CISSP Minimum CPE Credits

Minimum CPE Credits

CPE credits are categorized as either Group A credits or Group B credits, depending on how the associated activities relate to the domain for each certification. Group A credits are for direct domain-related activities. Group B credits are for activities that are outside of the domain, yet enhance a member’s general professional skills and competencies.

All CPE activities must be completed or earned during the three years of each certification cycle and no later than your certification expiration date (the end of your certification cycle). Following your certification expiration date, you are allowed a 90-day grace period to complete the submission of all your CPE credits, but they must be earned by the expiration date. It is in your own best interest to submit all your required CPE credits as soon as possible.

At the end of your three-year certification cycle, when you meet both your required CPE credits and Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) payments, your renewal to a new three-year certification cycle will be processed. You will receive a renewal package via postal mail, which includes a new certificate and ID card.

The minimum number of CPEs required each year and during your three year certification cycle is determined by the type of certification or designation held. See the chart below for details.

CPE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Credential	*Annual Minimum (Required) Group A - Only		3 Year Certification Period
			Group A (Minimum Per 3 Year Certification Period)	Group B Optional (Maximum See Above)	Total Required (Per 3 Year Certification Period)
CSSLP	15		60	30	90
CISSP	20		80	40	120
ISSAP ISSEP ISSMP ISSJP	During your subsequent full 3-year certification periods for these concentrations, 20 of the 120 CPEs already required for the underlying CISSP certificate must be in the specific area of concentration. For example, if a CISSP took the ISSEP concentration examination and passed, he/she would be required to submit at least 20 of the total 120 hours required to submit for the CISSP certificate to be in the specific area of engineering.
CAP	10		40	20	60
SSCP	10		40	20	60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Only applies to certification cycles beginning May 1, 2008 and thereafter. 

CPE DESIGNATION REQUIREMENTS
Associate of (ISC)² Designation	GROUP A	TOTAL (Per year)
Associate of (ISC)² working toward CISSP	20	20
Associate of (ISC)² working toward SSCP	10	10
Associate of (ISC)2 working toward CSSLP	15	15

CPE Credits for Concentrations: If you hold a CISSP concentration, 20 of the 120 credits required for the CISSP must be directly related to your concentration. If you hold more than one concentration, you must earn 20 credits in each area of concentration. CPEs required for a concentration are automatically counted toward the CISSP CPE requirement.

For example, if you hold an ISSAP and ISSMP, you must earn 20 credits related to the ISSAP domains and 20 credits toward the ISSMP domains. These 40 credits will automatically apply to the 120 credits required to renew your CISSP.

Multiple Credentials
If you hold more than one (ISC)² credential, the CPEs you submit will automatically be counted toward all of your active credentials. CPE activities should not be entered more than one time.

If the domain you select for your submission corresponds to a domain of one of your additional credentials, the CPE credits will be considered a Group A credit for each credential.

If the additional credential does not have a corresponding domain, the credits will be considered Group B for the additional credential.

For example, if you submit a CPE with the domain CISSP – Application Security, the CPE will count as a Group A credit for the CISSP as well as the CSSLP because the CISSP domain corresponds to the CSSLP – Software Acceptance domain. This domain would count as a Group B credit for the CAP because there is no corresponding domain for the CAP.

Please see Appendix “A” - Domain Credit Compatibility Matrix - for a complete list of corresponding domains.

Rollover CPEs
If you submit more than the minimum number of required Group A (domain-related) credits, and the additional credits are earned during the final six months of your three year certification cycle, your excess Group A credits will “roll over” and be applied to your next three-year cycle. These rollover credits are calculated at the time of your renewal processing.

*Note that there is no rollover provision for Group B credits.

*Note that rollover CPEs do not count toward annual CPE Requirements.

※ CISSP CPE Credit