Certification - FAQs

The CCGP - Certified Corporate Governance Professional® test costs $750. This fee includes registration, the test and certificate.

The Certified Corporate Governance Professional® test is ONLY offered at Pearson VUE test locations in the United States and U.S. territories.

Candidates for the CCGP - Certified Corporate Governance Professional® Certification must meet one of these four eligibility requirements:

Option 1: Juris Doctor or equivalent (e.g. LLB, LLM, Doctor of Jurisprudence) from a U.S. accredited school of law or admitted to the Bar in the U.S. PLUS, Three (3) years practicing law in corporate governance or other non-legal experience working in a corporate governance-related role.

Option 2: Master of Business Administration or a relevant equivalent Master’s degree from an accredited graduate school of business.
PLUS, Three (3) years’ experience working in a corporate governance-related role.*

Option 3: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an institution accredited in the jurisdiction in which the degree is awarded. PLUS, Six (6) years’ experience working in a corporate governance-related role.*

Option 4: Twelve (12) years’ experience working in a corporate governance-related role.*

*Corporate governance-related roles are those which pertain to the relationships and activities between and among management of an entity whether public or private for-profit or not-for profit, its board of directors or trustees (or similar) and stakeholders including among others, owners, investors, regulators, and employees.

Once you receive your Authorization to Test email from Pearson Vue you have 6 months to take the CCGP Test.

Applicants who are denied eligibility may request reconsideration of the decision of denial by making an appeal to the Commission. Requests for an appeal must be made no later than thirty (30) days after the applicant is denied. Within sixty (60) days of the receipt of the written appeal, the Commission shall conclude its deliberations. The decision of the appeal shall be final. Requests for appeals are to be submitted to the certification office via email at certification@societycorpgov.org.

Currently, we do not offer any practice questions.

Candidates will receive a pass/fail notification when they complete the exam. An official email will be sent within six weeks of administration of the test with information such as a logo to use and recertification details. Candidates will receive the CCGP - Certified Corporate Governance Professional® certificate shortly thereafter.

Candidates Initially you have 6 months from the date you receive the Authorization to Test email. After that if circumstances are approved candidates have 1 year from the date they receive the initial Pearson Vue Authorization to Test email to take the CCGP test. After that 1-year period, candidates forfeit their original application fee and must pay the application fee again if they wish to take the exam.

Given certain circumstance you may request additional time to take the CCGP test please contact us at certification@societycorpgov.org. Candidates have 1 year from the date they receive the initial Pearson Vue Authorization to Test email to take the CCGP test. After that 1-year period, candidates forfeit their original application fee and must pay the application fee again if they wish to take the exam.

The CCGP designation is good for three years. See recertification section for information about how to renew. 

The test collectively includes the disciplines outlined in the Test Blueprint. The test is experiential to the extent that if you have the experience in a corporate secretary role or function you will have a strong baseline of knowledge.

• Governance Professional Handbook | Click here to review the table of contents.
  The Governance Professional Handbook provides an overview of key corporate secretary functions, activities and related laws and regulations. It is not a definitive guide to current public company corporate governance practices or the CCGP Test domains. The Test Blueprint and Governance Professional Handbook are general resources in addition to those listed on the Resource page.
  • Price: $249 (If purchased with the test and approved to take the test.)
  • Price: $299 (Handbook only)
• Candidate Handbook (PDF)
• Test Blueprint (PDF)

• What to expect during your exam (video) and frequently asked questions:
  https://home.pearsonvue.com/Test-takers/Resources.aspx
• Pearson VUE’s Coronavirus Update page
  https://home.pearsonvue.com/coronavirus-update.aspx

The test is 120 multiple choice questions. 

The CCGP test is 120 multiple choice questions with 110 scored and is scaled out of 600 with a passing score of 450. The other 10 questions are evaluated as a beta to see if they score well for future use.

Please allow two and a half to three hours from check in to completion.

Click here to download the Accommodation form.

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the start time to check in and provide the appropriate document and photo ID requirements.

We ask that you arrive at the test center 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures. Please be prepared to show two (2) valid forms of personal ID. One of the two ID's must be a government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license). Your First and Last names as shown above must match exactly your name as given on your IDs. Both must be current and contain your signature. Expired ID's are not accepted. If you arrive more than 30 minutes late for this exam and are refused admission, you will forfeit your exam fees.

Please note that during admission, you will be required to provide a digital signature; you will be photographed; and your palm vein will be scanned.

It is recommended that you review the links below, to help prepare for your exam appointment.

Some Pearson VUE testing centers (those designated as Pearson Professional Centers [PPC] and some designated as Select Pearson VUE Testing Centers [PVTC]) require biometric identification using palm vein capture technology. Palm vein recognition tests unique patterns in a candidate’s palm veins using a safe, near-infrared light source like that in a TV remote control. All centers require electronic signature and a digital photo.

