Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Complete guide to passing the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam on your first attempt.
$990-$1,515
Not published
Annual renewal with 40 CPE hours
Global
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
$82k-$162k
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Complete Overview
The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is the internal audit designation awarded by The Institute of Internal Auditors, and it is earned by passing a three part multiple choice examination plus education and experience requirements. Candidates are internal auditors, risk and compliance staff, external auditors moving in house, and finance graduates, and the full path costs USD 990 for IIA members or USD 1,515 for non-members made up of the application fee plus three part fees. The IIA has awarded the credential since 1974 and reports more than 220,000 CIAs across 170 countries. Part 1, Internal Audit Fundamentals, has 125 questions in 150 minutes. Part 2, Internal Audit Engagement, has 100 questions in 120 minutes. Part 3, Internal Audit Function, has 100 questions in 120 minutes. Together that is 325 questions and 390 minutes of testing, taken in three separate sittings that can be scheduled in any order. Every part is scored on a scaled range from 250 to 750, and 600 is the passing score. The IIA moved to delayed scoring, so candidates no longer see an unofficial result at the test centre and instead receive one official result within three weeks of the exam date, effective 1 April 2026 for the three part CIA. Exams are delivered at Pearson VUE test centres; The IIA discontinued online testing on 27 May 2025. The syllabus in force is the 2025 CIA syllabus, which cut Part 1 from six sections to four and rebuilt the content around the Global Internal Audit Standards. Part 1 covers Foundations of Internal Auditing at 35 percent, Ethics and Professionalism at 20 percent, Governance, Risk Management, and Control at 30 percent, and Fraud Risks at 15 percent. Part 2 covers Engagement Planning at 50 percent, Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation at 40 percent, and Engagement Supervision and Communication at 10 percent. Part 3 covers Internal Audit Operations at 25 percent, Internal Audit Plan at 15 percent, Quality of the Internal Audit Function at 15 percent, and Engagement Results and Monitoring at 45 percent. Entry depends on education: a master's degree or higher requires one year of internal audit experience, a bachelor's degree requires two years, and an active Internal Audit Practitioner holder without a degree requires five years with two of them in the past three years. Candidates may sit the exams before completing the experience. Once approved, a candidate has three years to finish the programme, with a single 12-month extension available for purchase through CCMS, and each exam registration is valid for 180 days. A failed part carries a 30 day waiting period before a retake. Certification holders renew every year between 1 October and 31 December and report 40 CPE hours, including at least two hours of ethics.
Why Get Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Certified?
More than 220,000 people in 170 countries hold the CIA, and The IIA has issued it since 1974
The full three part path costs USD 990 for members against USD 1,515 for non-members, a USD 525 gap
Each part is scored from 250 to 750 with a fixed pass mark of 600, so the standard does not move between sittings
The 2025 syllabus rebuilt the exam around the Global Internal Audit Standards, so study time maps directly onto workplace practice
A master's degree cuts the experience requirement to one year, against two years for a bachelor's degree
The exam runs in 14 languages, with Vietnamese added effective 28 August 2026
US Bureau of Labor Statistics data puts the May 2024 median wage for accountants and auditors at USD 81,680 and for financial managers at USD 161,700
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
390 minutes across three parts: 150 minutes for Part 1, 120 minutes for Part 2 and 120 minutes for Part 3, each sat separately
Questions
325 across three parts: 125 in Part 1, 100 in Part 2 and 100 in Part 3
Passing Score
600 on a scaled range of 250 to 750, applied to each part independently
Question Types
- Multiple choice with four options and one best answer
Delivery Method
Pearson VUE test centres. The IIA discontinued online testing on 27 May 2025
- Vietnamese registration opens effective 28 August 2026
- Arabic runs the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026 and transitions to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026
- Simplified Chinese is available only in mainland China and transitions to the 2025 syllabus during the December test window
- The IIA does not prescribe an order for the three parts
- Active Internal Audit Practitioner holders receive a waiver for CIA Part 1 and sit only Parts 2 and 3
How scoring works
Score scale
250 to 750 scaled score, reported for each part separately
Score needed to pass
600 on every part
When results arrive
One official result within three weeks of the exam date, notified by system generated email. Delayed scoring took effect on 1 April 2026 for the three part CIA
How the scale is built
Each part is scored on multiple choice items only, with no penalty for a wrong answer, and raw performance is converted to the 250 to 750 scale so that 600 represents a fixed standard across exam forms. Part 1 draws on 125 items, Parts 2 and 3 on 100 items each. Because the conversion is not a straight percentage, candidates cannot compute a target number of correct answers in advance.
