ICA TBML Specialist Cert
ICA Specialist Certificate in Trade Based Money Laundering
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Cheat sheet
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ExploreKey terms
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ExploreStudy plan
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ExploreCommon mistakes
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ExploreCase studies
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ExploreExam-day guide
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ExploreAbout this exam
The ICA Specialist Certificate in Trade Based Money Laundering is a professional qualification offered by the International Compliance Association (ICA), an organisation whose qualifications span subject areas including Anti Money Laundering, Financial Crime Prevention and Customer Due Diligence/KYC. This specialist certificate is aimed at compliance, trade finance, banking operations and financial crime prevention professionals who need to recognise and mitigate the money-laundering risks inherent in trade transactions, documentary credits and cross-border goods flows. Because the awarding body's own programme page could not be retrieved at the time of writing, verified details of the assessment format, duration, pass mark, fee and validity period are not stated here and should be confirmed directly with ICA before you book. Preparation typically combines structured study of trade finance mechanics, TBML typologies and red flags, AML frameworks and CDD/KYC obligations with practice on scenario-based questions, since specialist certificates of this kind assess applied judgement rather than recall alone. Candidates should build a study plan that covers all four subject domains evenly, work through worked trade-document examples, and test themselves under timed conditions. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official source of information about ICA or its examinations.
What you'll study
About ICA TBML Specialist Cert preparation
What does the exam actually test?
Expect coverage across four areas: Trade Based Money Laundering (typologies, red flags, trade document mechanics), Anti Money Laundering (frameworks, obligations, suspicious activity reporting), Financial Crime Prevention (broader financial crime risk and controls) and Customer Due Diligence/KYC. Questions tend to be applied scenarios rather than pure definitions, so practise linking a red flag to the right control.
How long is the exam and how many questions are there?
We cannot state this with confidence: the awarding body's programme page was unavailable when this page was compiled, so question count and duration are unverified. Check ICA's current qualification page or your booking confirmation before planning your timing. As a study habit, practise at roughly one minute per question so you build pace regardless of the final format.
What is the pass mark and what happens if I fail?
The pass mark and retake policy are not confirmed on this page and should be verified with ICA directly. Do not rely on figures quoted in forums or older brochures, as these change. Before booking, confirm the pass threshold, the number of permitted resits, any resit fee and any deadline for rebooking, and factor that into your study timeline.
How difficult is it, and how much study time should I allow?
Specialist certificates assume some prior exposure to AML or trade finance, so candidates without that background need more preparation. A realistic approach is several weeks of part-time study: read the material domain by domain, then spend the final third of your time on scenario practice and reviewing your wrong answers. Difficulty feels highest where trade documentation mechanics are unfamiliar.
In what order should I study the four domains?
Start with Anti Money Laundering fundamentals, then Customer Due Diligence/KYC, because TBML red flags only make sense once you understand customer risk and expected behaviour. Move to trade finance mechanics and TBML typologies next, then finish with Financial Crime Prevention to consolidate controls, governance and reporting. Revisit weaker domains in the final week.
Where do candidates most often lose marks?
Common failure modes are memorising typology lists without understanding the underlying trade flow, confusing a red flag with the control that addresses it, and misreading scenario questions that ask for the next or best action rather than a definition. Another frequent error is ignoring dual-use goods, valuation manipulation and free-trade-zone risks in favour of price-only examples.
Is this page an official ICA resource?
No. This is independent study material produced by a third-party platform. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the International Compliance Association, and it does not reproduce any official question bank. Always treat ICA's own qualification page and your enrolment confirmation as the authoritative source for format, fees, dates and policies.
How should I use practice questions effectively?
Answer without notes first, then write one line explaining why each wrong option is wrong. That forces you to distinguish similar controls and red flags, which is where marks are won. Rotate domains so you do not over-train on your strongest area, and re-attempt missed questions after a few days to confirm retention.