• Security measures to expect in a Pearson VUE test center
  
• Candidate Rules Agreement
• ID Requirements
• Non Disclosure Agreement

Candidates who register for the test but are unable to take it on the scheduled date may request that they be given the opportunity to take a subsequent test, so long as the candidate makes such request in writing and the certification staff receives the request within thirty (30) days before the scheduled administration and the request is otherwise in compliance with any rescheduling policies adopted by the Commission.

If you wish to reschedule your test, you must contact Pearson VUE no later than one business day prior to your test appointment. Rescheduling a test less than 24 hours prior to the appointment is subject to a same-day forfeit test fee. Test fees are due for no-shows. If you do not appear for your test, regardless of the reason, you will forfeit your test fee.

Candidates who do not give the required cancellation notice or who do not show up for the test appointment will be considered a “No Show.” Candidates who show up late and are not admitted, fail to present adequate identification, or refuse to sign the Confidentiality Agreement will not be allowed to take the test and will be considered a “No Show.” No Shows will forfeit the test fee and will be required to reapply as a new applicant. 

Once the test appointment is scheduled, the candidate will be permitted to make changes to the appointment such as location, rescheduling or cancellation. You may cancel or reschedule your CCGP exam online or via phone directly with Pearson VUE up to 24 hours before your appointment time at no cost. Pearson VUE can be reached at 1-888-876-5064 in United States/Canada during their business hours of M - F from 7am – 7pm (CT). Pearson VUE will send you a confirmation e-mail each time you reschedule or cancel an appointment. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please recheck the status of your appointment.

If you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours' notice (either online or by phone), or if you miss your appointment, show up late, or provide inadequate identification, you will not be able to make a new appointment without paying the CCGP test delivery fee, as per the CCGP policy. Candidates classified as a “no show” on more than three occasions will forfeit their original application fee and will be required to pay the application fee again if they wish to reinitiate the process to take the exam.

Candidates who experience an acceptable emergency must request cancellation or withdrawal from the test in writing via e-mail to certification staff and shall include supporting documentation of the circumstances. Candidates who register for the test but are unable to take it on the scheduled date may request that they be given the opportunity to take a subsequent test, so long as such request is made in writing and received by certification staff within thirty (30) days of the scheduled administration and is otherwise in compliance with any rescheduling policies adopted by the Commission. Candidates have 1 year from the date they receive the initial Pearson Vue Authorization to Test email to take the CCGP test. After that 1-year period, candidates forfeit their original application fee and must pay the application fee again if they wish to take the exam.  

Circumstances which are considered grounds for an emergency cancellation or withdrawal of an test without penalty include the following:

1. candidate illness;
2. family death;
3. jury duty;
4. military duty; or
5. a declared national, regional or local state of emergency.

Candidates who experience an acceptable emergency must request cancellation or withdrawal from the test in writing via e-mail to certification staff and shall include supporting documentation of the circumstances. 

Once the test appointment is scheduled, the candidate will be permitted to make changes to the appointment such as location, rescheduling or cancellation. You may cancel or reschedule your CCGP exam online or via phone directly with Pearson VUE up to 24 hours before your appointment time at no cost. Pearson VUE can be reached at 1-888-876-5064 in United States/Canada during their business hours of M - F from 7am – 7pm (CT). Pearson VUE will send you a confirmation e-mail each time you reschedule or cancel an appointment. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please recheck the status of your appointment.

If you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours' notice (either online or by phone), or if you miss your appointment, show up late, or provide inadequate identification, you will not be able to make a new appointment without paying the CCGP test delivery fee, as per the CCGP policy.

Pearson VUE will not be held responsible for expenses incurred beyond the cost of the test, including but not limited to travel expense and lost wages on the day of the test.

Candidates who fail the certification test may retake the test again but not within 30 days of sitting for the first test. Candidates cannot take the test more than a total of two times in a calendar year. Follow the same process you did when you applied the first time. Click on the apply tab for the application. Candidates who fail the test must pay the application fee each time the candidate applies to retake the test.

If a candidate fails the test twice in a calendar year, they are not permitted to retake the test for a period of 12 months from the last attempt. Candidates who fail the test must pay the application fee each time the candidate applies to retake the test.

The Commission shall provide candidates with an opportunity to provide feedback on the test content and procedures regarding:

• The technical accuracy of the test.
• Fairness in the administration of the test.

A candidate who has a concern about administrative procedures at a testing site or who has observed a breach of security or other improper conduct during an test should submit a report in writing to the certification staff within five (5) days after taking the test.

A candidate who has a question or a concern about the reliability, validity, and/or fairness of the test content should submit the question or concern in writing to the certification staff no later than five (5) days after taking the test.

The Commission reserves the right to not consider reports about improper test administration procedures or test content which do not comply with the above five (5) day deadlines and are not submitted in writing.

The CCGP designation is good for three years.