- No unofficial score is shown at the end of the test centre session
- The IIA states that delayed scoring lets it detect anomalies and protect exam integrity
- The 30 day retake waiting period is unaffected, because results arrive before it expires
- The IIA does not publish pass rates for any CIA part
- Passing all three parts still leaves experience verification before the designation is awarded
Pacing and time budget
325 questions in 390 minutes gives you About 72 seconds per question in every part, since Part 1 gives 150 minutes for 125 questions and Parts 2 and 3 each give 120 minutes for 100 questions per question.
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| 75 min | 63 |
| 150 min | 125 |
| 210 min | 175 |
| 270 min | 225 |
| 390 min | 325 |
- The three parts are sat in separate appointments, so these checkpoints describe the cumulative testing load rather than one session
- Minutes 0 to 150 cover Part 1 and its 125 questions, minutes 150 to 270 cover Part 2 and minutes 270 to 390 cover Part 3
- Halfway through any part you should be halfway through its question count, so check the counter at 75 minutes in Part 1 and 60 minutes in Parts 2 and 3
- There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so leave nothing blank when time runs short
- Flagging and returning costs about ten seconds per question, so flag sparingly and only for questions you can realistically resolve
Where the marks are
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement Planning (Part 2 Section A) | 50% of Part 2 | Half of a 100 question paper sits in this one section. Objectives and scope, Topical Requirements, evaluation criteria, detailed risk assessment, work programs and resource planning all live here, so a candidate who masters it clears most of Part 2 before touching anything else. |
| Engagement Results and Monitoring (Part 3 Section D) | 45% of Part 3 | Nearly half of Part 3. It covers communication attributes, recommendations versus management action plans, closing communications, residual risk, risk acceptance, implementation monitoring and escalation. Candidates who study only audit operations lose most of this section. |
| Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation (Part 2 Section B) | 40% of Part 2 | Together with Engagement Planning this makes 90 percent of Part 2. The relevance, sufficiency and reliability test on evidence recurs across many questions, and workpaper and conclusion standards are testable in exact terms. |
| Foundations of Internal Auditing (Part 1 Section A) | 35% of Part 1 | The largest Part 1 block and the section that rose most in the 2025 syllabus rewrite. It is drawn straight from the Global Internal Audit Standards, so the correct answers are textual rather than judgmental, which makes it the most reliably scorable content in the programme. |
| Governance, Risk Management, and Control (Part 1 Section C) | 30% of Part 1 | Roughly 37 of the 125 Part 1 questions. Risk types, the risk management process, control types and the distinction between design effectiveness and operating effectiveness recur in Parts 2 and 3 as well, so studying it once pays across all three sittings. |
| Internal Audit Operations (Part 3 Section A) | 25% of Part 3 | A quarter of Part 3, covering planning and directing the function, financial, human and IT resource management, audit strategy alignment and the chief audit executive's relationship with the board. Candidates without management experience typically lose marks here. |
| Ethics and Professionalism (Part 1 Section B) | 20% of Part 1 | About 25 of the 125 Part 1 questions. Objectivity impairments, self review and familiarity bias, gifts and favours, due professional care and confidentiality are tested with scenario stems where the correct response is prescribed rather than negotiable. |
The numbers
More than 220,000 across 170 countries
CIA holders worldwide
Source: The IIA, Become a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) page
125 questions in 150 minutes
Questions and time, Part 1
Source: The IIA, CIA certification FAQ
100 questions in 120 minutes each
Questions and time, Parts 2 and 3
Source: The IIA, CIA certification FAQ
600 on a 250 to 750 scaled range
Passing score
Source: The IIA Certification Candidate Handbook, exam scoring section
One official result within three weeks of the exam date
Result turnaround
Source: The IIA, Delayed Scoring for The IIA exams
40 CPE hours a year including at least two ethics hours
Annual maintenance
Source: The IIA, CIA brochure and CPE requirements page
If you fail
Wait before retaking
30 days from your most recent attempt at that part
Attempt limit
Up to eight attempts at any given exam part within the certification programme, all inside the three year programme window
Retake fee
The full part fee again: USD 310 for members or USD 445 for non-members on Part 1, and USD 280 or USD 415 on Parts 2 and 3. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable
The waiting period was shortened from 90 days to 30 days. Because delayed scoring delivers an official result within three weeks, candidates know their outcome before the 30 day window closes. A retake still requires a new exam registration, which is valid for 180 days or until the programme expires, whichever comes first. Cancelling an appointment does not extend that 180 days, and Pearson VUE charges a USD 75 change fee each time you reschedule, with changes allowed until 48 hours before the appointment. If the three year programme window closes without all parts passed, the candidate must reapply and pay the application fee again.
