What CISSP costs: the exam fee, the annual fee and a retake reserve

The exam fee is the first line of the budget, not the last. The cost people forget is the one that arrives every year.

The lines on the bill

ISC2 prices in euros and pounds apply in Europe and the United Kingdom, and tax depends on where you test. Check the price on ISC2's pricing page on the day you buy, not the one in this article.

Three budgets that differ in training, not in fees

• Economy. One study guide, one question bank and self-study.
• Standard. Adds an online course and a package with a second attempt.
• Intensive. Adds an instructor-led boot camp.

The exam and annual fees are the same in every budget. What changes is the training spend, and the training spend should follow your gaps. Someone whose work already covers most domains may need only the economy budget.

Ways to spend less without lowering your chances

• Ask your employer to sponsor the exam and the first annual fee. Many do for senior roles.
• Use your own work as the study cases. They cost nothing.
• Join a local ISC2 chapter or study group for free discussion.
• Book only when practice results are stable, not when a discount appears.

The booking path

1. Create your ISC2 account with your name exactly as on your government ID.
2. Buy the CISSP exam, alone or with a package that includes a second attempt.
3. Schedule through Pearson VUE at an authorised test centre, in your chosen language.
4. Choose a date at the end of your plan, within the period your purchase allows.
5. Save the confirmation and set reminders for a week, a day and an hour before.

The exam is offered in Chinese, English, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Retakes: plan for the wait

After an unsuccessful attempt ISC2 requires a waiting period before the next one, and it caps the number of attempts in a year. The exact figures are in ISC2's current retake policy, and third-party sites quote different numbers, so read the policy on the day you book.

What does not change is the lesson. A narrow miss cannot be fixed next week. Your leave from work, your employer's expectations and your plan all have to move by at least a few weeks. A retake reserve therefore belongs in both time and money, from the first day.

The fee that comes every year

Once certified, the annual maintenance fee falls due each year on your membership anniversary. A late payment can put the credential at risk. Put the date in your calendar the week you pass.

Do the sums on one page

Write your own total: exam or package, study materials, course if any, a reserve and the first annual fee. If the number is higher than your employer will sponsor, move to a cheaper route before you pay anything.