There are no fixed CIA exam dates for most candidates. The three parts of the Certified Internal Auditor exam are computer-based tests delivered year-round at Pearson VUE test centers, so you pick your own appointment from whatever seats your local center has open. The dates that decide your CIA journey are personal ones: three years from the day The IIA approves your application to finish the program, 180 days from each exam purchase to sit that part, at least 48 hours’ notice to move an appointment, 30 days between attempts on a part you fail, and, since 1 April 2026, an official result within three weeks of each exam instead of a score on screen at the test center.
A handful of fixed calendar dates still matter. The CIA Challenge Exam runs only in February, June, September and November. Arabic and Simplified Chinese exams are moving to the 2025 syllabus on set dates. And once you are certified, every renewal year closes on 31 December. This guide puts all of those dates in one place, as The IIA published them in October 2026, with three worked timelines and the date mistakes that cost candidates their fees. For the exam as a whole, from eligibility to the syllabus, start with the complete CIA exam guide.
In this guide
- [The short answer: the CIA has no fixed test dates](#short-answer)
- [Every CIA deadline at a glance](#deadlines)
- [Fixed calendar dates in 2026 and 2027](#calendar)
- [How to pick your exam date](#choose-date)
- [Three worked timelines](#worked-examples)
- [When results arrive, and what they show](#results)
- [Retake dates and limits](#retakes)
- [Dates after you pass](#after-you-pass)
- [Challenge Exam dates](#challenge)
- [Dates by language and region](#languages)
- [Common date mistakes](#mistakes)
- [Frequently asked questions](#faq)
- [Related guides](#related)
The short answer: the CIA has no fixed test dates
The CIA is not a sitting-based exam. There is no national exam day, no registration deadline for a spring or autumn session, and no results day when everyone finds out at once. Each of the three parts is a separate multiple-choice exam that you schedule individually with Pearson VUE, at a test center, on a date that suits you. You can take the parts in any order, sit them weeks or months apart, and book each one only when you are ready. Online proctoring was discontinued in May 2025, so every sitting is now in person at a Pearson VUE center.
Scheduling runs through The IIA’s Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS). Once The IIA approves your application, you buy an exam registration for a part in CCMS, follow the link through to Pearson VUE, and choose a center, a date and a time from the seats available. The IIA’s Certification Candidate Handbook is explicit that you schedule through CCMS or Pearson VUE’s customer service, never by calling a test center directly, and that walk-ins are not accepted. How far ahead you need to book depends on your city: a large center in a major city usually has weekday seats within a few weeks, while a smaller center may run the exam only on certain days, and popular slots such as Saturdays fill first everywhere.
Because there are no fixed sittings, the question “when is the next CIA exam?” has two real answers. The first is “whenever your center has a seat inside your 180-day window.” The second is the set of personal deadlines in the next section, which are the dates that can cost you money if you miss them. Candidates coming from credentials that do run on set windows tend to plan the CIA the wrong way round, so the comparison below is worth a look.
| Exam | When you can test | What fixes the date |
|---|---|---|
| CIA Parts 1, 2 and 3 | Year-round, any day your Pearson VUE center has a seat | Your 180-day authorization window and your three-year program window |
| IAP (the exam is CIA Part 1) | Year-round, as for CIA Part 1 | A 180-day authorization window inside a two-year program window |
| CIA Challenge Exam | Only in the February, June, September and November windows | The window you register for, inside 180 days of purchase |
| CMA (IMA) | Three windows a year: January–February, May–June, September–October | The window, booked at least 72 hours ahead |
| ACCA | Four exam sessions a year (March, June, September, December); some early exams on demand | The session you enter for |
The practical consequence is that the CIA rewards planning from your own readiness rather than from a calendar. You decide how long you need for a part, and then the dates follow. The CIA study planner on this site builds that calendar for you from your exam date and weekly hours, and dates every IIA deadline in it.
