Completely free
No account walls, no upsell
Free exam prep for every test — 20,000+ exam pages and 2.4M+ practice questions.
Open free CAMS prep resources ↗Exam facts & prep options
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)
The CAMS examination is the proctored, computer-based certification exam of the ACAMS Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) program: 120 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions (knowledge and scenario-based) drawn from a four-domain blueprint (Understanding the Risks and Methods of Financial Crime 30%; Global AFC Frameworks, Governance, and Regulations 20%; Building an Anti-Financial Crime Compliance Program 30%; Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime 20%) in 3.5 hours, with a passing score of 75 and no penalty for guessing. The exam is delivered by Pearson VUE at test centers worldwide or via online proctoring where offered; candidates must hold active ACAMS membership, meet a 40-credit eligibility requirement, purchase a CAMS certification package (US$2,095 private sector / US$1,595 public sector), and apply before scheduling. The enhanced (next-generation) CAMS program launched July 15, 2025.
Official exam siteJump to prep options ↓
Questions120 multiple-choice and multiple-selection questions (knowledge and scenario-based)
Testing time3.5 hours (no scheduled breaks; additional time not allowed)
ScoringPassing score of 75 (out of 120 questions); no penalty for guessing
Exam feeCAMS certification package (includes the exam, study guide, flashcards, four core courses, two elective courses and exam simulator): USD 2,095 private sector / USD 1,595 public sector (government); with Virtual Classroom bundle USD 2,495 / USD 2,095. ACAMS membership required and purchased separately. Retake fee: USD 299 private sector / USD 199 public sector. Exam extension request: USD 100. Prices subject to local tax
Prep options
Study resources for CAMS
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- ACAMS
- Category
- Audit, Risk & Fraud
- Current version
- Current specification; no public version label ("enhanced" / next-generation CAMS program launched July 15, 2025; current Candidate Handbook publication code VCB26.16)
- Where it applies
- Global
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based and proctored, at a Pearson VUE test center or online; "Plan to arrive/login 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment to allow time for check-in"
- Availability
- Year-round by appointment at Pearson VUE test centers once the candidate's application is approved; the authorization to test is valid six months from application approval (extension requestable for US$100)
- Results
- Pass/fail result received immediately at the conclusion of the test; results not given by telephone, facsimile, or email
- Credential validity
- Certification maintained through recertification every three years: 60 recertification credits per three-year cycle (minimum 12 from ACAMS-provided training) plus active ACAMS membership; recertification fees USD 200 early / USD 250 standard / USD 300 late
- Remote testing
- Varies by jurisdiction
Exam structure
One 120-question computer-based exam with multiple-choice and multiple-select items covering both theoretical knowledge and practical scenario-based problems, built on a four-domain blueprint: A. Understanding the Risks and Methods of Financial Crime (30%); B. Global AFC Frameworks, Governance, and Regulations (20%); C. Building an Anti-Financial Crime Compliance Program (30%); D. Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime (20%). Single sitting, no section breaks
Where rules vary
Worldwide vendor-style certification exam, delivered through Pearson VUE's global network of test centers; not tied to any single country's license. ACAMS press release: professionals certified "in over 200 jurisdictions and territories".
Eligibility
Active ACAMS membership and 40 eligibility credits (education: 10 associate / 20 bachelor's / 30 master's / 40 JD or PhD; work experience: 10 credits per year; training: 1 credit per hour of financial-crime-related training; credits from the CAMS learning path and Virtual Classroom count). Application submitted online and approved before scheduling; ACAMS reserves the right to run a background check
Retake policy
After a first failed attempt, retake after 30 days; after a second, 60 days; after a third or more, 90 days. Each retake requires a new Authorization to Test fee (USD 299 private / USD 199 public) and rescheduling through the test delivery website