CISSP exam cost: the fee, taxes, retakes and the yearly costs after

The exam fee by region

ISC2 sets one standard price per pricing region. Where you sit the exam decides which one you pay.

Prices are ISC2's standard exam registration prices as checked on 28 October 2026. ISC2 says pricing and taxes depend on where you take the exam, and Pearson VUE shows the final amount, including any tax, before you pay.

What candidates in India pay

ISC2 publishes no rupee price. India falls in the Asia-Pacific region, so you pay the US-dollar price: $749, which is about ₹71,200 at ₹95 to the dollar. If 18% GST applies to your booking, the total is about ₹84,000.

Two practical points:

• Tax treatment is shown at booking. Pearson VUE displays the taxes for your test centre before you confirm. Do not rely on a blog's rupee figure, including ours; check the checkout screen.
• Your card's exchange rate matters. Indian cards usually add a foreign-currency markup on dollar payments. A forex card or a card with a low markup can save a few thousand rupees.

For India-specific detail (centres, payment, tax), see CISSP exam cost in India.

Retakes

If you do not pass, you can sit again after a waiting period, up to a yearly limit.

Each attempt is a new booking at the standard price. ISC2 also sells exam bundles with a second attempt (it calls one "Peace of Mind Protection"); compare its price at checkout with the cost of a single booking, and decide based on how ready you are. The retake policy page covers the rules in full.

The cheapest retake is the one you never need. Book when your practice results say you are ready, not when your calendar says so.

After you pass: the yearly costs

One AMF covers every ISC2 credential you hold, so adding a second ISC2 certification later does not double it. Details are on the CPE and maintenance page.

Budgeting your first year

Your total depends on how you prepare. These are the lines to add up; the cost calculator does the arithmetic in your currency.

Self-study with a practice platform

• Exam: $749 plus tax (about ₹84,000 in India if GST applies).
• A study guide and a practice platform. Ours is ₹21,000 in India for 3 months.
• First AMF once certified: $135.

Instructor-led bootcamp

• Exam: as above, unless the bootcamp includes a voucher. Check whether the voucher price is the standard ISC2 price or a bundle.
• Bootcamp fee: varies widely by provider and city; get the full quote in writing, including taxes.
• Practice questions: many bootcamps include some; check how many and whether they are adaptive.

With a retake

• Add a second exam fee and the waiting period from the table above. A retake also costs study time: weeks you could have spent on something else.

Asking your employer to pay

Many organisations fund the CISSP, especially where the role touches audit, risk or a regulator. A short, specific request works better than a general one.

1. Tie it to the role. Name two or three things you will do better: running risk assessments, answering auditor questions, reviewing vendor security.
2. Give the full cost. Exam, preparation and the AMF, with the dates.
3. Show the plan. Your target exam month and the hours you will put in each week. A plan from our study plan tool is a good attachment.
4. Time it with the budget cycle. In India, learning budgets are often set before the financial year starts in April, and appraisal discussions are a natural moment to raise it.
5. Read the bond. Some Indian employers attach a service bond or a clawback clause to certification funding. Know the terms before you sign.

Next steps

• Work out your total with the cost calculator.
• Check you are eligible before you pay, with the experience requirements.
• Measure your readiness in the CAT simulator before booking.