Every CIA deadline at a glance
These are the clocks that run on every candidate. Each one starts on a date you control, which is why the most expensive date mistakes happen at the moment of purchase rather than on exam day. The figures come from The IIA’s CIA certification page, its pricing page and the March 2026 edition of the Certification Candidate Handbook.
| Deadline | How long | When the clock starts | If you miss it | Can you extend it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIA program eligibility | 3 years | The date The IIA approves your application | Unpassed parts can no longer be taken; fees paid and parts passed are forfeited | Once per program, by 12 months, for $275 |
| IAP or CRMA program eligibility | 2 years | Approval date | As above | The same one-time 12-month extension |
| Exam authorization for each part | 180 days, or until your program expires if that comes first | The date you pay for the exam registration | The registration is invalidated and the fee is forfeited; you register and pay again | Once, by 75 days, for $100; never past your program expiration date |
| Reschedule or cancel an appointment | Up to 48 hours before your confirmed appointment | Your appointment time | Inside 48 hours the appointment can no longer be changed | Each change costs $75, paid to Pearson VUE |
| Retake wait | At least 30 days | Your last attempt on that part | Not applicable | No; each retake is a new registration and a new fee |
| Attempts per part | Up to 8 | Within your program eligibility window | Not applicable | No |
| Official result | Within three weeks | Your exam date | If The IIA needs further analysis, 4 to 6 weeks, and you are told by email | Not applicable |
| Certification audit | 7 to 10 business days | The day you meet every requirement | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| First CPE period | From your certification date to 31 December of the following year | Certification | Grace Period (Inactive) status | Not applicable |
| Annual renewal | 1 October to 31 December, every year | 1 October | Grace Period (Inactive) status from 1 January | Not applicable |
Two of those rows interact in a way that catches people. The 180-day authorization window is capped by your program expiration date, so a part bought in the last six months of your three years gives you less than 180 days to sit it. And the one-time 75-day registration extension cannot carry a registration past program expiration either. If your program is close to the end, the only lever is the one-time 12-month program extension, which has to be bought while the program is still active.
The three-year program window is also wider than the exams. The IIA’s CIA page says you have three years from acceptance “to complete the eligibility requirements,” which means passing all three parts and finishing whatever experience your education requires: 12 months with a master’s degree, 24 with a bachelor’s, and 60 on the IAP route. The full rules are in the site’s CIA exam requirements guide, and the costs of every extension and retake are in the CIA exam cost guide.
Fixed calendar dates in 2026 and 2027
A few dates are the same for everyone. Most are changes The IIA has announced to how the exam is delivered or scored; the rest are the renewal calendar that every certified CIA lives by. The table runs in date order and notes who each one affects.
| Date | What happens | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2025 | The 2025 syllabus applies to every English-language exam, and the IAP exam becomes CIA Part 1 | All English-language candidates; IAP candidates |
| 1 April 2026 | Delayed scoring begins: no unofficial score at the test center, one official result within three weeks | IAP, CIA Parts 1–3 and CRMA candidates |
| 28 August 2026 | Candidates can register to take the CIA exam in Vietnamese | Vietnamese-language candidates |
| 1 September 2026 | Delayed scoring extends to the Challenge Exam | CIA Challenge Exam candidates |
| 1 October 2026 | The 2026 renewal window opens in CCMS | Certified CIAs and other IIA designation holders |
| 27 December 2026 | Last day of Arabic-language exams on the 2019 syllabus | Arabic-language candidates |
| 28 December 2026 | Arabic-language exams move to the 2025 syllabus | Arabic-language candidates |
| December test window | Simplified Chinese exams, offered in mainland China only, move to the 2025 syllabus | Candidates testing in mainland China |
| 31 December 2026 | Deadline to earn 2026 CPE and complete renewal | Certified CIAs |
| 1 January 2027 | Holders who did not renew move to Grace Period (Inactive) status | Certified CIAs who missed 31 December |
| February, June, September and November 2027 | Challenge Exam testing windows | Eligible credential holders |
| 1 October to 31 December 2027 | The 2027 renewal window | Certified CIAs |
Two notes on the table. The IIA’s CIA page gives the Arabic dates exactly but describes the Simplified Chinese change only as happening “during the December test window,” so candidates in mainland China should confirm the date with their local institute. And the delayed-scoring dates are the ones on The IIA’s scoring page as of October 2026; an earlier announcement from one national institute had given an earlier date for the Challenge Exam, and the IIA page is the one to follow.
