HRCI · aPHR · fees as of Oct 2026
aPHR certification cost, fee by fee
The aPHR costs $400 as of Oct 2026: a $300 exam fee and a $100 application fee. Everyone pays the same, all year, with no membership needed. After that, three costs can follow: a retake if you fail, a switch to another HRCI exam, and the renewal every 3 years.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- $400exam + application
- $100application part
- $169renewal fee
- 3 yearsrenewal cycle
Every fee in one table
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam price | $400 ($300 exam fee + $100 application fee) | HRCI: aPHR certification page · HRCI: exam fees [1][2] | |
| Application fee | $100, separate from the exam fee | HRCI: exam fees [2] | |
| Member price | No member price; HRCI charges everyone the same fee | HRCI: exam fees [2] | |
| Early-bird price | No early-bird price; the fee is the same all year | HRCI: exam fees [2] | |
| Membership | No membership needed for the exam price | HRCI: exam fees [2] | |
| Refunds | No refund once the application is approved; if an audit makes the application ineligible, the exam fee is refunded minus the application fee | HRCI: aPHR certification page · HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [1][3] | |
| Switching exams | $100 change fee plus any price difference, allowed only before an exam appointment is scheduled; the original fees are not refunded | HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [3] | |
| Reschedule | Pearson VUE’s nonrefundable fee each time (amount not published by HRCI); reschedule at least 2 business days before a test-center appointment or 1 hour before an online one, or all fees are lost | HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [3] | |
| Moving your test date | No transfer to a later window; one 60-day extension of the 180-day eligibility period, requested before day 170, for a fee HRCI does not publish | HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [3] | |
| Retake | Wait 90 days after a failed attempt, then re-apply and pay all fees again, unless you bought Second Chance Insurance with the application | HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [3] | |
| Retake insurance | Optional and bought only with the online application; nonrefundable; after a failed first attempt you retake a different form of the same exam after the 90-day wait without re-applying or paying againNeither HRCI’s exam fees page nor the handbook prints its price. | HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) · HRCI: exam fees [2][3] | |
| Recertification fee | $169 for one HRCI credential, plus $50 for each additional one (up to $369 for five or more) | HRCI: recertification fees and deadlines · HRCI Recertification Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) [4][5] | |
| Recertification cycle | Every 3 years, ending on the last day of your birth month; after that a 12-month suspended status (extra $100) before the credential expires | HRCI Recertification Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) · HRCI: recertification fees and deadlines [4][5] | |
| Recertification credits | 45 credits in 3 years (1 of them ethics), or retake the exam | HRCI: aPHR certification page · HRCI: ethics recertification requirement [1][6] |
What can cost you more
- Withdrawing. There is no refund once the application is approved. Decide before you apply, not after.
- Failing. A retake means a new application and the full $400 again, unless you bought Second Chance Insurance when you applied. Its price is not printed on the fee pages; the application shows it.
- Moving the appointment. Pearson VUE charges its own fee each time, and a change made too late (under two business days at a center, under an hour online) forfeits everything.
- Running out of time. The 180-day window can be stretched once, by a 60-day extension, for an unpublished fee.
Switching to the PHR after you apply
If your experience catches up while you wait, you can change the application to another exam from the same certifier for a $100 fee plus the price difference, but only before you book an appointment. Once a date is scheduled, the switch is closed.
aPHR first, or straight to the PHR?
If you plan to move up to the PHR once you have the experience, the entry exam is an extra fee on the way. Exam fees only, as of Oct 2026:
Calculation steps
- 1This exam + application, now$400
- 2PHR exam + application, later$495
- =Both exams (our sum)$895
Source: hrci.org: exam fees The PHR needs 1–4 years of HR work first.
Going straight to the PHR saves one fee, but only if you will meet its experience rule soon. Until then the PHR is closed to you. aPHR vs PHR compares the two exams, and whether it is worth it weighs the fee against what the credential gets you.
Keeping it: renewal
Every 3 years, ending in your birth month, you renew with 45 credits or a retake; PHR and SPHR holders need 60 credits. The fee is $169 for one credential as of Oct 2026, and a smaller fee is added for each further credential renewed at the same time. Miss the deadline and a paid suspended year follows before the credential lapses.
Against the SHRM-CP
The other exam on this site open to people without experience, the SHRM-CP, costs $399–$499 at the standard deadline: $399 for a SHRM member, $499 for a nonmember. Its early-bird price was $350 / $450 (closed Aug 31, 2026). Its renewal is $165–$210. All five exams on this site side by side, with a three-year view: HR certification cost.
Make the fee count: practice on your phone
aPHR: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- aPHR Entry-level HRCI exam: no experience needed, five areas, fees and pass rate
- aPHR practice test Questions in the weight of the five functional areas, every option explained
- aPHR exam facts Difficulty for newcomers, test-day rules, the 500 pass mark, retakes, the 2022 change
- aPHR is it worth it Holders, pass rate, cost and salary data, and when the SHRM-CP or the PHR fits better
- aPHR study guide The 2021 outline as a checklist, how to spot outdated books, a study order by weight
Sources
- HRCI: aPHR certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: exam fees hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: recertification fees and deadlines hrci.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
- HRCI Recertification Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) hrci.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
- HRCI: ethics recertification requirement hrci.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
aPHR cost, quick answers
How much does the aPHR exam cost?
$400 as of Oct 2026, application fee included. The price is the same for everyone.
Is there a discount for members or for applying early?
No. There is no member price and no early-bird price for this exam; both rows are in the fee table with their source.
How much does it cost to retake the aPHR?
The full $400 again, after the 90-day wait, unless you bought Second Chance Insurance with your first application.
How much is aPHR recertification?
$169 for one credential, as of Oct 2026, once every 3 years.