PECB Certification FAQs
PECB
Effective 18th Aug 2025, all candidates can Access course slides online from MyPECB Portal by clicking the Access Course Slides icon as shown below.

For courses in which e-learning videos are available, videos can be watches online from MyPECB Portal by clicking the Access pre-recorded videos icon as shown below.

With launch of new PECB Portal, effective 18th Aug 2025, PECB Exam coupon codes are not sent to candidates via email. Candidates can directly login to https://mypecb.com portal and click on Schedule Exam. PECB System will automatically detect your eligibility for have 2 attempts at PECB Exam.

To PECB schedule your online exam, after purchasing Course and PECB Exam bundle from entrename.org please follow the steps below:
- Log in to your PECB account.
- On your Dashboard, you will see a list of all the courses you’ve been enrolled in.
- Under the “Exam” column, click the “+” icon next to the course for which you want to schedule the exam.
- Select a suitable date and time slot from the available options and click “Schedule Now“.
- Read and agree to the exam rules and policies by selecting “I agree to exam rules and policies”, then click “Confirm“.
To apply for PECB Certificate after passing Exam, from MyPECB Portal, you need to click on Apply for PECB Certificate icon as shown below:

Please note that for the open-book exams, you can take any personal notes related to the course.
You can access all the notes that are written inside the course materials from myPECB Dashboard and also the personal notes outside the myPECB Dashboard needs to be hard copy printed since once you join the exam session, you will not be able to switch between any other apps, other than the PECB Exams Application.
There is no limit on what you write or take as long as it is related to the course materials.
To get Attestation of Course Completion, from MyPECB Portal, before or after passing PECB Exam, you need to click on Claim Attestation of Course Completion icon as shown below:

Please refer to page 8 of MyPECB Member Manual, where you’ll find detailed instructions on how to claim your certificate.
In order for you to join the Online Exam session you need to download the new version PECB Exams Application on your computer/laptop.
You can download the application using the following link: PECB Exams – PECB
How can I check my computer and network to make sure, I meet the PECB Exams Technical Requirements
If you are planning to take PECB Exam, SMATICA recommends you to take the PECB Exam from you home computer and wifi network, without firewalls.
If you are using a work device, please contact your IT team so they can ensure your device meets all the necessary technical requirements. You can find them in the link below: PECB Exams Technical Requirements
For more information and further steps, please visit the link below with the manual on how to join the PECB Exams Application PECB-online-examinee-manual.pdf
If the issue is not resolved, please try the following steps, which may help in some rare cases:
- Disable HDR
Go to Settings > System > Display.
Scroll to “Windows HD Color settings” and turn off “Play HDR games and apps.”
- Check App Permissions:
Go to Settings > Privacy > App permissions.
Ensure the app has permission for screen recording or other relevant permissions.
If these steps do not resolve the issue, please try restarting your device. If the problem persists, we recommend using a different computer.
Yes, all candidate courses assigned via KATE prior to Aug 18 2025, will be transferred to https://mypecb.com Portal
Please note, with immediate effect, PECB Training course materials cannot be downloaded as PDF files from the new MyPECB Dashboard. They are accessible exclusively as slides through the MyPECB platform. This decision has been made to protect PECB’s intellectual property and ensure the integrity of the training content.
The primary aim of PECB Lead Implementer training courses is to equip consultants, advisors, and managers with the competence necessary to lead or contribute in the establishment, implementation, management, maintenance, and continual improvement of a management system which is based on an ISO management system standard.
A Lead Implementer training course is based on the Integrated Implementation Methodology for Management Systems and Standards (IMS2), a methodology developed by PECB which provides a high-level roadmap for initiating, executing, and closing a management system implementation project. Apart from this, our Lead Implementer training courses also comprise guidelines and good practices of other disciplines, such as project management.
A PECB Lead Auditor training course, on the other hand, is aimed at professionals wishing to develop the competences necessary to plan, conduct, and close conformity assessment audits of management systems (e.g., determining whether the quality management system is complying with the requirements of ISO 9001).