The IIA’s pricing page shows no announced fee change for 2027, and it gives no effective date for the current fees. Fees can change, so if you are budgeting a year ahead, check the page again before you buy each part.
How to pick your exam date
With no fixed sittings, the right date is the one your preparation earns, and the cleanest way to find it is to plan backward from readiness rather than forward from a booking. The approach that works for most working candidates is to start studying a part before paying for it, buy the registration and book the appointment around week 6 or 7 of a twelve-week plan, once timed practice is going well, and keep the $75 reschedule fee as the safety valve. Paying first and studying second is the easiest way to lose a fee, because the 180-day clock runs while work and life get in the way.
| Week of preparation | What to do | Date check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start the part: read each domain once, then move to timed questions | Nothing bought yet; your program window is the only clock running |
| 6 or 7 | Buy the exam registration in CCMS and book a Pearson VUE appointment for week 12 | Your 180-day window must end well after the booked date |
| 8 | First full mock exam under exam conditions | Below about 68 percent, move the date now, while you are far outside the 48-hour limit |
| 11 | Second full mock, ideally from a different question bank | Below about 72 percent, reschedule at $75, at least 48 hours before the appointment |
| 12 | Light review early in the week; confirm the appointment, the route to the center and your ID | The name on your ID must match your registration exactly |
| Exam day | Sit the exam, arriving at least 30 minutes early | Your official result arrives within three weeks |
The percentages in the table are practical readiness targets for fresh, timed practice questions, not IIA figures; the exam is scored on a scale where 600 passes, and the site’s guide to the CIA passing score explains why no fixed percentage maps to it. The order of the rows is deliberate: you book in week 6 or 7 and take the first full mock in week 8, so the first real test of readiness comes with about four weeks of cheap rescheduling still available.
A few small choices make a measurable difference on the day. Book a morning slot if you think best early, since a long working day before an afternoon exam costs concentration. Check your local public holidays before you pick a date, because centers close on them. Allow for travel time and for the welcome screens, which have their own time limit before the exam starts. And if you plan to take the three parts close together, book them roughly two to three months apart: close enough that exam technique stays fresh, far enough apart to prepare each part properly. The site’s guide to when to take the CIA exam covers the career-stage side of that decision.
Three worked timelines
Dates are easier to plan when you can see them strung together. The first timeline follows a candidate with a bachelor’s degree from approval to the third part. It uses Thursday appointments and assumes about twelve weeks of study per part, which suits a full-time worker putting in eight to ten hours a week.
| Step | Date | What it triggers |
|---|---|---|
| Application approved | Mon 2 Nov 2026 | The three-year program window runs to Fri 2 Nov 2029 |
| Part 1 registration bought | Mon 9 Nov 2026 | 180-day window to Sat 8 May 2027 |
| Part 1 sat | Thu 28 Jan 2027 | Official result by Thu 18 Feb 2027 |
| Part 2 registration bought | Mon 22 Feb 2027 | 180-day window to Sat 21 Aug 2027 |
| Part 2 sat | Thu 29 Apr 2027 | Official result by Thu 20 May 2027 |
| Part 3 registration bought | Mon 24 May 2027 | 180-day window to Sat 20 Nov 2027 |
| Part 3 sat | Thu 5 Aug 2027 | Official result by Thu 26 Aug 2027 |
| Experience complete (24 months for a bachelor’s degree) | Any date before Fri 2 Nov 2029 | Certification audit of 7 to 10 business days, then the CIA is awarded |
This candidate bought Part 1 a week after approval, which works because they had already started studying; a candidate starting from scratch would do better to buy in mid-December and keep the same exam date. The timeline also shows how much slack the three-year window really has. The exams finish in under ten months, which leaves more than two years for the experience requirement and for a retake or two.