Exam Domains & Topics
The largest block in Part 1. It covers the purpose of internal auditing under the Global Internal Audit Standards, the internal audit mandate, the responsibilities of the board and the chief audit executive, the required elements of an internal audit charter, the split between assurance and advisory services, and situations that threaten the independence of the function.
Key Topics to Master:
- Purpose of internal auditing under the Global Internal Audit Standards
- Internal audit mandate and board responsibilities
- Required components of an internal audit charter
- Assurance services versus advisory services
- Threats to organisational independence
- The function's role in enterprise risk management
Covers integrity, impairments to individual objectivity such as self review and familiarity bias, policies that mitigate those impairments, disclosure of impairments, and the knowledge and skills an internal auditor must apply. It also tests due professional care, professional skepticism, and the handling of confidential information during engagements.
Key Topics to Master:
- Honesty and professional courage in ethical dilemmas
- Self review and familiarity bias
- Reassignment and outsourcing to protect objectivity
- Gifts, rewards and favours
- Due professional care and professional skepticism
- Confidentiality and information protection
Covers organisational governance, the effect of organisational culture on the control environment, ethical and compliance issues, risk types, the risk management process, risk management inside business functions, internal control concepts and control types, and the design, effectiveness and efficiency of internal controls.
Key Topics to Master:
- Organisational governance concepts
- Culture and the control environment
- Risk types and risk appetite
- The risk management process
- Types of internal control
- Design effectiveness versus operating effectiveness
The smallest Part 1 section. It covers fraud concepts and fraud types, deciding when fraud risk needs special consideration during an engagement, evaluating how the organisation detects and manages fraud, preventive and detective anti-fraud controls, and the internal audit function's role in fraud related techniques and investigations.
Key Topics to Master:
- Fraud concepts and fraud typology
- When fraud risk warrants special engagement consideration
- Organisational fraud detection and response
- Preventive and detective fraud controls
- Internal audit's role in fraud investigations
Half of Part 2. It covers setting engagement objectives and scope including Topical Requirements, documenting scope limitations, handling stakeholder requests, selecting evaluation criteria that are specific and practical, planning to assess key risks and controls, choosing an engagement approach, completing a detailed risk assessment, building the engagement work program, and sizing the resources and skills required.
Key Topics to Master:
- Engagement objectives, scope and Topical Requirements
- Scope limitations and stakeholder requests
- Selecting and testing evaluation criteria
- Detailed risk assessment of the activity under review
- Engagement work programs and procedures
- Resource and skill planning for an engagement
Covers identifying sources of information, judging the relevance, sufficiency and reliability of evidence, evaluating technology options available to internal auditors, applying analytical approaches and process mapping, analytical review techniques, testing whether a difference exists between evaluation criteria and current conditions, preparing workpapers, and developing engagement conclusions.
Key Topics to Master:
- Sources of engagement information
- Relevance, sufficiency and reliability of evidence
- Data analytics and audit technology options
- Process mapping and analytical review
- Workpaper preparation standards
- Developing supportable engagement conclusions
The smallest section in the whole syllabus. It covers appropriate supervision throughout an engagement, including review of workpapers and evidence of that review, and appropriate communication with stakeholders across the engagement from opening meeting through fieldwork updates to closing discussions.