All PECB Lead Auditor training courses incorporate ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements, ISO 19011 guidelines, and other good practices of auditing into a comprehensive methodology — Accepted Audit Methodology for Management Systems and Standards (AMS2) — which aims to guide an auditor through all stages of a conformity assessment.
As such, a PECB Lead Implementer focuses on the implementation aspect of a management system, whereas a PECB Lead Auditor focuses on assessing whether a management system has been implemented and is being operated, maintained, and continually improved in accordance with the requirements of a particular management system standard.
A person may be both a Lead Implementer and a Lead Auditor at the same time. However, in order to avoid the risk of impartiality, they are usually not allowed to audit an organization to which they have recently provided consultancy services (e.g., guidance or instructions on the implementation or operation of the management system).
PECB (legal name “PECB Group Inc.”) is a certification body which provides education and certification under ISO/IEC 17024 for individuals on a wide range of disciplines. We help professionals and organizations show commitment and competence by providing them with valuable education, evaluation, and certification against internationally recognized standards. Our mission is to provide our clients with services that inspire trust, demonstrate competence, and benefit the society as a whole. Our key objectives are: Establishing the minimum requirements necessary to certify professionals Reviewing and verifying the qualifications of candidates to ensure they are eligible to apply for the certification evaluation Developing and maintaining reliable, valid, and current certification evaluations Granting certificates to qualified candidates, maintaining records, and publishing a directory of the holders of valid certificates Establishing requirements for the periodic renewal of PECB certificates and ensuring compliance with those requirements Ascertaining that our clients meet ethical standards and adhere to the PECB Code of Ethics Representing its members, where appropriate, in matters of common interest Promoting the benefits of certification to organizations, employers, public officials, practitioners in related fields, and the public
Currently rescheduling does require payment of any extra fees, if change is at least 48 hours before the exam start time apart from the initial payment made by candidate for self study or e-learning or live online PECB Courses, during enrolment of PECB Course via entrename.org
Please note candidates enrolled for PECB Courses via SMATICA get free Take2, however 2 attempts at PECB Exam will have to be completed with 1 year from date of enrolment.
Please follow below procedure.
To reschedule a scheduled exam, please ask the candidate to first cancel the existing exam by following these steps:
- Log into your PECB account.
- Go to My Exams.
- Select My Scheduled Exam Events.
- Find the exam you wish to cancel and click Cancel.
After cancellation, the candidate can follow the usual procedure to schedule a new exam session
Availability of PECB Exam Dates can be checked form https://pecb.com/en/eventExamList/schedule
Please note that rescheduling is free, provided you request and make the change at least 48 hours before the exam start time.
Step by Step Guide, on how to create your account on PECB.com
Step 1: Click on URL https://pecb.com/en/user/checkEmail
Then, enter your email address on Registration window.

Step 2: Click on Check Email Address
Upon entering the email, in Registration window and Click of Check Email Address, an OTP will be sent to your mailbox. Check spam / junk folder, if you don’t find the OTP.

Step 3: Enter the OTP you have received in your mailbox, on the new window asking the OTP and click Confirm.

Step 4: Complete your registration, filling the details on Student Account Creation Page of PECB.


We recommend you read the PECB Terms, Conditions and Polices, before you click the Submit.
Once you have created the account, Please, email to hello@smatica.com informing them, that your account is created on PECB.
SMATICA will assign you PECB course materials, if your Payment for PECB Training and Exam, is completed with SMATICA. All Student Enrollment and PECB Examination FAQs can be found at https://entrename.org/faqs/
There are two PECB exam types:
- Multiple choice closed-book where candidates are not allowed to use anything but the exam paper and a pen. Usually, Foundation and Transition exams are of this type.[1]
- Essay type open-book where candidates are allowed to use the following reference materials:
- A copy of the standard
- Training course materials
- Any personal notes made by the candidate during the training course
- A hard copy dictionary
[1] Essay Type exams transitioning to Multiple-Choice exams will be “Open book.
