CMA registration: When, how, and where to take the CMA Exam

Passing the CMA Exam is a key steppingstone to advancing your management accountant career. Learn the steps to CMA registration, choosing your CMA Exam date and location, and preparing to pass on your first try. 

Summary 

CMA registration requires that you be a candidate in the IMA’s CMA program, pay the CMA Exam fee and register through the IMA, and then schedule your CMA Exam date on the Prometric website. Since the CMA certification is an international credential, candidates all over the world can follow this process to register for the CMA Exam. Prepare for success on exam day with a trusted CMA Exam Review course. 

When can I take the CMA Exam?

 The CMA Exam dates remain the same each year: six months for testing, split into 3 two-month periods. The last date to register for any given testing window is the 15th of the second month of that window. 

CMA Exam dates: 

1. May 1 – June 30
   1. Last day to register: June 15
2. September 1 – October 31
   1. Last day to register: October 15
3. January 1 - February 28  
   1. Last day to register: February 15 

It’s important to choose your CMA Exam date and register well in advance. This not only ensures that you secure the date and location that works best for your schedule, but it also helps you plan your CMA Exam Review study schedule according to the time you have available before exam day. 

How do I register for the CMA Exam? 

Before registering for the CMA Exam, you must be actively enrolled in the CMA program. First, enroll as a member of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the managing body of the CMA certification, and enroll in the CMA program. Once enrolled in the CMA program, you register to sit for one CMA Exam Part at a time, in either order you choose (Part 1 or Part 2 first). 

CMA registration happens in two parts: 

1. Register first through the IMA website, where you choose which Part you’ll take and during which testing window. You’ll pay the CMA Exam fee and enter your CMA program candidate information to ensure your eligibility.
2. After registration through the IMA, you’ll receive an authorization number from the ICMA. Use this number to schedule your CMA Exam date and time on the Prometric Testing Center website. 
    

Rescheduling or canceling your CMA Exam date 

If you need, you can change your scheduled exam: 

• Within the same testing window: You can reschedule or cancel your CMA Exam date within the same testing window by notifying Prometric.
  • If you reschedule or cancel at least 31 days in advance, there is no fee.
  • If you reschedule or cancel 3 to 30 days in advance, there is a $50 fee.
  • If you change your appointment less than 3 days in advance, you’ll forfeit the full testing fee and will have to pay again when you choose to reschedule.
• To the next testing window: You can request to transfer your exam date to the next testing window for a $75 fee. This request must be submitted to IMA Member Services at least 5 days before your scheduled appointment, and you must cancel your existing Prometric appointment. 
   

Where do I take the CMA Exam? 

You sit for the CMA Exam at one of Prometric Testing Center global locations. When completing your CMA registration through the Prometric website, you must enter your desired date range and your location. The website will show available office locations, dates, and times to schedule your CMA Exam. 

How do international candidates take the CMA Exam? 

The CMA certification is an international designation, recognized and offered around the world. Therefore, you can apply and sit for the CMA Exam internationally, just as you would in the US. 

How international candidates register for the CMA Exam 

Just like US candidates, international CMA candidates must register through the IMA website and then choose a CMA Exam date and time through the Prometric website. 

Where international candidates take the CMA Exam 

Prometric offers testing centers around the world, but not every location offers every exam. Make sure that you include your location in the Prometric search to ensure that you sit for the CMA Exam in the closest available testing center. 

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