Key Topics to Master:
- Supervision and review evidence
- Workpaper review responsibilities
- Stakeholder communication through the engagement lifecycle
Covers methodologies for planning, organising, directing and monitoring internal audit work, managing the function's financial, human and IT resources, aligning internal audit strategy with stakeholder expectations, and the chief audit executive's responsibility for building relationships and communicating with the board and senior management.
Key Topics to Master:
- Planning, organising and directing the audit function
- Financial, human and IT resource management
- Aligning audit strategy to stakeholder expectations
- Chief audit executive relationship building
- Reporting lines to the board
Covers identifying sources of potential engagements across the audit universe, the process for developing a risk based audit plan and revising it as risks shift, and the importance of coordinating with other internal and external assurance providers so that coverage is neither duplicated nor left with gaps.
Key Topics to Master:
- Sources of potential engagements
- Building a risk based audit plan
- Revising the plan as risk changes
- Coordination with other assurance providers
Covers the required elements of the quality assurance and improvement program, including internal and external assessments, appropriate disclosure of nonconformance with the Global Internal Audit Standards, and practical methods for establishing internal audit key performance indicators that the board and senior management can use.
Key Topics to Master:
- Quality assurance and improvement program elements
- Internal and external quality assessments
- Disclosure of nonconformance with the Standards
- Internal audit key performance indicators
The largest section in Part 3. It covers attributes of effective results communication, delivering those results, deciding between recommendations and management action plans, the closing communication and reporting process, the chief audit executive's assessment of residual risk, communicating risk acceptance, monitoring implementation, and escalating when management has not acted.
Key Topics to Master:
- Attributes of effective engagement communication
- Recommendations versus management action plans
- Closing communications and reporting
- Assessing residual risk
- Communicating accepted risk to the board
- Monitoring implementation and escalation
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Create a CCMS profile, submit proof of education and a government issued photo ID, and pay the application fee
- 2Note your programme expiry date, which is three years from approval
- 3Download the official 2025 Part 1 syllabus and map each of the four sections to your study plan
- 4Read the Global Internal Audit Standards end to end once without note taking
- 5Study Foundations of Internal Auditing: purpose, mandate, charter, assurance versus advisory
- 1Study Ethics and Professionalism including self review bias, familiarity bias and conflicts of interest
- 2Learn when reassignment, outsourcing or disclosure is the right response to an impairment
- 3Study Governance, Risk Management, and Control across risk types and the risk management process
- 4Work 150 practice questions across Sections A, B and C and log every wrong answer
- 5Write one page summaries of control types and design versus operating effectiveness
- 1Study Fraud Risks: fraud types, fraud risk in engagement planning, and preventive versus detective controls
- 2Sit two full 125 question mocks under a 150 minute clock
- 3Review every question you answered in under 30 seconds, since speed usually signals a guess
- 4Register for Part 1 and schedule at a Pearson VUE centre, remembering the 180 day registration validity
- 5Sit Part 1 and expect the official result within three weeks
- 1Study Engagement Planning, which alone is 50 percent of Part 2
- 2Learn how Topical Requirements feed into engagement objectives and scope
- 3Practise writing evaluation criteria that are specific, practical, relevant and comparable
- 4Work through detailed risk assessment scenarios for a single activity under review
- 5Draft one engagement work program from scratch for a process you know at work
- 1Study Information Gathering, Analysis, and Evaluation, which is 40 percent of Part 2
- 2Drill the relevance, sufficiency and reliability test on sample evidence sets
- 3Cover analytical review, process mapping and audit technology options
- 4Study Engagement Supervision and Communication, the 10 percent section
- 5Work 200 Part 2 practice questions and rework every miss the following day
- 1Sit two full 100 question mocks under a 120 minute clock
- 2Register, schedule and sit Part 2
- 3Begin Internal Audit Operations: planning, directing, monitoring and resource management
- 4Study how internal audit strategy aligns to stakeholder expectations
- 5Learn the chief audit executive's reporting relationship with the board
- 1Study Internal Audit Plan: sources of engagements, risk based planning and plan revision
- 2Study coordination with other internal and external assurance providers