Smoking, or eating is not permitted. However, candidates are allowed to consume non-alcoholic drinks during the exam session. Drinks should be contained in such a way as to avoid spilling accidents. In case of a spilling accident, the candidate will be held responsible, and their exam will not be replaced nor will they be granted extra time to finish the exam. If the exam proves to be illegible because of the spilling accident, the candidate will automatically fail the exam.
PECB recommendations before and during the exam:
- Get a good night’s rest the night before the exam.
- Eat a well-balanced meal prior to going to the exam center. Avoid excessive stimulants such as caffeine.
- Plan to arrive at the exam site at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam session.
- Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask the invigilator for clarification if you are not sure about the instructions.
- Periodically check your progress. This will allow you to make any adjustments in time. Pay attention to the time you have left to finish the exam.
For any changes regarding examination date, time, location, or other details, please contact hello@smatica.com.
The duration of PECB exams varies depending on the certification exam taken:
- Foundation exam: 1 hour
- Manager exam: 2 hours
- Lead-exam: 3 hours
If requested on the day of the exam (paper-based exams) additional time can be provided to candidates taking the exam in a non-native language
- Foundation exam: 10 additional minutes
- Manager exams: 20 additional minutes
- Lead-exams: 30 additional minutes
For more details, please visit the Exam Preparation Guide section in the PECB website.
PECB Exams are based on competency domains, specific for each exam, and exam questions are developed to evaluate candidates’ competency by measuring their comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation of these domains.
As an example, the 7 competency domains that are evaluated in the ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer exam are:
- Domain 1: Fundamental information security principles and concepts
- Domain 2: Planning an ISMS based on ISO 27001
- Domain 3: Implementing an ISMS based on ISO 27001
- Domain 4: Information security control best practices, based on ISO 27002
- Domain 5: Performance evaluation, monitoring and measurement of an ISMS based on ISO 27001
- Domain 6: Continuous improvement of an ISMS based on ISO 27001
- Domain 7: Preparing for an ISMS certification audit
To see the competency domains for each exam, please visit the Exam Preparation Guides in the PECB website, and then select an exam.
There is no limit to the number of times that a candidate may retake an exam. However, there are limitations in terms of the time span between exam retakes.
- If a candidate does not pass the exam on the 1st attempt, they must wait 15 days from the initial date of the exam for the next attempt (1st retake). Retake fees apply.
Note: Candidates who have completed the training course but failed the exam are eligible to retake the exam once for free within a 12-month period from the initial date of the exam. - If a candidate does not pass the exam on the 2nd attempt, they must wait three months from the initial date of the exam for the next attempt (2nd retake). Retake fees apply.
- If a candidate does not pass the exam on the 3rd attempt, they must wait six months from the initial date of the exam for the next attempt (3rd retake). Retake fees apply.
- After the 4th attempt, the waiting period for further retake exams is 12 months from the date of the last attempt. Retake fees apply.
For candidates that fail the exam in the 2nd retake, PECB recommends attending a training course in order to be better prepared for the exam.
To arrange exam retakes please visit https://entrename.org/ or email to hello@smatica.com
Exam results will be communicated via email within a period of three to eight weeks from the exam date for essay-type exams, two to four weeks for multiple-choice paper-based exams, and instantly for online multiple-choice exams. The only possible results are pass and fail; no specific grade will be included.
If the deadline has passed and you have not received your results, please contact us by dropping a service ticket.
Essay type exams: If you do not agree with your exam result, you may request a re-evaluation by writing to results@pecb.com within 30 days of receiving the results. Re-evaluation requests received after 30 days will not be processed.
Multiple-choice exams: Currently, the multiple-choice exams cannot be regraded.
Retake an exam: There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can retake an exam. However, there are limitations in terms of the time span between exam retakes.
For more detailed information, see our Examination Rules and Policies.
To arrange exam retakes please visit https://entrename.org/ or email to hello@smatica.com
All participants who successfully pass their certification exam (or an equivalent accepted by PECB) are entitled to apply for the PECB credentials they were examined for. Specific educational and professional requirements may be needed for you to be PECB certified. Candidates will need to fill out the online certification application form (see the online manual from this link), including contact details of references who will be contacted to validate the candidate’s professional experience.
