CIA Part 3

Part 3 is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam of 100 questions with a time limit of 2 hours (120 minutes). It is delivered at global test centers operated with Pearson VUE, which the IIA describes as offering secure, computer-based testing. Parts 1 and 2 are longer and shorter respectively: Part 1 has 125 questions in 2.5 hours, Part 2 has 100 questions in 2 hours.

No. The IIA states that it does not prescribe the order in which to take the exams and advises candidates to review the syllabi to decide what is appropriate for them. Many candidates sit Part 3 first or in the middle of the sequence, depending on their background and study timeline.

The CIA part 3 exam is $280 USD for members and $415 USD for non-members, a member saving of $135. The IIA warns that pricing will change starting 4 January 2027 and that updated amounts are published separately. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and taxes or National Institute pricing may apply outside the United States, Canada, and select countries.

Exam registrations are valid for 180 days, or until your certification program expiration date, whichever is sooner. If you do not sit for your exam during that registration period, the registration is forfeited. Because Part 3 requires you to register, schedule, and sit within that window, plan your study time around it rather than buying the registration too early.

Testing windows are February, June, September, and November. Once you have purchased an exam registration, you have 180 days to register, schedule, and sit for the exam, so the practical constraint is matching your window to one of those four months within your registration period.

You receive a single, official exam result within three weeks of your exam date. When results become available, The IIA sends a system-generated email notification. Test centers do not hand out pass or fail results at the end of the session, so budget about three weeks before you know the outcome.

You have three years to complete the requirements of the CIA program, counted from the date you are accepted, and all three exam parts must be passed within three years of applying. Candidates who already hold an active Internal Audit Practitioner designation receive a waiver for Part 1 and must pass Parts 2 and 3 within three years.

No. The IIA states that study materials are not included with the CIA application or registration. What is available separately includes the 2025 CIA syllabus, IIA practice questions drawn from retired exam questions with rationales for correct and incorrect answers and a maximum of two attempts per practice examination, and the Becker CIA review course.

The CIA exam is offered in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, and Turkish. Arabic is available for the 2019 syllabus through 27 December 2026 and moves to the 2025 syllabus on 28 December 2026; Simplified Chinese is only available in mainland China. From 28 August 2026 candidates may register in Vietnamese.

The public CIA certification page does not state a retake waiting period or retake fee, so treat any specific number you hear as unverified. The IIA points candidates to the Certification Candidate Handbook, which covers the policies and procedures along the certification journey, for the authoritative rules on scheduling and re-sitting an exam part.