- 3Study Quality of the Internal Audit Function including internal and external assessments
- 4Learn the disclosure rules for nonconformance with the Global Internal Audit Standards
- 5Build a key performance indicator list for a hypothetical audit function
- 1Study Engagement Results and Monitoring, which is 45 percent of Part 3
- 2Learn the difference between issuing recommendations and requesting management action plans
- 3Study residual risk assessment and the process for communicating accepted risk
- 4Learn the escalation path when management has not implemented an agreed action
- 5Work 200 Part 3 practice questions
- 1Sit two full 100 question mocks under a 120 minute clock
- 2Register, schedule and sit Part 3
- 3Assemble experience verification evidence for your education level
- 4Confirm proof of education matches the name on your government issued photo ID
- 5Submit experience verification in CCMS and expect the designation within 7 to 14 business days
- 1Diarise the annual renewal window that opens 1 October and closes 31 December
- 2Plan 40 CPE hours for your first renewal year, including at least two ethics hours
- 3If a part was failed, book the retake after the 30 day waiting period and before programme expiry
- 4Check whether your employer reimburses IIA membership, which cuts each part fee by USD 135
- 5Set a reminder for the one year programme extension request if your three years are running short
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Best Study Resources
CIA exam syllabus, Parts 1 to 3
Official documentThe IIA publishes expanded test specifications for each part as PDFs in multiple languages. They list every section with its percentage weight and the individual objectives the exam can test.
Free
Global Internal Audit Standards
StandardsThe 2024 Standards are the backbone of the 2025 CIA syllabus. Part 1 tests the purpose of internal auditing, the mandate, the charter and independence directly against this text.
Free
CIA exam references list
Official documentThe IIA publishes the curated reference list that item writers draw on. It names the foundational materials and publications behind exam content, which prevents wasted reading.
Free
CIA practice questions
Question bankRetired questions from past CIA exams with rationales for both correct and incorrect answers, delivered in a computer based simulation. Available in more than seven languages.
Paid, priced in CCMS
Certification Candidate Handbook
Official documentCovers registration validity, scheduling, test centre rules, identification requirements, retake policy and the audit of experience verification. Read it before booking a seat.
Free
Becker CIA Exam Review
Review courseCourse content built against the 2025 CIA syllabus under a partnership announced by The IIA and Becker in January 2025. Useful if you want structured lectures rather than self study.
Paid
CIA sample exam questions
PracticeThe IIA posts free sample questions for Parts 1 through 3. They are the cheapest way to calibrate how the question stems are phrased before buying a full bank.
Free
Topical Requirements
StandardsPart 2 explicitly tests how Topical Requirements shape engagement objectives, scope and planning. The IIA publishes them alongside the 2024 Standards.
Free
CPE requirements page
Official referenceSets out the 40 CPE hours a practicing CIA reports each year, the two hour ethics component, and the 1 October to 31 December reporting window in CCMS.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Studying from 2019 syllabus material
The 2025 syllabus cut Part 1 from six sections to four and reweighted everything. Check that any course or question bank names the 2025 syllabus before you buy it.
Expecting a score at the test centre
The IIA moved to delayed scoring, so no unofficial result appears at the end of your session. Plan for a single official result within three weeks and do not book a retake on a guess.
Booking an exam registration long before you are ready
Exam registrations are valid for 180 days or until your programme expires, whichever comes first, and an unused registration is forfeited. Register only when a test date is realistic.
Underweighting Part 2 Section A
Engagement Planning alone is 50 percent of Part 2. Give it as much study time as the other two Part 2 sections combined.
Underweighting Part 3 Section D
Engagement Results and Monitoring is 45 percent of Part 3, including residual risk, risk acceptance and escalation. Many candidates over-prepare Internal Audit Operations instead.
Paying non-member prices
Membership saves USD 120 on the application and USD 135 on each part, a USD 525 difference across the full programme. Log in and confirm your membership is active before paying.
Losing track of the three year programme window
You have three years from approval to complete everything. A one year extension can be requested, but planning backwards from the expiry date avoids needing it.
Treating experience verification as an afterthought
You can sit the exams before completing experience, but the designation is only awarded after verification. Line up your evidence while you are still studying.
