1. How do I apply for a certification?
- Commit to the ISA Code of Conduct.
- Meet the education and work experience requirements for the specific certification for which you are applying.
- Acknowledge that you are subject to a random application verification audit.
- Agree to provide the supporting documents proving your qualifications if you are audited.
- Pay the exam fee.
Upon paying the exam fee, the application process is complete, and you have acknowledged that you meet the requirements listed above in numbers 1–3.
Your next steps are outlined as follows:- Watch out for an email from certifications@isa.org regarding an audit if you are randomly selected.
- Watch out for an email coming from our testing provider, Meazure Learning (candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com) fifteen days before your assigned exam window.
- Schedule and take your exam.
2. What are the fees for certification?
CCST Exam Fees
| Exam | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
| Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) | 373 USD | 467 USD |
| Certified Control System Technician® (CCST®) Level 1 | 331 USD | 415 USD |
| Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Specialist—Level 2 | 315 USD | 397 USD |
| Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Master—Level 3 | 331 USD | 415 USD |
If you have paid for or your company has arranged for you to take a CCST review course, the application fee is included in the course price. View list of available CCST review courses here.
ISA accepts payment via check, certified check, money order, PayPal payment, wire transfer in US Dollars, or credit card. Purchase orders are not accepted. All application fees are non-refundable.
3. How long is the exam, and how many questions are there?
All ISA certification exams are closed book and have multiple-choice questions. The CCST Specialist – Level 2 certification exam is three hours long, and all other certification exams are four hours long. Please see the information below for the number of questions in each exam.
| Exam | Questions |
| Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) | 175 |
| Certified Control System Technician® (CCST®) Level 1 | 150 |
| Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Specialist—Level 2 | 125 |
| Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Master—Level 3 | 150 |
4. Where is my certification exam invitation?
You will receive your exam invitation (Notice to Schedule Exam) email 15 days before your assigned exam window begins. View the application deadlines below.
| Exam Window | Application Submission Deadline |
|---|---|
| 2023 Window 3: 1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024 |
15 September 2023 |
| 2024 Window 1: 1 March 2024 – 28 February 2025 |
15 January 2024 |
| 2024 Window 2: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 |
15 May 2024 |
| 2024 Window 3: 1 November 2024 – 31 October 2025 |
15 September 2024 |
If you have attended any CCST review course, you will not be placed into an exam window. You will receive your exam invitation near the end of your review course and have a 12-month exam window in which to take the exam.
If you have not received your exam invitation within the allotted time frame, please check your spam or junk folder for an email from candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com. If you still need help locating your exam invitation, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance. In certain instances, you may need to provide an alternate email address, as some server firewalls may block the receipt of the exam invitation email.
5. What do I do if the name on the exam invitation does not match my ID?
6. How do I schedule my certification exam?
You have a 12-month exam window in which you can test and, if necessary, retest to pass your certification exam. Your start date is based on the date you complete your certification course.
Please contact Meazure Learning’s customer support for all exam assistance (e.g., scheduling, missing confirmation, taking the exam, missing results, etc.) by emailing candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com or calling +1 919-572-6880.
Further related details can be found on the exam procedures page:
- Verifying Computer Set-Up for Online Exams (see #1)
- Items to Bring for In-Person Exams (see #2)
- Exam Scheduling (see #3)
7. How do I reschedule or cancel my certification exam?
You may cancel and/or reschedule an exam through the Meazure Learning online exam scheduling system. You must have access to your Meazure Learning confirmation email (sent after you originally scheduled your exam) to access their system.
Further related details can be found on the exam procedures page:
- Rescheduling an Exam (see #4)
- Canceling an Exam (see #5)
8. What happens after I take a certification exam?
ISA does not provide a passing score; you are only notified whether you passed the exam or not. If you do not pass, you will receive a breakdown of your score by domain to help you prepare for the retest.
Further related details can be found on the exam procedures page:
- Not Passing an Exam (see #7)
- Exam Design and Results (see #9)
9. How do I request a retest for a certification exam?
The retest fee for both of the CCST and CAP certification programs is 164 USD for ISA members and 205 USD for non-members.
Further related details can be found on the exam procedures page:
- Scheduling a Retest or Missed Exam (see #6)
- No-Shows and Late Arrivals (see #8)
10. How do I renew my certification?
- Agree to commit to the ISA Code of Conduct
- Have accumulated the minimum number of Development Points (PDPs) over the last three (3) years, as related to your certification
- Acknowledge that you are subject to a random verification audit
- Agree to provide the supporting documentation that proves that you have met the required number of PDPs.
Please log into your ISA account, then access the “My Credentials” tab to view your credential status and/or pay your recertification fee. If you have issues logging into your ISA account or completing your payment process, please contact one of our customer service representatives at info@isa.org or +1 919-549-8411 for assistance. For additional information, visit the Recertification page.
| Recertification Fees | Member Price | Non-Member Price | |
| Certified Automation Professional® (CAP ®) | By PDPs (no exam) | 270 USD | 340 USD |
| By Exam | 336 USD | 420 USD | |
| Certified Control System Technician® (CCST) (all levels) |
By PDPs (no exam) | 210 USD | 265 USD |
| By Exam | 300 USD | 375 USD |
11. Why is my information not in “My Credentials” or the “Credential Directory”?
Be advised that we update our databases and systems with the previous month’s exam data in the first part of the following month. Your information will be updated within the first ten business days of the following month. You may view your credential status on the “My Credentials” tab in your ISA account or by accessing ISA's Credential Directory, if you have set the appropriate permissions.
To set the appropriate permissions, you must take two steps:
- Step #1: Log into your ISA account. Go to the “My Info” tab, scroll down to the Communication Preferences, and update the “Include me in Credential Directory” option.
- Step #2: Log into your ISA Connect account. In the upper right-hand corner, click the picture icon. A drop-down menu will appear; there, you select “Profile.” To the right, click “My Account.” A drop-down menu will appear; there, you will select “Privacy Settings” and set the preference “I would like to be included in directories and community rosters” to “Yes.”
Please allow up to 48 hours for the changes to appear in ISA Connect or the ISA Credential Directory. If your information still does not appear within this time frame, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance. If you have issues logging into your account, please contact one of our customer service representatives at info@ISA.org or +1 919-549-8411 for assistance.
12. How do I access my digital badge?
You will receive your digital badge via email after passing an exam or renewing a certification or certificate. If you did not receive it, please look in your spam and junk folders for an email from isa_badges@isa.org. If you still need help locating your digital badge, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance.
To access, manage, and/or share your secure digital badge, use your email address and password to enter your BadgeCert portfolio.
If it is your first time accessing your portfolio or you have forgotten your password, click “Request new password?” on their login page to create your password. More information about using your digital badge can be found here.
Please email certifications@isa.org for assistance if you have not received your digital badge within:
- One business day after passing your exam
- Five business days after paying your renewal fee