SHRM-CP · exam facts · checked Oct 26, 2026
SHRM exam dates, and the rules around them
The next SHRM exam window runs Dec 1, 2026 – Feb 15, 2027, and the standard application deadline is Dec 24, 2026. The SHRM-CP is not offered year-round: there are 2 windows a year, you apply for one window, and you must test inside it. This page collects the dates, the test-day rules, scoring and the retake policy from the 2026 handbook and SHRM’s exam pages.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- 2 windows a yeartesting schedule
- Prometric center onlywhere you test
- 200 (scaled)passing score
- 68% (May–Jul 2025)latest pass rate
All SHRM-CP exam facts
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you can test | Two windows a year; the next runs December 1, 2026 to February 15, 2027 (apply by December 24, 2026)SHRM's fee page shows "Opens Jan 4, 2027" under 2027 Test Window 1, most likely the start of its application period; the window's testing dates are not posted yet. | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) · SHRM: certification (testing windows) · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [1][2][3] | |
| Application processing | An Authorization to Test letter by email within 10 business days; longer if the application is selected for an eligibility audit | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Application audits | SHRM randomly audits applications in each window; an audited applicant has 10 business days to send proof, and SHRM does not contact employers; not complying forfeits all fees | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) [1] | |
| Where you test | In person at a Prometric test center only; no remote testing | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [1][3] | |
| Languages | English; Arabic and Korean forms at Prometric centers only, for residents of listed Arabic-speaking countries and South Korea (English on written request) | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) [1] | |
| Questions on the exam | 134 questions (110 scored + 24 unscored field-test items) | SHRM: SHRM-CP certification page · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3][4] | |
| Unscored questions | 24 unscored field-test items, mixed in and not marked | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Question types | 80 knowledge items and 54 situational judgment items (SJI); by weight, 40% SJI, 10% foundational knowledge of the behavioral competencies and 50% HR knowledge | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [1][3] | |
| Testing time | 3 hours 40 minutes of testingTwo 110-minute sections in a 4-hour appointment; one optional 15-minute break, and the clock keeps running. | SHRM: SHRM-CP certification page · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3][4] | |
| Breaks | No scheduled break; one optional 15-minute break, and the exam clock keeps running | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [1][3] | |
| Late arrival | Arriving more than 30 minutes late counts as a no-show, and all exam fees are lost | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 200Scores run from 120 to 200 and every passing candidate receives 200; the cut is set by the modified Angoff method. | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Score scale | 120–200 scaled score | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Results | A preliminary pass/did-not-pass decision at the test center; final results in your SHRM certification portal about 2–3 weeks later | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Retake | No retake in the same window; apply again as a new candidate in a later window and pay the full fee (no limit on attempts) | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Retake insurance | Not offered; a retake is a new application in a later window at the full fee | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) · SHRM: certification (testing windows) [2][3] | |
| Switching exams | One change between SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP per application, requested at least 20 business days before the exam; the handbook’s fee table lists no charge for it | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Reschedule | $45 paid to Prometric 30+ days before the appointment, $60 at 5–29 days; under 5 days you cannot reschedule and lose all fees | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3] | |
| Eligibility | No degree, HR title or HR experience requiredSHRM recommends a basic working knowledge of HR. | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) · SHRM: eligibility criteria [3][5] | |
| Recertification credits | 60 professional development credits (PDCs) in 3 years, or retake the exam in the last 12 months of the cycle | SHRM: recertification · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [3][6] | |
| Recertification cycle | 3 years from the day you pass, ending on the last day of your birth month; then a 60-day grace period with a late fee, after which the credential is revoked | SHRM: recertification [6] |
Testing windows and deadlines
Each window has two application periods. Applying in the early-bird period costs less; the standard period ends on the deadline, and there is no late application.
