Short answer
- Exam fee: $749 in the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, €719.04 at ISC2’s euro (EMEA) price, and £606.69 in the UK (ISC2 exam pricing).
- Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF): $135 a year, and the first one is due when you certify, not a year later (ISC2 AMF overview).
- Minimum cost to earn the CISSP and keep it active for three years: $1,154. That is the exam plus three AMFs.
- No application fee, no required training, and no separate member price for the exam.
Most CISSP cost guides stop at the exam fee. The exam is only about two thirds of what you will pay ISC2 in your first three years, and a few of the figures still circulating are out of date. This guide lists every fee ISC2 charges, shows what it adds up to in five realistic scenarios, and explains the one purchase decision that can save you $500. Every number links to the ISC2 page it comes from. We checked all of them on September 21, 2026.
Every CISSP fee in one table
| Fee | Amount | When you pay it | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam registration (Americas and most regions) | $749 | When you book the exam | Yes |
| Exam registration (EMEA, euro price) | €719.04 | When you book | Yes, if you test there |
| Exam registration (UK) | £606.69 | When you book | Yes, if you test there |
| Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) | $135 per year | At certification, then every anniversary | Yes, to hold the credential |
| Rescheduling the exam | $50 | If you move your appointment | No |
| Cancelling the exam | $100 | If you cancel | No |
| Retake | $749 (full fee again) | Per extra attempt | Only if you fail |
| Exam Peace of Mind (second attempt) | +$249 | Bought together with the exam | No |
| Associate of ISC2 AMF | $50 per year | If you pass without the five years of experience | Only on the Associate path |
| Endorsement | $0 | After you pass | Yes, but free |
| Official training | varies | Before the exam | No |
Sources: exam pricing, rescheduling and cancellation, retake fee, Peace of Mind, AMF amounts.
Taxes depend on where you take the exam, and ISC2 notes that the AMF can be taxed in some places.
When the first AMF is due
ISC2’s member policy says the AMF is “due on the member’s certification cycle start date and subsequent annual anniversaries” (ISC2 member policies). In practice you pay your first $135 once your endorsement is approved, which is the day your certification cycle starts (after your exam).
So a three-year certification cycle contains three AMF payments:
- $135 at certification (month 0)
- $135 at the first anniversary (month 12)
- $135 at the second anniversary (month 24)
The payment at month 36 buys the next cycle, so we leave it out of the three-year figure. That gives $749 + $405 = $1,154.
Some figures still in circulation no longer match ISC2’s pages. At least one widely read cost guide, updated in July 2026, lists an AMF of $125 and exam prices of €665 and £585. ISC2’s own pages list $135, €719.04 and £606.69 today. If you are budgeting in euros or pounds, use the ISC2 pricing page, not a blog table.
What the CISSP really costs: five scenarios
| Scenario | Exam and retakes | Maintenance over 3 years | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Pass on the first attempt | $749 | 3 × $135 = $405 | $1,154 |
| B. Fail once, retake at full price | $749 + $749 | $405 | $1,903 |
| C. Fail once, Peace of Mind bought up front | $749 + $249 | $405 | $1,403 |
| D. Pass without five years of experience (Associate of ISC2 for all three years) | $749 | 3 × $50 = $150 | $899 |
| E. Test in the UK, pass first time | £606.69 | 3 × $135 = $405 | £606.69 + $405 |
How we calculated this:
- Scenario B and C assume the retake falls inside ISC2’s rules. After a first failed attempt you can retest after 30 days, then 60, then 90, with at most four attempts in twelve months (ISC2 after your exam). Peace of Mind covers two attempts within 180 days (Peace of Mind).
- Scenario D uses the $50 Associate AMF (AMF overview). When you later gain the experience and become a full CISSP, you pay the $85 difference for that year, not a new fee.
- Training, books and practice tests are not included in any scenario. ISC2 does not require them, and their price depends entirely on how you prepare. They are the part of the budget you control.
Should you buy Exam Peace of Mind?
Peace of Mind costs $249 on top of the $749 exam and gives you a second attempt within 180 days. Without it, a second attempt costs another $749.
- If you pass the first time, you lose $249.
- If you fail once, you save $500 ($749 − $249).
The break-even point is a failure risk of about one in three ($249 ÷ $749 = 33%). We found no official pass rate on ISC2’s pages, so base the decision on your own practice-test results. If your scores are consistently strong across all eight domains, skip it. If one or two domains are still shaky when you book, the add-on is cheaper than a second full registration.
CPE credits, endorsement and rescheduling
CPE credits
You need 120 Continuing Professional Education credits per three-year cycle, and at least 90 of them must be Group A (directly related to the CISSP domains). ISC2 lists 40 per year as the suggested pace, but only the three-year total is required (ISC2 member policies).
What happens if you fall behind:
- You have a 90-day grace period after your certification expires to finish your CPEs and pay any past-due AMF.
- After that, your certification is suspended. Suspension can last up to two consecutive years.
- After two years of suspension, ISC2 terminates the credential.