The second and third timelines show the two situations that most often go wrong: a failed part, and a registration that is about to lapse.
| Situation | Key date | What the rules allow | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 2 failed, sat Thu 29 Apr 2027 | Earliest retake: Sat 29 May 2027 (30 days later) | A new registration and fee; up to 8 attempts per part in the program window | Re-sit about eight weeks later, for example Thu 24 Jun 2027, after working through the score report |
| Part 3 bought Mon 1 Mar 2027, busy season delays study | Window ends Sat 28 Aug 2027 | One 75-day extension for $100, to Thu 11 Nov 2027, if the program has not expired first | Buy the extension before the window closes rather than forfeiting the fee |
| Program ends Fri 2 Nov 2029, one part still to pass | Any registration bought now ends at program expiry, not after 180 days | One 12-month program extension for $275 | Buy the program extension while the program is still active |
The retake row reflects the protocol in the site’s plan for a failed CIA part: the 30-day minimum is a rule, not a recommendation, and candidates who re-sit on day 31 with the same preparation tend to repeat the result.
When results arrive, and what they show
Since 1 April 2026 for the IAP, the three CIA parts and the CRMA, and since 1 September 2026 for the Challenge Exam, The IIA no longer shows an unofficial score at the end of the exam. Instead it issues one official result within three weeks of your exam date, after quality assurance and security checks. The IIA’s stated reason is integrity: a delay gives it time to investigate irregularities before a result is released, which is common practice in professional testing and removes the old risk of a preliminary result that differed from the official one.
You will receive an email when your CCMS record updates. CCMS itself shows only pass or fail. For the score report, log in to CCMS, choose “Access Pearson VUE,” then “View Score Report.” What the report contains depends on the outcome, and this surprises many candidates: if you pass, you receive a pass notice without a numeric score; if you fail, the report gives your scaled score and the syllabus domains where you need to improve. The handbook also warns that if The IIA decides a result needs further analysis, the record can be delayed and the analysis “may take 4 to 6 weeks,” with notice by email.
| Event | Timing | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Exam ends | Exam day | No score is shown at the test center |
| Official result released | Within three weeks of the exam date | Email notice; pass or fail in CCMS |
| Score report | When the result is released | CCMS, then “Access Pearson VUE,” then “View Score Report” |
| Result held for further analysis | Up to 4 to 6 weeks | Email notice from The IIA |
| Certification awarded (after all requirements are met) | 7 to 10 business days of audit | An email confirming certification; an optional digital badge where available |
Two planning consequences follow. First, you cannot use a pass on one part to decide the next morning whether to keep a booking for the next part, so leave at least three weeks between a sitting and any deadline that depends on its result. Second, if you plan to sit a second part soon after the first, book it on the assumption that you passed, and treat a fail as a reason to reschedule at $75 rather than as a reason to have waited.
Retake dates and limits
The retake rules are short. You must wait at least 30 days after your last attempt on a part before you sit it again. You can take each part up to eight times within your program eligibility window. Every retake needs a new registration and the full exam fee again: $310 for Part 1 and $280 for Parts 2 and 3 for IIA members, and $445 or $415 for non-members. A part you have passed cannot be retaken unless your program expires and you start over.
The 30-day minimum is not the right planning interval. The most recent pass rates The IIA published are 44 percent for Part 1, 48 percent for Part 2 and 56 percent for Part 3, so a fail is a normal event that a plan should absorb rather than a disaster. The candidates who pass on the second attempt are the ones who use the score report’s domain feedback to change what they do, and that takes six to eight weeks of fresh, timed practice, not four. The site’s guide to how hard the CIA exam is lays out the most common reasons candidates fail and the protocol for a retake.
| Retake rule | Detail | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting period | At least 30 days after your last attempt on that part | Treat 30 days as a floor; plan six to eight weeks |
| Attempt limit | Up to 8 attempts per part within the program window | Rarely binding; the program window binds first |
| Fee | Full exam fee again, with a new registration | Budget for one retake in your plan; it is the base case for about half of sitters |
| New authorization window | 180 days from the new purchase, capped at program expiry | Buy the retake when your new practice scores clear the gate |
| Passed parts | Cannot be retaken while the program is active | Your passes are safe until the program window ends |
Dates after you pass
Passing the third part is not the last date. Once you have also met the experience requirement and submitted proof of it, The IIA runs a certification audit that takes seven to ten business days, after which The IIA emails you to confirm the certification; an optional digital badge is offered in most regions. If your experience is still incomplete when you pass, you have until the end of your three-year program window to finish it.