- Window 2, 2026 (testing): Dec 1, 2026 – Feb 15, 2027
- Early-bird applications (closed): Jun 3 – Aug 31, 2026
- Standard deadline: Dec 24, 2026
- Window 1, 2026 (for reference): May 1 – Jul 15, 2026
For 2027, SHRM’s certification page lists the first window as opening Jan 4, 2027, most likely its application period; its testing dates were not posted when we checked. Once you are approved, you book your own appointment with Prometric inside the window.
How long it takes to get SHRM certified
There is no experience clock to wait out, so the calendar sets the pace. After you apply, an Authorization to Test arrives by email within 10 business days; an application picked for a random audit takes longer, because you first send proof of what you claimed. Then you test inside the window and wait a few weeks for the final score.
Applying on the Dec 24, 2026 deadline and testing near the end of the window puts the final result in early March 2027 (our arithmetic from the published dates). Study time is on top, and it is the part you control.
Test day at Prometric
The exam runs 3 h 40 min of testing inside a longer appointment, in two sections that are timed separately; unused minutes in one do not carry over to the other. There is no scheduled break, only one optional break that runs on the exam clock (its length is in the table), so take it between sections if you take it at all.
Arrive early. Coming more than 30 minutes late counts as a no-show, and the fee is gone. The exam is in English, with Arabic and Korean forms only for residents of listed countries. Of the 134 items, 24 are field-test questions that do not count, and you cannot tell which.
Passing score and results
The pass mark is 200 (scaled) on a 120–200 scale, set by the modified Angoff method. Because every passing candidate gets the same top score, the number says nothing about the margin, and there is no published percentage of correct answers.
You see a preliminary pass or did-not-pass decision before leaving the test center; the final result follows in your certification portal two to three weeks later.
Pass rate
SHRM publishes a global pass rate after each window; the latest SHRM-CP figure is 68% (May–Jul 2025). The senior exam’s rates, and what the gap says about difficulty, are on the SHRM-SCP pass rate page.
If you do not pass
There is no retest inside the same window. You reapply for a later one as a new candidate and pay again, with no cap on attempts, and no retake insurance is sold. In practice that means months between attempts, so book your first attempt early enough in a window to leave room for a reschedule.
If you realize before test day that you applied for the wrong level, you can switch between the CP and SCP exams (once per application, with a deadline before test day that is in the table above). Transfer, reschedule and results-review charges are on the cost page.
Eligibility
Eligibility requirement: None. The handbook checks no degree, HR title or years of HR work and recommends a basic working knowledge of HR. You also do not need to be employed or to hold SHRM membership (2026 handbook, eligibility section). The senior exam is different: see SHRM-SCP exam facts.
After you pass: recertification
The cycle is 3 years, counted from the day you pass and ending on the last day of your birth month. You keep the credential with 60 PDCs or by retesting late in the cycle, and the fee is $165–$210 as of Oct 2026. How PDCs compare with HRCI recertification credits: HR recertification.
Practice for your window on your phone
SHRM-CP: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
More on the SHRM-CP
- SHRM-CP What the SHRM Certified Professional exam is, who it suits, and the 2026 facts
- SHRM-CP practice test A mixed SHRM-CP quiz across all six BASK areas, every option explained
- SHRM-CP cost SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP fees, member math, discounts, avoidable charges
- SHRM-CP BASK The 2026 SHRM BASK: competencies, functional areas, what changed
- SHRM-CP study guide Free sources first, study by score weight, the SJI method, where paid prep fits
Sources
- SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: certification (testing windows) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: SHRM-CP certification page shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: eligibility criteria shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: recertification shrm.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
SHRM exam dates, quick answers
When is the next SHRM exam window?
Dec 1, 2026 – Feb 15, 2027. Standard applications close Dec 24, 2026.
What happens if I am late for the SHRM exam?
More than 30 minutes late counts as a no-show: you lose the appointment and the fees, and you reapply for a later window.
How long is the SHRM exam?
3 h 40 min of testing, in two separately timed sections; the full test-day schedule is above.
When do I get my SHRM exam results?
A preliminary decision on the day, at the test center, and the final result later in your certification portal; timing is under passing score and results.