About the CFE Exam

The CFE Exam is a comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate the core knowledge and competencies required of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs).

In addition to meeting educational and professional experience requirements, you must demonstrate your expertise and proficiency in fraud examination by successfully passing all sections of the CFE Exam to earn the CFE credential. This page provides an overview of the exam’s structure, content and testing formats, as well as expectations for exam day.  

Important Update to the CFE Exam:
The CFE Exam is changing on June 2, 2026 to reflect advancements in the knowledge and skills required for today’s fraud examiners. The information on this page reflects the new CFE Exam structure and content. If you plan on taking the exam prior to June 2, 2026, review information on the current format and key differences. 

What Is the CFE Exam?

The CFE Exam is comprised of three sections, each focused on different aspects of fraud examination: Fraud Schemes and Financial Crimes, Fraud Investigations and Legal Issues and Fraud Prevention and Deterrence. It is structured to measure practical skills and knowledge essential for effective fraud prevention, detection, investigation and legal understanding. These areas align with the CFE Exam Content Outline, which provides a detailed blueprint of the content covered in each section.  
 
Each section is a separate timed exam consisting of multiple-choice and True/False questions that test your ability to apply concepts in realistic scenarios and demonstrate your competence as a fraud examiner. The exams must be completed independently, without the use of reference materials or outside assistance. 

 

Content of the CFE Exam

  • Fraud Schemes and Financial Crimes: 2.5 hours/120 questions

    This section explores different types of fraud schemes and financial crimes committed against both organizations and individuals. It addresses how fraud schemes work across various industries, as well as the measures fraud examiners can take to prevent and detect them. This section also includes an overview of basic accounting principles, financial statement fraud and other forms of occupational fraud. 

  • Fraud Investigations and Legal Issues: 2.5 hours/120 questions
    This section focuses on how to conduct a fraud investigation and the necessary legal considerations. Topics include employee rights during investigations, the rules and procedures for collecting evidence, techniques and best practices for gathering and analyzing data, rules for conducting interviews and report writing best practices. In addition, this section provides an overview of how the legal system works in both common law and civil law jurisdictions, how criminal prosecutions and non-criminal actions typically work and rules for providing expert testimony. 
  • Fraud Prevention and Deterrence: 1.5 hours/70 questions

    This section examines why people commit fraud and ways to prevent it. Topics include corporate governance, the role of managers and auditors in combatting fraud, how to conduct a fraud risk assessment, how to manage fraud risk and build an effective fraud prevention program and ethical considerations in fraud examination. 

Ways to Take the CFE Exam

The CFE Exam is available in several formats, giving you flexible, secure options to test when and where it works best for you. Each method is designed to fit your schedule, support different locations and provide a consistent testing experience: 

  • Online with remote proctoring: Take the exams on your own computer from the comfort of your home or another private space via Prometric’s ProProctor platform, with a live proctor supervising each session to ensure exam integrity.  
  • In-person at a Prometric testing center: Computer-based exams are available at Prometric’s extensive network of secure testing centers worldwide, providing convenient locations, professional testing environments and onsite staff. 
  • Attending a CFE Exam Review Course: Attendees of in-person CFE Exam Review Courses delivered directly by the ACFE have the opportunity to take a paper-based exam onsite at the end of each day of the course. This option is not included for virtual courses or those offered through ACFE’s Authorised Training Partners. 
     
 

Exam Timeline and Completion

After your CFE Exam Application has been approved, you can activate your exam eligibility and schedule each exam section at your convenience. The process is straightforward, giving you full control of your exam timeline. Once your eligibility is activated, you will have a 60-day window to schedule and complete all exam sections. This window provides flexibility to pace your preparation and continue studying before and between exam appointments. 
 
Key details related to scheduling and completing your exams include: 

  • Each exam section is a separate appointment that must be scheduled individually. We recommend scheduling about 30 days in advance to secure your preferred testing dates and times. This requires some planning and commitment but ensures you complete all sections within the 60-day window. 
  • Once you schedule an exam appointment, you'll receive a detailed email with instructions for exam day. Rescheduling is available for a small fee. 
  • When your exam day arrives, you can expect: 
    • A short check-in where you must provide proof of identification and undergo security checks (process varies based on testing format) 
    • A tutorial to help familiarize you with the exam delivery platform 
    • Monitoring of your exam appointment by a proctor (note that each exam section must be completed in one sitting) 
    • A detailed score report with your exam results that will be emailed to you within 24 hours

Overall, the process is designed to be clear, flexible and manageable, allowing you to complete the CFE Exam on a schedule that works for you. 

 

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"I cleared all sections in one month and don’t think I could have accomplished it without the structure of the Challenge.” – Dr. Tim Klatte, CFE

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