Certified Protection Professional
Security management at its broadest.
ASIS International's board certification for security management professionals, covering the full range of security responsibilities from principles and business practice to crisis management.
About CPP®
At a glance
- Certification: Certified Protection Professional (CPP®)
- Awarded by: ASIS International
- Exam: multiple choice, 200 + 25 scored + pretest questions, 4 hours
- Passing standard: a scaled score of at least 650
- Recertification: every three years
What the exam covers
- Security Principles and Practices22%
- Business Principles and Practices15%
- Investigations9%
- Personnel Security11%
- Physical Security16%
- Information Security14%
- Crisis Management13%
Is CPP® right for you?
Who should take it
- Security managers and directorsLeading security programs and teams.
- Consultants and advisorsAdvising organizations across the security spectrum.
- Risk and compliance professionalsLinking security to enterprise risk.
- Auditors and investigatorsAssessing controls and resolving incidents.
- Military and law-enforcement officersMoving into corporate or healthcare security.
- Crisis and continuity leadersPreparing organizations to respond and recover.
Benefits
- Recognized credentialA board certification awarded by ASIS International, the professional body for security management.
- Breadth of knowledgeSeven domains give a complete, management-level view of security.
- Career credibilityShows employers and clients that your experience and knowledge have been independently assessed.
- Professional communityCertified professionals join the ASIS community and its learning network.
- Continuing growthRecertification every three years keeps your knowledge current.
Do you qualify?
ASIS sets the requirements. Years of experience needed, by education level:
| Education | Experience needed | If you hold the APP® |
|---|---|---|
| No higher education | 7 years | 6 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or international equivalent | 6 years | 5 years |
| Master’s degree or international equivalent | 5 years | 4 years |
Security experience, with at least 3 years in responsible charge: independent decision-making authority over how a security project or process is run. Supervising others is not required. A role such as patrol officer generally does not qualify. General requirements: full-time security-related employment (current employment is not required; up to one year of relevant internship counts), no felony conviction that would reflect negatively on the profession, and agreement to the ASIS Code of Professional Responsibility. Source: ASIS Certification Handbook, updated 4 August 2026.
Five stages to exam readiness
- 1Onboarding & Baseline Assessment
- 2Domain-by-Domain Learning
- 3Consolidation & Overall Assessment
- 4Final Revision & Exam Readiness
- 5Certification & Application Support
Test your knowledge
Ten questions on CPP®, from easy to tough. It scores itself and shows the right answers. Nothing is saved and there is no sign-up.
Frequently asked
Who can sit the CPP® exam?
Candidates who meet the ASIS requirements for education and experience, hold full-time security-related employment (current employment is not required), have no felony conviction that would reflect negatively on the profession, and agree to the ASIS Code of Professional Responsibility. Use the eligibility check above for the experience requirement.
How long does preparation take with Citadel?
Your dedicated LMS access runs 6 months. The five-stage journey is paced to your exam window, with mentor interaction at each stage.
How do I apply to ASIS?
You apply online with ASIS. The application is reviewed, you receive an authorization to test, and you then schedule the exam with the testing provider. Citadel supports you through each step in stage five.
Does Citadel award the certification?
No. CPP® is awarded by ASIS International. Citadel provides independent professional mentoring to help you prepare.
I do not meet the requirements yet. What now?
Use the eligibility check to see how much experience you still need. You can begin structured study while you build experience, and we can talk through a plan.
CPP® is an ASIS International board certification. Citadel Security Consultancy provides independent professional mentoring and does not award the certification.