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ISACA · Governance, Risk & Privacy · Professional

ISACA CDPSE exam guide

Exam CDPSE

CDPSE validates the technical side of privacy: building privacy by design into systems, managing data across its life cycle and engineering privacy controls. Privacy engineering is the largest domain at 39%. It complements legal-focused privacy credentials such as CIPP.

Questions120
Time limit210 minutes
Passing score450 (200-800 scale)
Exam fee$760 USD
Valid for3 years
DeliveryPSI test center or remote proctored

Format: Multiple choice. Fee note: $575 for ISACA members; $50 application fee after passing.

Who it's for

Privacy engineers, data architects, security engineers and developers who implement privacy controls in systems.

What the exam covers

Privacy Governance20%
Privacy Risk Management and Compliance18%
Data Life Cycle Management23%
Privacy Engineering39%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: Experience in the CDPSE domains is required when applying for certification after passing (ISACA allows qualifying certifications to reduce it). You have 5 years after passing to apply; check ISACA's current requirement article for exact years and waivers.

Recommended: Hands-on work implementing privacy and data protection controls.

Keeping it active

Annual and 3-year CPE cycle: earn at least 20 CPE hours each year and 120 hours every 3 years, and pay ISACA's annual maintenance fee (lower for members).

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Privacy by design and default
  • Privacy risk and impact assessments
  • Data inventory, classification and retention
  • De-identification, anonymization and encryption
  • Privacy-enhancing technologies
  • Privacy requirements in development and vendor management

Job roles

Privacy EngineerData Protection EngineerData ArchitectPrivacy AnalystSecurity EngineerPrivacy Program Manager

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. Week 1: Privacy governance: principles, laws (GDPR, CCPA), roles and policies.
  2. Week 2: Risk management and compliance: PIAs, DPIAs, vendor assessments.
  3. Week 3: Data life cycle management: inventory, classification, retention, destruction.
  4. Week 4-5: Privacy engineering (39%): PETs, encryption, anonymization, secure development, monitoring.
  5. Week 6: ISACA practice questions and timed exams.

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

  • Privacy engineering is 39%; know specific technical controls and when to use each.
  • Know the difference between anonymization and pseudonymization.
  • Questions are law-neutral; apply principles rather than memorizing statutes.
  • Data life cycle questions often test retention and minimization.
  • Use ISACA's question database for wording style.

Key terms for this exam

All 54 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

How much does CDPSE cost?

$575 for ISACA members and $760 for non-members, plus a $50 application fee.

CDPSE vs CIPT?

Both are technical privacy credentials. CIPT is IAPP's; CDPSE is ISACA's, with an experience requirement and stronger engineering focus.

How many questions are on CDPSE?

120 multiple choice questions.

How do I maintain CDPSE?

Follow ISACA's CPE policy: annual and 3-year CPE hours plus the maintenance fee.

Is CDPSE worth it?

It is useful for engineers and architects who implement privacy, especially in GDPR- or AI-heavy environments.

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