How To Prepare Cisco Exams

How to register for an exam?

1.  Decide which exam to take, noting the exam name and number.

2.  Gather personal information prior to exam registration.

• Legal name (from government-issued ID)
• Cisco Certification ID (i.e. CSCO00000001) or Test ID number
• Valid email address

If you have ever taken a Cisco exam before, please locate your Cisco Certification ID (i.e. CSCO00000001) before continuing with your registration to avoid duplicate records and delays in receiving proper credit for your exams.

How do I schedule an exam?

You can usually schedule an exam up to two weeks in advance and as late as the same day.

• Candidates who fail an exam must wait a period of 5 calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before they may retest for the same exam.
• Candidates who fail any CCIE or CCDE written exam must wait for a period of 15 calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before retaking the same exam.

What are the exams like?

Exams are proctored, timed, and delivered in a secure environment. Most exams last approximately one to two hours. Lab exams typically last eight hours. Lab exams are Pass/Fail and results are available online (using login) within 48 hours.

Pearson VUE

• Candidates must acknowledge the Cisco Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement online at the authorized testing center prior to taking any Cisco Certification exam. Candidates who do not agree will not be able to proceed with the exam and a refund will not be provided. Signing this legal agreement is required.
• An Exam Tutorial is available to demonstrate the various question formats.
• Candidates will be provided with an erasable note board and marker for notes and calculations to assist them as they answer the questions.
• At the completion of the testing session, candidates will receive a score report that includes a score breakout by exam section and the passing score for the given exam.

What happens after I pass the certification exam?

• Every written proctored exam passed, except CCT and CCNA exams, equals a Specialist certification.
• Within 24 hours of passing your certifying exam, you will receive an email advising you on the next steps. You must complete the steps to trigger the fulfillment process.
• The Cisco Certification Tracking System records exam and certification status. Keep your contact information up to date to receive notifications about your certification.

After you have certified, you will be authorized to use the logo associated with the specific certification you have achieved. Before using a logo, you must read and acknowledge the Cisco Certifications Logo Agreement. The logo will be available for download in your profile within the Certifications Tracking System.