Once PECB has validated that you fulfill all the certification requirements, you will be informed by e-mail of our decision and a copy of electronic certificate in PDF will be uploaded to your PECB user account.
There will be no exact grade/score included in the communication of the results to the candidate, only pass or fail.
After the exam session is completed, the Examination team processes the exams assigns them for grading to the examiners, and once the grading stage is finalized, the exam results are released to the candidate.
Exam results will be communicated via email within a period of three to eight weeks from the exam date for essay-type exams, two to four weeks for multiple-choice paper-based exams, and instantly for online multiple-choice exams.
The passing score of the PECB exams is 70%.
After you have enrolled to a PECB course, please contact your training provider and ask them to assign the training course material to your PECB user account.
Once the training provider has assigned the course material to your PECB user account, please follow our KATE Manuals, which explain how to access the training course material accordingly.
The second attempt at PECB Exams is free. There is no need to have a new PECB exam coupon for a retake of the exam. The same coupon you have used for 1st attempt on the exam is also good for the second attempt also.
You can find PECB Exam formats from List of PECB Exams – PECB Help Center
PECB Certificate Application can be successfully completed by following the below instructions:
- Login at your PECB account PECB – Login ;
- Click the “My Certifications” tab;
- Click the “Apply for a Certificate” button;
- Choose your certification scheme by marking (tick) to a specific certification that matches your experience;
- Use the coupon code at the end of the application to waive the Certificate application fee.
Please be informed that in order for you to download PECB Attestation of Course Completion, you are required to fill the training evaluation form from your PECB account.
Follow the steps below to do so.
- Login at your PECB account PECB – Login;
- Go to “My Courses” tab;
- Go to the completed course and click the “Training Evaluation” link
- Complete the evaluation form and click “Submit“
- Click the “Download CCC” link;
For more information, use the following link myPECB Dashboard Manuals – PECB Help Center.
High Majority of students clear PECB Exam in 2 attempts and Every student gets 2 attempts at PECB exams, when you enroll with SMATICA. If you failed for 2 times, then you can retake the PECB Exams 3rd attempt after waiting for 3 months. But for 3rd and 4th attempt at PECB Exam, you need to re-enroll with SMATICA by paying the PECB self-study training and examination fee of your course.
For all PECB Exam you can get up to date details from link: https://help.pecb.com/index.php/list-of-pecb-exams/
Free copy of PECB Online Examinee Guide is available for download from
https://help.pecb.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Preparing-for-your-PECB-Online-Exam-Guide.pdf
PECB certified professionals, are required to continually demonstrate competence, broaden knowledge, and consequently renew their certification(s) after 1st year. Initial certificate is issued for 3 years.
Please be informed that PECB Certificates are valid for three years. To maintain a certificate, PECB Professionals are required to demonstrate that they are performing certification related activities on an annual basis. In addition to that, PECB Professionals are required to pay an Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF), $100 from 2nd Year.
More details of PECB Certification Maintenance Policy can be found at https://pecb.com/en/certification-maintenance .
Above rule does not apply to Foundation Level Certificates of PECB, as they don’t have a expiration date.
In order to support our certified professionals earn CPD credits, PECB continually organizes webinar sessions, provides opportunities for writing articles, participating in trainings and events, and more. PECB has Continuing Professional Development – CPD policy, to read more please download https://pecb.com/pdf/brochures/cpd-policy.pdf
Please be informed that in order for you to download Attestation of Course Completion, you are required to fill out the training evaluation form from your PECB account.
Follow the steps below to do so.
• Login at your PECB account https://pecb.com/en/login;
• Go to “My Courses” tab;
• Go to the completed course and click the “Training Evaluation” link
• Complete the evaluation form and click “Submit”
• Click the “Download CCC” link;
For more information, use the following link https://help.pecb.com/index.php/manual/mypecb-dashboard-manual/#3924.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Lead Auditor Multiple-choice exam is an “Open-Book” type of exam with 80 questions that should be answered within 3 hours. Therefore, you are allowed to access the course materials during the examination.