The Corporate Governance Professional Certification Commission’s imposition of recertification requirements is based on the need for Certified Corporate Governance Professionals to maintain currency in their knowledge of corporate governance. The Corporate Governance Professional Certification Commission determined these recertification requirements based on their alignment with the certification’s requirements (i.e., test content).

Individuals interested in maintaining/recertifying their certification can do so by completing one of the two options below. Certified persons must agree to continue to abide by and uphold the Code of Professional Conduct.

Option 1: Download the application Recertification Application and submit it to certification@societycorpgov.org, at least 2 months prior to expiration. Include payment details on the application.

Your credit card will not be charged until your Recertification Application is approved. A receipt will be provided at that time. Submit the application ONLY when you have all the supporting documents. Failure to submit the application within sufficient time with all required documentation may result in your CCGP designation lapsing.

Recertification applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. and you will be notified as soon as a decision is made.

As required, complete eighteen (18) hours of continuing education in corporate governance related topics as verified by providers, between the commencement date of your current CCGP designation and submission of your Recertification Application. Qualifying continuing education in corporate governance includes attending (in-person or via internet) or speaking at educational programs.

If the Certified Corporate Governance Professional is licensed by a U.S. organization that requires the individual to complete continuing education, for the purpose of recertification, those hours of continuing education will be calculated in accordance with rules of the individual’s licensing organization.

Failure to submit the application with sufficient time, and with all required documentation may result in your CCGP designation expiring. A gap between receiving the recertification application prior to the expiration of your designation may result in a delay in your recertification and/or termination of your CCGP designation.

Recertification applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. You will be notified as soon as a decision is made.

Option 2: Taking and passing the CCGP test. Do not use the recertification application if you want to take the CCGP test as your means to recertify. Please follow the application process outlined on the apply section and pay the applicable recertification test fee of $350.00.

If your designation lapses and at some point thereafter you want to take the CCGP test, you will commence the application process again and pay the standard fee of $750.00.

Please allow sufficient time for your test application to be reviewed and for you to schedule a test via Pearson VUE, if approved. Recertification will apply if you are successful in passing the test prior to expiration of your current certification.

For Society events for which CEU Institute (CEUI) is the outsourced CLE administrator, For Society events for which CEU Institute (CEUI) is the outsourced CLE administrator, you can request CCGP credits on the standard event/training tracker form in addition to CLE and CE for non-lawyers. CCGP credits will follow the CLE process; if CLE credit is approved for a session, then the same number of CCGP credits will be awarded. CE credits will also be awarded for non-lawyers. Please note that different states may award different CLE credit amounts based on their own criteria, but CCGP credits will be awarded at the highest state rate awarded. CEUI will confirm your CCGP credits and track for such Society events.

For non-Society training, you will need to provide verification of the training 
For non-Society training, you will need to provide verification of the training, including an outline (and possibly materials if requested) for us to determine if the training meets CCGP requirements.

• For lawyers, you will also need to provide confirmation of CLE credits awarded. In such instances, CCGP credits will be awarded in the same amount as CLE, so if you have CLE from multiple states go with the highest number of credits awarded.
• For non-lawyers, you will need a letter from the organizing body confirming your attendance for a portion or duration of the training and an indicator as to the number of CLE credits approved for pertinent sessions.

With respect to non-Society events, we will do all we can to make sure that we review and award CCGP credits timely. It is important that you have options for obtaining CCGP credits by way of training provided by the Society or other organizations.

Note: At the time of recertification, certified persons must sign the Code of Professional Conduct. Credits applied toward meeting the recertification requirements must be completed during the certification cycle. Credits may not be carried over from one certification cycle to the next.

Any credits that a CCGP designee seeks to use to recertify must pertain to events held within the 3-year time window of the certification, starting with the date of recertification.

Failure to submit the application with all required documentation may result in the CCGP’s designation expiring. A gap between receiving the recertification application prior to the expiration of the designation may result in a delay in the recertification and/or termination of the CCGP designation.

Applicants who are denied recertification may request reconsideration of the denial decision by making a written request for appeal to the Commission via certification staff. The applicant may submit a written request for an appeal no later than thirty (30) days after the date on which the certification staff sent the denial notice to the applicant. Within sixty (60) days of the receipt of the written appeal, the Commission must conclude its deliberations and decide as to the applicant’s recertification.

Email your written appeal to certification@societycorpgov.org.

You can file a complaint by clicking here to download the Complaint Form and following the instructions.

Click here to review the Complaint Procedures.

The CCGP Program ensures high standards of professional practice in corporate governance adheres to a Code of Professional Conduct. The Commission requires certified persons to remain in good standing by complying with the tenets of the Code as a condition of earning and maintaining certification. As such, the Commission reserves the right to sanction certified persons found to be in violation of the Code of Professional Conduct, following the investigation of such complaints in accordance with its published procedures. Please email the Director of Certification about your complaint at certification@societycorpgov.org.