From the day you are certified, the renewal calendar takes over. The first reporting period runs from your certification date to 31 December of the following year, which gives a new CIA more than a year for the first cycle. After that, every year is a calendar year: practicing CIAs earn 40 CPE hours, including two hours of ethics, and complete the annual renewal in CCMS, which opens on 1 October and must be completed by 31 December. Holders who miss 31 December move to Grace Period (Inactive) status on 1 January and may no longer call themselves certified until they renew; a holder who stays in grace for more than 24 months has the certification revoked. Renewal costs $30 for IIA members and $120 for non-members, and it is included in membership for North American members with active designations. Since 2026, IAP holders also renew every year, with 20 CPE hours.
The site’s CIA CPE requirements guide covers the hours and caps in detail, how to maintain your CIA covers status, grace and the way back, and the year-end renewal checklist walks through the CCMS steps. The two ethics hours trip people up more than any other requirement, and the site’s CIA ethics CPE guide lists where to earn them.
Challenge Exam dates
The Challenge Exam is the one part of the CIA family that runs on fixed windows. It is a single multiple-choice exam that replaces the three parts for qualified credential holders, and it can be taken only in the February, June, September and November testing windows. After you buy an exam registration, you have 180 days to register, schedule and sit it, and The IIA’s pricing page states that there are no program or exam extensions for the Challenge Exam, which makes the window choice more important than for the three-part route.
Eligibility is the other date-sensitive part. The IIA lists CPA and CA holders from accounting bodies on its approved list, and active CISA holders, as eligible groups, and the Challenge program runs on a three-year eligibility period, inside which any retake must fall. A pilot route for professionals with ten years of experience took applications earlier in 2026, and The IIA’s CIA page now shows that route as “currently closed.” The Challenge Exam application costs $150 for members and $380 for non-members, and the exam costs $845 or $1,245. Since 1 September 2026, its results also arrive within three weeks rather than at the test center. The site’s Challenge Exam guide covers eligibility by credential and how to prepare.
| Challenge Exam rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Testing windows | February, June, September and November |
| Time to sit after purchase | 180 days to register, schedule and sit |
| Extensions | None for the program or the exam |
| Results | Within three weeks of the exam date, since 1 September 2026 |
| Fees (member / non-member) | Application $150 / $380; exam $845 / $1,245 |
| Ten-years-experience route | Shown by The IIA as currently closed |
Dates by language and region
The CIA is offered in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Turkish, and in Vietnamese since 28 August 2026. Languages did not all move to the 2025 syllabus on the same day as English, and two of them are still moving. That matters if you are studying from 2025-syllabus materials and booking a non-English exam, because the version of the exam you sit depends on the date.
| Language | Syllabus and dates as of October 2026 | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| English | 2025 syllabus since 28 May 2025 | Nothing; every English exam is on the 2025 syllabus |
| Arabic | 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026; 2025 syllabus from 28 December 2026 | Which syllabus your booked date falls under |
| Simplified Chinese (mainland China only) | 2019 syllabus until the transition “during the December test window” | The exact window dates with your local institute |
| Vietnamese | Registration open since 28 August 2026 | The syllabus version shown at registration |
| Other languages | On the 2025 syllabus after transitions during 2025 and early 2026 | The syllabus version shown at registration |
Candidates in the People’s Republic of China follow one extra rule in the handbook: changes to an appointment are due no later than 48 hours before the opening of the test window in which the appointment is confirmed. In some other countries, exams are administered through national institutes, and The IIA notes that pricing may differ there. The 2025 syllabus guide on this site explains what changed in each part, which is worth reading before you choose the language and date for a part that is still in transition.