Assuming online proctoring is available
The IIA discontinued online testing on 27 May 2025. Every part is now taken at a Pearson VUE test centre, so factor in travel and centre availability.
Answering CIA questions from local practice rather than the Standards
The exam tests the Global Internal Audit Standards, not the way your employer happens to run engagements. When a question and your workplace habit disagree, answer with the Standards.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Bring a valid government issued photo ID with a name that matches your CCMS registration exactly
- 2
Arrive early enough for Pearson VUE check-in, which includes identity verification before the clock starts
- 3
Pace Part 1 at about 72 seconds per question to cover 125 questions in 150 minutes
- 4
Pace Parts 2 and 3 at about 72 seconds per question as well, since each gives 120 minutes for 100 questions
- 5
Answer every question, because there is no penalty for a wrong answer on a scaled 250 to 750 scale
- 6
Flag and move on after 90 seconds rather than stalling, then use the review screen for flagged items
- 7
When two options both look defensible, pick the one that a chief audit executive would defend to the board
- 8
Watch for questions that name the Global Internal Audit Standards explicitly, because those have one correct answer in the text
- 9
Expect no unofficial score at the end of the session and leave without waiting for one
- 10
If you fail, note the date, because the 30 day retake clock runs from your most recent attempt
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Internal auditor
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of USD 81,680 for accountants and auditors in May 2024. This is the entry point for CIA candidates who meet the bachelor's degree plus two years of experience route.
USD 81,680 median
Risk and compliance specialist
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of USD 106,000 for financial risk specialists in May 2024. The CIA syllabus covers risk types, the risk management process and control design across Part 1 Section C.
USD 106,000 median
Financial examiner or regulator
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of USD 90,400 for financial examiners in May 2024. Part 3 quality assurance content, including internal and external assessments and disclosure of nonconformance with the Standards, maps closely to regulatory review work.
USD 90,400 median
Internal controls consultant
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of USD 101,190 for management analysts in May 2024. Part 2 engagement planning and evidence evaluation content transfers directly to advisory work.
USD 101,190 median
Audit director or chief audit executive
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of USD 161,700 for financial managers in May 2024. Part 3 covers exactly this role: audit strategy, resource management, the quality assurance and improvement program, and board reporting.
USD 161,700 median
Prerequisites & Requirements
- A master's degree or higher plus one year of internal audit experience, or a bachelor's degree or equivalent plus two years
- An active Internal Audit Practitioner holder without a degree needs five years of internal audit experience, two of them within the past three years, and receives a waiver for Part 1
- Proof of education: a copy of the degree or official transcripts, a letter from the university, or a letter from an evaluation service
- A valid government issued photo ID
- Qualifying experience may come from internal audit, quality assurance, risk management, audit or assessment disciplines, compliance, external audit, or internal control
- Candidates may sit all three parts before completing the experience requirement
- Candidates residing in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or South Africa must be IIA members to apply
- ACCA qualified members have education and work experience requirements waived; active US CPA licence holders have the education requirement waived
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to wait to retake a failed CIA part?
Thirty days from your most recent attempt. The IIA shortened this from 90 days to 30 days, and you may retake as long as you are still inside the programme eligibility window. Because official results now arrive within three weeks, you will know your outcome before the 30 days expire.
How much does the CIA cost in total?
USD 990 for IIA members and USD 1,515 for non-members. That is the USD 120 or USD 240 application fee plus USD 310 or USD 445 for Part 1 and USD 280 or USD 415 for each of Parts 2 and 3. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and pricing may differ in countries where exams are administered by a National Institute.
Does the price change by region?
Yes. The published fees apply in the United States, Canada and select other countries. Outside North America, candidates are directed to contact their National Institute to obtain membership and verify pricing and applicable taxes. Applicable taxes may be collected under local law.
What happens if I fail a part?
You wait 30 days, pay the part fee again and rebook. Nothing carries over, and the failed part must be passed inside your three year programme window. The Certification Candidate Handbook permits a maximum of eight attempts at any given exam part within a certification programme.
How long is the CIA programme window?
Three years from the date your application is approved. A single 12-month programme extension may be purchased through CCMS before the window expires, and a single 75-day extension may be purchased for each exam registration. Extensions are not available for the CIA Challenge programme. If the window closes without all parts passed, you must reapply to the programme and pay the application fee again.
