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IAPP · Governance, Risk & Privacy · Professional

IAPP CIPP/US exam guide

Exam CIPP/US

CIPP/US proves knowledge of U.S. privacy law and regulation: federal sector laws such as HIPAA, GLBA, COPPA and FCRA, FTC enforcement, state comprehensive privacy laws, workplace privacy and government access to data. With more than a dozen state privacy laws in force in 2026, it is the standard credential for U.S. privacy professionals.

Questions90
Time limit150 minutes
Passing score300 (100-500 scaled score)
Exam fee$550 USD
Valid for2 years
DeliveryPearson VUE test center or OnVUE online proctored

Format: Multiple choice, including scenario-based questions. Fee note: Same price for members and non-members; certification maintenance fee required to activate and every two years (included in IAPP membership).

Who it's for

Privacy analysts, attorneys, compliance officers and data protection staff handling U.S. personal data.

What the exam covers

Introduction to the U.S. Privacy Environment—
Limits on Private-Sector Collection and Use of Data—
Government and Court Access to Private-Sector Information—
Workplace Privacy—
State Privacy Laws—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None.

Recommended: IAPP training or self-study with the official textbook; legal or compliance exposure helps.

Keeping it active

Two-year cycle: 20 CPE credits and the certification maintenance fee ($250 for non-members; included in IAPP membership).

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Applying federal sector privacy laws
  • Understanding FTC privacy enforcement
  • Comparing state comprehensive privacy laws
  • Workplace monitoring and employee data rules
  • Data breach notification requirements
  • Government access and e-discovery rules

Job roles

Privacy AnalystPrivacy CounselChief Privacy OfficerCompliance ManagerData Protection OfficerPrivacy Program Manager

Where it fits in your path

Take before

No prerequisite certification needed.

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IAPP CIPP/US

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Read the CIPP/US Body of Knowledge and the U.S. privacy environment chapters.
  2. Week 2-3: Sector laws (HIPAA, GLBA, FCRA, COPPA, CAN-SPAM, TCPA) with a comparison table.
  3. Week 4: State laws, breach notification and workplace privacy.
  4. Week 5: Government access and litigation topics.
  5. Week 6: Official practice exam and timed mocks, then book.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Build a one-page table of each federal law's scope, regulator and key requirements.
  • State law questions focus on common elements (consumer rights, thresholds); do not memorise every statute.
  • Scenario questions are long; read the question stem first.
  • Use the 15-minute break to reset; 90 questions in 2.5 hours is tight for slow readers.

Key terms for this exam

All 37 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

How much does CIPP/US cost?

$550, plus a maintenance fee every two years for non-members.

Is CIPP/US hard?

It is memorisation-heavy; most candidates study 30-50 hours.

Do I need a law degree?

No.

How do I renew?

20 CPEs and the maintenance fee every two years.

CIPP/US vs CIPM?

CIPP/US covers the law; CIPM covers running a privacy program. Many hold both.

Official page: iapp.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.