Common date mistakes
Almost every lost fee in the CIA program traces back to a date, and almost all of them are avoidable. The table lists the mistakes candidates make most often, what each one costs, and the habit that prevents it.
| Mistake | What it costs | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Buying a part on approval day, then starting to study | The 180-day clock runs during the slow start; a lapsed registration forfeits the fee | Start studying first; buy when your first readiness signal appears |
| Reading “three years” as three years to pass the exams | The experience requirement must also be met inside the window | Track experience in parallel and plan the exams to finish in year one or two |
| Booking a retake for day 31 | A second fee spent on the same preparation | Use the score report and plan six to eight weeks |
| Expecting a result at the test center | Days spent assuming the worst and replanning unnecessarily | Expect an email within three weeks; book the next part assuming a pass |
| Trying to move an appointment the day before | Inside 48 hours the appointment can no longer be changed | Make the go or no-go decision at the week-8 and week-11 mock exams, not the night before |
| Letting a registration lapse in busy season | A forfeited fee | Buy the one-time 75-day extension, for $100, before the window ends |
| Booking a part near the end of the program | A shortened authorization window, capped at program expiry | Buy the one-time 12-month program extension while the program is still active |
| A name on the ID that does not match the registration | Being turned away and losing the appointment | Check the names in CCMS against your ID when you book |
| Forgetting 31 December once certified | Grace Period (Inactive) status from 1 January | Renew in October or November, when CCMS opens |
Most of those fixes come down to one habit: treat every purchase in CCMS as the start of a clock, and write the end date in your calendar the moment you pay. The common CIA exam mistakes guide covers the study and exam-day errors that sit alongside these date errors.
Frequently asked questions
When are the CIA exam dates for 2027?
There are none for the three CIA parts. They are offered year-round at Pearson VUE test centers, and you choose your own date inside your 180-day authorization window. The only fixed CIA dates are the Challenge Exam windows in February, June, September and November, the language transitions described above, and the renewal deadline of 31 December.
Can I take the CIA exam on any day?
On any day your chosen Pearson VUE center has a seat. Availability varies by city and by center, and centers close on local public holidays. You book through CCMS or Pearson VUE customer service, never directly with a test center, and walk-ins are not accepted.
How long do I have to finish the CIA?
Three years from the date The IIA approves your application, to pass all three parts and complete the experience requirement. You can extend the program once, by 12 months, for $275. The IAP and CRMA programs run for two years.
How long is a CIA exam registration valid?
180 days from the date you pay, or until your program expiration date if that comes first. You can buy one 75-day extension for $100, but it cannot run past program expiration. If the registration lapses, the fee is forfeited and you register and pay again.
How soon can I retake a CIA part I failed?
After at least 30 days from your last attempt on that part. You can attempt each part up to eight times within your program window, and each retake needs a new registration and the full fee.
How long do CIA exam results take?
Within three weeks of your exam date, since The IIA introduced delayed scoring on 1 April 2026. You receive an email when your record updates. If The IIA needs to analyze a result further, it can take four to six weeks, and you are told by email.
Do I see my score when I pass?
No. Passing candidates receive a pass notice without a numeric score. Failing candidates receive their scaled score and the syllabus domains where they need to improve. The CIA passing score guide explains how the 250-to-750 scale works.
When is the CIA renewal deadline?
31 December every year. The renewal window in CCMS opens on 1 October. New CIAs get a longer first period, running from the certification date to 31 December of the following year.
Related guides
- The CIA exam, explained: requirements, the three parts, every fee, scoring and a directory of every CIA guide on this site
- CIA exam passing score: how the 250-to-750 scale and the 600 cut score work
- How to study for the CIA exam: the evidence-based method, part by part
- CIA exam requirements: education, experience and documents
- CIA exam cost in 2026: every fee, including extensions and retakes
- When to take the CIA exam: timing by career stage and part order
- CIA exam day at a Pearson VUE test center: what to expect on the day
- How hard is the CIA exam?: pass rates and the most common reasons candidates fail
- Failed a CIA part?: the evidence-based comeback plan
- The CIA Challenge Exam: the one-exam route for qualified credential holders
- The 2025 CIA exam syllabus: what changed in every part
- CIA CPE requirements: hours, ethics and renewal
- The CIA study planner: a free day-by-day plan with every IIA deadline dated
- Free CIA practice questions: an interactive bank across all three parts
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