How long is an exam registration valid?
180 days, or until your certification programme expires, whichever comes first. If you do not sit the exam within that registration period, the registration is forfeited and you pay the part fee again.
What is the CIA score scale?
Every part is reported on a scaled score from 250 to 750, and 600 is the passing score. Scaled scoring means the reported number is not a raw percentage of questions answered correctly; it is adjusted so that a 600 represents the same standard across different exam forms.
When do results arrive?
Within three weeks of your exam date, as a single official result delivered by a system generated email. The IIA introduced delayed scoring for the three part CIA effective 1 April 2026 and for the CIA Challenge Exam effective 1 September 2026, so no immediate unofficial score is provided at the test centre.
Can I take the CIA exam online?
No. The IIA discontinued online testing on 27 May 2025. All CIA parts are delivered at authorised Pearson VUE test centres, so you need to book a seat at a physical location.
What identification do I need?
A valid government issued photo ID that matches your registration. The IIA also requires a valid government issued photo ID as part of the CIA application itself, alongside proof of education. Name mismatches between your ID and your CCMS record are the most common check-in problem, so fix them before you schedule.
Are accommodations available?
Requests are handled through The IIA's certification administration and the Pearson VUE accommodations process, which is described in the Certification Candidate Handbook. Arrange any accommodation before you schedule a seat, because the request has to be approved and applied to the appointment rather than added on the day.
What is the CIA pass rate?
The IIA does not publish CIA pass rates. Neither the certification pages nor the Certification Candidate Handbook state a pass rate for any part, so figures circulating from review course providers are not vendor sourced.
In what order should I take the three parts?
The IIA does not prescribe an order and tells candidates to review the syllabi and decide. Part 1 is the natural first sitting because it establishes the Global Internal Audit Standards vocabulary that Parts 2 and 3 assume, and because an Internal Audit Practitioner waiver applies to Part 1 specifically.
How do I keep the CIA once I have it?
Report 40 CPE hours each year, including at least two hours of ethics, during the renewal window that opens 1 October and closes 31 December. Renewal fees are USD 30 for active members and USD 120 otherwise, and are included with membership for IIA members residing in North America. Certifications not renewed move to Grace status and are revoked after two years in Grace.
How does the CIA compare to the CIA Challenge Exam?
The Challenge Exam is a one part route to the same designation for active CPA or CA holders from approved bodies, active CISA holders, and professionals with at least ten years of internal audit or related experience. It has 150 questions in 180 minutes, covers content from all three CIA parts, costs USD 845 for members or USD 1,245 for non-members plus a USD 150 or USD 380 application fee, and runs in February, June, September and November testing windows.
How does the CIA compare to the Internal Audit Practitioner?
The IAP is the entry level credential for university students, beginner internal auditors and professionals without degrees. It is a single exam of 125 multiple choice questions and requires no degree. IAP holders who apply for the CIA receive a waiver for Part 1 and sit only Parts 2 and 3, and they need five years of internal audit experience with two in the past three years if they have no degree.
Can I earn the IAP after passing CIA Part 1?
Yes. If you have passed Part 1 and hold an active CIA or a valid CIA application, you can apply for the IAP in CCMS under your existing profile. Applications go through a weekly manual review and the designation is awarded within seven business days of applying.
How long after passing does the designation appear?
Seven to 14 business days after you complete the programme, meaning all exams passed and any remaining requirements met. The designation then displays on your CCMS account, and you can print a digital certificate or order a physical one for a fee. A separate experience verification audit takes seven to ten business days.
Which languages is the CIA exam offered in?
Fourteen: Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish. Vietnamese registration opens effective 28 August 2026. Arabic runs the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026 before moving to the 2025 syllabus, and Simplified Chinese is available only in mainland China.
How long do I have to finish the application itself?
Ninety days from the moment The IIA processes your application payment. Inside that window you must upload proof of education, a valid government issued photo ID and any other required documents and follow the on-screen steps to finalise the application. If you miss the 90 days the application expires and you reapply and pay again. Once the application is approved, CCMS resets the status expiration date to match the three year programme expiration date, and only then can you register for a part.
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