For more information regarding our Exam Rules and Policies, please click here: Exam Rules and Policies | PECB
Employers or Embassies or Consulates can verify, if candidates have genuine PECB – Professional Evaluation and Certification Board, Certificate using link;
https://pecb.com/en/userCertification/certificateVerification
Alternatively, please send an email to certification@pecb.com
Candidates who have passed PECB Exams can now obtain Digital Badges to share on social media profiles.
Digital badges are a powerful online representation that lets you showcase your professional knowledge and skills obtained through your professional development. Digital badges are indicators of your accomplishments, which help you to get the recognition you have earned. They inspire new pathways to learn and lead to new professional opportunities.
PECB has partnered with Credly to offer you the chance of earning a digital badge. The badges can be shared online safely and easily. Make sure that once you get the notification that you have been awarded a digital badge, claim your badge and share it on social media channels or embed it on your CV or business card.
How do PECB digital badges work?
PECB Digital badges contain shareable information about the organization that has issued the badge, the person who earned the badge, criteria for obtaining the badge, issue and expiration date, and achievement evidence. Each digital badge is associated with an image and metadata that provides information about what the badge represents.
How to claim and share your digital badge(s)?
Claiming your Digital Badges from your PECB Account
1. Login in your PECB Account here.
2. Click on Certifications > My Certifications
3. Click the Claim my Badge button. Clicking the link will redirect you to Credly’s website.
a. Upon redirection to Credly’s site, you may be prompted to sign in or register. If already logged in, you can access your Credly account automatically. (This depends on whether your browser is set to save your credentials for webpages).
b. If you are not registered, please provide the required information and click Create Account. Here please input the email associated with your PECB Account.
c. After you create your account, click on the Confirm Your Email button
d. Check your email inbox and follow the instructions there to continue. Sign in with the credentials you created.
e. On Credly’s site, you will see an option to Accept Badge
f. Your badge now displays a Share option
g. You can choose to share your digital badge across multiple platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Email, URL, etc.
Important note: You will have to create a Credly account (if you haven’t already) with the same email address as your PECB Profile in your myPECB Dashboard. Your digital badge will then be available to be accepted and used.
If you already have an account with Credly, please make sure the email address of your PECB profile is added to your Credly account. To do this, please login here, and click on Settings > Account > Email Addresses.
Important note: This feature is ONLY available in the Redesigned Dashboard, which can be accessed through the pop-ups available within the Classic Dashboard.
If a candidate does not have any Professional Experience and is initially awarded PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Provisional Auditor certification, after 2 years of award, can the candidate apply for upgrading the Credential to PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Auditor, at no extra cost, without retaking Exam.
If a candidate has 2 years Professional Experience and is initially awarded PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Auditor certification, after 3 years of award, can the candidate apply for upgrading the Credential to PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor, at no extra cost, and without Exam.
Answer: Yes, a candidate can apply for an upgrade from PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Provisional Auditor to the other credentials without taking the exam. However, they should pay the “Upgrade” fee which is 100$.
Please be informed that to upgrade the certificate, one must follow the steps below:
1. Login to your PECB account (www.pecb.com/en/login);
2. Go to the My Certification tab;
3. Click the Upgrade button;
4. Provide the work experience information, and pay the upgrade fee of 100$.
* Above applies to all types of and all levels of PECB Certfications.
Candidates enrolled in PECB Courses by SMATICA can claim PECB Digital Badges from PECB account, at no extra charge.
How can I verify which version of ISO Standard, I will be getting trained in, for my PECB Courses?
You can verify the version of ISO Standard for your PECB Training and Certification using link https://help.pecb.com/index.php/course-version/
In order to support PECB certified professionals earn CPD credits, PECB continually organizes webinar sessions, provides opportunities for writing articles, participating in trainings and events, and more.