CPE credits themselves can come from many activities, some paid (conferences, courses) and some not. ISC2 describes the qualifying activities in its certification maintenance handbook.
Endorsement
After you pass, another ISC2-certified professional has to endorse your application. It costs nothing, and ISC2 can act as your endorser if you don’t know anyone certified (after your exam).
Rescheduling
Moving your appointment costs $50 and cancelling costs $100. ISC2’s pages disagree on the cutoff: one says changes are not possible within 24 hours of the exam, the FAQ says 48 hours. Make changes more than two days ahead and you are safe under both.
The experience requirement affects the cost too
To hold the full CISSP you need five years of cumulative, full-time experience in at least two of the eight CISSP domains. Part-time work (20 to 34 hours a week) and paid or unpaid internships can count. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, IT or a related field or a credential from ISC2’s approved list can cover up to one year, but only one waiver counts in total (CISSP experience requirements).
If you pass before you have the experience, you become an Associate of ISC2. You then have six years to earn the five years of experience, you pay the lower $50 AMF, and you need 15 CPE credits a year. For budgeting, the Associate route is actually the cheapest three-year path (Scenario D), because the AMF is lower.
The exam itself is a computerized adaptive test of 100 to 150 items with a maximum of three hours (ISC2 CAT).
Five ways to pay less
- Ask your employer before you book. In the US, an employer can pay up to $5,250 of educational assistance per year tax-free under an educational assistance program, and job-related costs above that can qualify as a working condition fringe benefit (IRS Publication 15-B). This is general information, not tax advice; your employer’s benefits team can tell you how their program works.
- Buy Peace of Mind only if your practice scores say you need it. See the break-even rule above.
- Plan your second ISC2 certification. One AMF covers every ISC2 certification you hold. If you already have the CISSP, the CCSP adds only its $599 exam fee to your three-year cost (AMF overview).
- Earn CPEs as you go. Spreading the 120 credits over three years leaves time for free or low-cost activities, so you aren’t buying a course in the last months of your cycle.
- Change appointments before the cutoff. Rescheduling costs $50 and cancelling $100, but only before the cutoff, so make changes more than 48 hours ahead.
CISSP compared with other security certifications
The three-year minimum below is calculated the same way for each certification: the cheapest legitimate way to earn the credential and keep it active for 36 months. Fees that only buy the next cycle are listed separately. Full method and sources are in the Certification Cost Index.
| Certification | Issuer | Exam | 3-year minimum | To renew for the next cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISSP | ISC2 | $749 | $1,154 | $135 AMF per year + 120 CPE |
| CCSP | ISC2 | $599 | $1,004 ($599 if you already hold the CISSP) | shared $135 AMF + 90 CPE |
| CISM | ISACA | $575 member / $760 non-member | $985 to $1,065 (depends on chapter dues) | $45 or $85 per year + 120 CPE |
| CISA | ISACA | $575 / $760 | $985 to $1,065 (depends on chapter dues) | $45 or $85 per year + 120 CPE |
| CEH | EC-Council | $950 (remote) | $1,210 | $80 per year + 120 credits |
| Security+ | CompTIA | $439 | $439 | $150 per 3 years + 50 CEUs |
| Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) | ISC2 | $199 | $349 | $50 AMF per year + 45 CPE |
Over three years the CEH costs more than the CISSP once you add EC-Council’s $100 eligibility fee and its annual $80 continuing-education fee (EC-Council CE fees). The CISSP has the highest ongoing cost in the table, because ISC2 bills $135 every year while CompTIA bills once per three-year cycle. ISACA’s numbers depend on your local chapter dues, because ISACA members must also join their local chapter (ISACA membership).
One change worth knowing if you are just starting: ISC2 ended free Certified in Cybersecurity exams for new applicants on May 20, 2026. The CC now costs $199 plus a $50 AMF (ISC2 announcement).
Frequently asked questions
How much is the CISSP exam in 2026?
$749 in the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, €719.04 at ISC2’s euro price and £606.69 in the UK. Pearson adds local taxes where they apply.
Is there a CISSP application fee?
No. ISC2 charges no application fee and no separate endorsement fee. You pay the exam fee, then your first $135 AMF once your endorsement is approved.
How much does it cost to maintain the CISSP?
$135 a year in AMF plus whatever your 120 CPE credits cost you over three years. CPEs can be earned through paid or unpaid activities.
What happens if I fail the CISSP?
You pay the full $749 again unless you bought Peace of Mind, and you wait at least 30 days before the next attempt.
Does the CISSP cost less for ISC2 members?
No. The exam price is the same for everyone. The AMF you pay after certifying is what makes you a member.
How much is the CISSP for an Associate of ISC2?
The same $749 exam, then $50 a year instead of $135 until you earn the required experience.
How we checked these numbers. Every fee in this article comes from an ISC2 page, linked where it appears. We checked them on September 21, 2026. ISC2 changes prices from time to time without much notice, so confirm the amount in your ISC2 account before you pay. Where ISC2’s own pages contradict each other, we say so rather than pick one. Certificate Quest is not affiliated with ISC2 and earns nothing from any link on this page.