CMBB

The exam has 110 multiple choice items, of which 100 are scored and 10 are unscored, plus a performance-based assessment using situation-specific materials you must evaluate and respond to. It measures comprehension of the MBB Body of Knowledge and is offered in English. Total appointment time is five and a half hours, with 5 hours and 20 minutes of exam time.

No. ASQ states the Master Black Belt exam is not eligible for online, remote-proctored delivery and is not eligible for Paper-Based Testing. It is delivered only through computer-based testing at Prometric test centers, and examinations are conducted twice a year, in July and November. Schedule your appointment within the testing window you chose when you applied.

You must hold a current ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) certification and pass the MBB portfolio review. Within the portfolio you need at least 5 years of experience in the role of a SSBB or MBB, or completion of 10 Six Sigma Black Belt projects. Green Belt level work is not considered.

Portfolio review typically takes anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks. After ASQ completes the review you receive an approval notification by email with further application instructions, or a message explaining what additional information is needed. Then, 1 to 2 business days after approval, you receive an eligibility email with instructions for scheduling with Prometric.

If you do not pass the computer-based exam, you receive a summary of your performance by email within 3 to 5 business days of your initial exam. For 2 years from your previous attempt you can apply at a significantly reduced retake rate. If you pass, you get your result immediately after submitting, with email confirmation within 3 to 5 business days.

Start with the MBB Body of Knowledge, whose subtext tells you what content may be tested and the maximum cognitive level for each topic. Then work through ASQ's published reference list, which provides the basis for exam questions. Build practice around the three portfolio areas - teaching, coaching, mentoring; occupational experience; and technical innovation - since the exam tests the MBB role, not just tools.

Two failure modes stand out. First, treating the portfolio as paperwork: the independent MBB panel judges the quality and appropriateness of your evidence and applies minimum scoring requirements to each of the three key performance indicators, so weak evidence in one area can block you. Second, arriving late or unprepared for the open-book rules - hand-stapled or unbound notes are prohibited.

All ASQ exams are open book, but reference materials and notes must be permanently bound by stitching or glue, or fastened in covers by ring binders, spiral binders, plastic snap binders, brads, or screw posts. Hand-stapled documents, unbound notes, blank writing tablets, and slide or wheel charts are prohibited. A basic scientific calculator is on-screen, and non-programmable hand-held calculators are allowed.

Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment for check-in; if you are late you will not be allowed to test and will forfeit your exam fee. To change your appointment, do so at least five days prior through Prometric's Reschedule/Cancel option or automated voice response system. There is a $130 fee for changing an appointment.

ASQ publishes an application deadline of June 8, 2026 for one testing window and October 12, 2026 for another. Because deadlines and windows are set per cycle, confirm the current dates on ASQ's MBB page before you plan your portfolio submission, since review itself typically takes 2 to 3 weeks.