam dates:
- First test window: 1 May – 15 July 2026 (closed)
- Second test window: 1 December 2026 – 15 February 2027
- Early-bird applications for the second window: 3 June – 31 August 2026 (closed)
- Standard applications for the second window: 1 September – 24 December 2026
Source: SHRM — Exam options and fees. Checked 10 October 2026.
How the SHRM-SCP testing window works
The SHRM-SCP testing window is the period in which you schedule and sit the exam at a Prometric centre; the application period comes before it and overlaps with its start. Application deadlines close at 11:59 pm Eastern Time, and applying in the standard period adds a US$49 deadline fee to the early-bird price.
So for the SHRM-SCP testing window 2026 still open for applications, you can apply until 24 December 2026 and test between 1 December 2026 and 15 February 2027. SHRM had not published dates beyond that window on the pages checked.
Retests follow the windows too. SHRM’s handbook says you may not test for the same exam twice in one window; a retest means applying as a new candidate in the next or a later window. There is no limit to how many times you can reapply.
Source: SHRM — Certification Handbook 2026. Checked 10 October 2026.
What is the SHRM-SCP test like?
The SHRM-SCP exam has 134 multiple-choice questions. Eighty are stand-alone knowledge questions; 54 are situational judgment items that describe a workplace scenario and ask for the most effective response. Twenty-four questions are unscored field-test items, randomly mixed with scored ones.
The SHRM-SCP test is computer-based and taken in person at an authorised Prometric testing centre. SHRM offers no online option on its exam pages. The exam is also available in Arabic and Korean, at Prometric centres only.
Source: SHRM — SHRM-SCP. Checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the SHRM-SCP exam?
Four hours in total, including 3 hours and 40 minutes of testing time. The testing time is divided into two sections of up to 110 minutes each. Each section is timed separately, and minutes you do not use in the first section are not added to the second, so pace each section on its own.
Source: SHRM — Certification Handbook 2026. Checked 10 October 2026.
SHRM-SCP pass rate and scoring
SHRM publishes a global SHRM-SCP pass rate of 52%, alongside 69% for the SHRM-CP. The figure appears on SHRM’s certification page under the question of whether the exam is difficult, with no period attached.
SHRM does not publish a pass mark as a number. Scores range from 120 to 200, the passing standard is set with the Modified Angoff method, and everyone who passes is reported with the maximum of 200.
Source: SHRM — SHRM certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
Is the SHRM-SCP test hard?
By SHRM’s own figures, yes: with a 52% global pass rate, roughly half of candidates do not pass. It is noticeably lower than the 69% for the SHRM-CP, which uses the same structure and fees.
SHRM publishes no further difficulty measure. What the structure shows is that 54 of the 134 questions are situational judgment items: they describe a workplace scenario and ask for the best course of action, so knowing facts alone does not carry them.
Source: SHRM — SHRM certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
SHRM-SCP exam: questions people ask
What are the SHRM-SCP exam dates for 2026?
Testing windows 1 May – 15 July 2026 and 1 December 2026 – 15 February 2027. Source: SHRM exam options and fees, checked 10 October 2026.
When is the SHRM-SCP application deadline?
For the window starting 1 December 2026, standard applications close on 24 December 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Source: SHRM, checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the SHRM-SCP exam?
Four hours, including 3 hours 40 minutes of testing time in two 110-minute sections. Source: SHRM, checked 10 October 2026.
What is the SHRM-SCP pass rate?
52% globally, according to SHRM, which gives no period for the figure. Checked 10 October 2026.
Is the SHRM-SCP test hard?
SHRM’s 52% pass rate suggests so — lower than the SHRM-CP’s 69%. SHRM publishes no other difficulty measure.
Can I take the SHRM-SCP exam online?
No. SHRM states it must be taken in person at an authorised Prometric testing centre, checked 10 October 2026.
Can I retake the SHRM-SCP in the same window?
No. A retest means applying again for the next or a later window; there is no limit on reapplications. Source: SHRM Handbook 2026.
What score do I need to pass the SHRM-SCP?
SHRM publishes no number. Scores run from 120 to 200, and every pass is reported as 200. Source: SHRM Handbook 2026.
How are Certsqill’s SHRM-SCP practice questions built?
They are expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and a readiness score per competency area shows where you stand before exam day.
