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IIBA · Project Management & Agile · Professional

IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) exam guide

Exam CBAP

The Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) from IIBA is the senior business analysis credential, validating mastery of the BABOK Guide across planning, elicitation, requirements management, strategy and solution evaluation. It is the most widely recognized credential for experienced business analysts.

Questions120
Time limit210 minutes
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam feeSee official page
Valid for3 years
DeliveryOnline remote proctored

Format: Multiple choice; scenario and case-study questions. Fee note: Application fee plus exam fee, with lower IIBA member pricing; check IIBA's fees page for current amounts.

Who it's for

Senior business analysts with 5+ years (7,500 hours) of business analysis work who lead requirements and analysis efforts.

What the exam covers

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring14%
Elicitation and Collaboration12%
Requirements Life Cycle Management15%
Strategy Analysis15%
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition30%
Solution Evaluation14%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: 7,500 hours of business analysis work experience in the last 10 years, with at least 900 hours in each of 4 of the 6 BABOK knowledge areas; 35 hours of professional development in the last 4 years; two references; agreement to the IIBA Code of Ethical Conduct.

Recommended: Leading requirements work across full project lifecycles and multiple stakeholder groups.

Keeping it active

Recertify every 3 years by reporting 60 Continuing Development Units (CDUs) and paying the recertification fee.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Planning the business analysis approach
  • Elicitation and collaboration techniques
  • Requirements modeling and design definition
  • Requirements traceability and change management
  • Strategy and gap analysis
  • Solution performance evaluation

Job roles

Senior Business AnalystLead Business AnalystBusiness ArchitectProduct ManagerRequirements ManagerBA Practice Lead

Where it fits in your path

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

Build my study plan

  1. Weeks 1-2: Document and validate your 7,500 hours by knowledge area; submit the application.
  2. Weeks 3-5: Read BABOK v3 chapters 3-10; build a technique matrix (50 techniques vs tasks).
  3. Weeks 6-8: Deep dive on Requirements Analysis and Design Definition (30%) and Strategy Analysis.
  4. Weeks 9-10: Case-study style practice questions; time each case.
  5. Weeks 11-12: Two full 120-question timed simulations and final review of inputs and outputs.

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

  • About 30% of the exam is Requirements Analysis and Design Definition; know modeling techniques well.
  • Case studies take longer; budget about 1.75 minutes per question overall.
  • Know BABOK inputs, outputs and which task uses each technique.
  • Pick answers that follow BABOK terminology rather than your company's practice.
  • Elicitation questions often test preparation and confirmation steps, not just conducting.

Key terms for this exam

All 50 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

What are the CBAP requirements?

7,500 hours of BA experience in 10 years (900 hours in 4 of 6 knowledge areas), 35 PD hours in 4 years, two references and the Code of Ethical Conduct.

How long is the CBAP exam?

120 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours.

CBAP vs PMI-PBA?

CBAP is IIBA's flagship and better known in pure BA roles; PMI-PBA suits analysts in PMI-centric project organizations.

How do I keep CBAP?

Report 60 CDUs every three years and pay the recertification fee.

Is CBAP worth it?

Yes for senior BA careers; it is frequently listed in senior and lead BA job ads, particularly in finance, insurance and government.

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