To be eligible to sit for the CPO examination, you must have prior paid work experience in the organizing profession. Paid work experience may include (but is not limited to) on-site organizing, coaching, consulting, training, virtual organizing, interactive workshops and speaking engagements, which, through client collaboration, transfers, teaches or demonstrates organizing skills.

You must be prepared to document a total of 1,000 hours of paid work experience conducted in the five (5) years prior to applying to take the exam. Download sample tracking forms and documentation examples below.

Up to 250 hours of credit towards the required 1,000 hours of paid work experience can be from college credits, organizing-related professional activities, continuing education units (CEUs) related to organizing, prior relevant work experience, and military service.

The BCPO examination consists of 125 multiple choice questions with four (4) choices per question. For a complete list of the content outline please refer to the Exam Content Outline in the BCPO Handbook and the Suggested Resources link at the top of the page.

The BCPO provides special accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. If a disability prevents you from taking the examination under normal conditions, you may request special accommodations.

The CPO examination is offered in English and Spanish.

If English is not your primary language, BCPO recommends (but does not require) that candidates sit for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination prior to sitting for the CPO examination. Your scores on the TOEFL will provide a useful gauge for you to determine whether reading and comprehending English will present problems for you on the CPO examination.

BCPO is charged with the responsibility for safeguarding the integrity of the CPO designation. Part of this responsibility entails ensuring that candidates who apply for the certification examination do, in fact, meet the eligibility requirements; therefore, BCPO is required to audit a certain percentage of all exam candidates. Candidates are randomly selected for audit. In the event of an audit, candidates must be prepared to provide documentation to support their eligibility for the exam. Please see the exam audit policy for more information.

There is no limit to the number of times unsuccessful candidates may take the examination, provided that all the eligibility requirements in effect at the time of application for re-examination have been met. To apply for re-examination, each time the candidates must complete all required application forms and pay the appropriate examination fees.