Allowed on PECB Open Book Exams are:
Notes which are handwritten or typed in MS Word / Excel / PowerPoint and printed in hardcopy
Training materials via KATE app
Notes in KATE app
Copy of licensed ISO Standard*
- ISO Standard copy is licensed separately to examination candidates. SMATICA strongly encourages candidates to have licensed copy of ISO standard. For guidance on purchase of discounted ISO Standards, latest version, which you refer in PECB Exam, you can send email to hello@smatica.com
To access the course materials, you need to download the latest version of the KATE Application (available here), or access it through the web-based platform available here: https://kate.pecb.com/
Once you download and install the KATE Application (or enter the webpage) please follow the steps below:
- Log in with your PECB credentials (* specify e-mail);
- Select the course you want to open;
- Click the Link to this Device button;
- Click Yes on the pop-up window.
After completing those steps, you should be able to see the training materials on the left under the Days or Trainings.
Moreover, you may find additional course documents under the View Course Files button and select the file you want to open and click the Download File button on the top right corner.
For more information, you may refer to our KATE Application manual available here.
Yes, Candidates undergoing PECB training in English, may choose to take the PECB exam in their preferred languages, if available.
You can easily check the availability of Exam languages from https://help.pecb.com/index.php/list-of-pecb-exams/
Additionally, candidates can claim an extra 20% of the total exam duration by selecting the ‘non-native speaker’ option in our exam app. These features are designed to better support candidates whose primary language is not English, helping them to succeed in their exams.
After you purchase PECB Course from entrename.org you will be given access by SMATICA Enrolment team to course via PECB KATE App.
Also within 2 to 3 business days after enrolment, you will received PECB Exam coupon code in email directly from PECB, which you will use for booking your PECB Exam, from https://pecb.com/en/eventExamList/schedule using the coupon code.
PECB Coupon code has validity of 12 months from date of purchase, and candidates enrolled by SMATICA.com get free Take2 (Exam re-take) in case of failing the 1st attempt. Both attempts of PECB Exam will have to completed within 1 year.
In rare case of candidates failing both attempts of PECB Exam, 3rd and 4th PECB exam attempts can be purchased from entrename.org
For 3rd and 4th attempt PECB Exam voucher purchase, please email to hello@smatica.com to request an extra discount.
Within 1 year, technically if you are happy with your PECB Exam preparation, you can book PECB Exam, as soon as you receive Coupon code from PECB. SMATICA recommends its students to book PECB Exam 1st attempts at least 90 days, before coupon expiry, so that they have sufficient time to book free PECB Exam retake.
Majority of popular PECB Exam courses mentioned below have exam in Multiple choice format.
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer in English
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor in English
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer in French
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor in French
- ISO/IEC 27001 Foundation in French
- ISO/IEC 27001 Foundation in English
- ISO/IEC 27005 Risk Manager in English
- ISO/IEC 27005 Risk Manager in French
- ISO 22301 Lead Implementer in English
- ISO 22301 Lead Auditor in English
- ISO 22301 Foundation in English
- ISO 31000 Risk Manager in English
- ISO 37001 Lead Implementer in English
- ISO 37001 Lead Auditor in English
- GDPR – Certified Data Protection Officer in French
- GDPR – Certified Data Protection Officer in English
- ISO 9001 Lead Implementer in English
- ISO 9001 Lead Auditor in English
- ISO 9001 Foundation in English
- ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementer in English
- ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Auditor in English
- ISO/IEC 42001 Foundation in English
- ISO 14001 Lead Auditor in English
Majority of PECB Foundation Level Exams have duration of 1 hour, Multiple Choice with 40 questions, Closed Book and Web proctored online.
Majority of PECB Lead Auditor and Lead Implementer Level Exams have duration of 3 hours, Multiple Choice with 80 questions, Open Book and Web proctored online.
To verify candidates can visit: https://help.pecb.com/index.php/list-of-pecb-exams/
1 week of Self Study is recommended for all PECB Foundation Level courses, before booking PECB Exam, using coupon code of PECB Exam provided by entrename.org
2 weeks of Self Study is recommended for all Lead Auditor or Lead Implementer Courses before booking PECB Exam, using coupon code of PECB Exam provided by entrename.org
DIDN’T FIND ANY SOLUTION? EMAIL US hello@smatica.com
