CPE, annual fees and CISSP renewal
The 120 CPE of the three-year cycle, the annual fee in dollars and the risk of having to sit the exam again: what the community understands.
Passing the exam is only the beginning: the certification is then maintained through continuing education credits and an annual fee, and letting either slip means losing it — and having to sit the exam again. The three articles in this theme answer the practical questions: how the 120 credits are counted, the free CPE sources certified members recommend to one another, and the real cost of maintenance, based on public candidate discussions dated 2023 to 2026. The CPE Handbook published by ISC2 on isc2.org remains the official reference; our methodology explains how these summaries are built.
3 article(s) in this topic
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120 CPE in three years: how CISSP renewal works
120 CPE over three years, the annual minimum dropped in 2022, groups A and B, audits: what the community understands of the ISC2 renewal rules.
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Where to find free CPE for your CISSP
BrightTALK, SANS summits, ISC2 quizzes, podcasts: the free CPE sources the community recommends, with their yield and how long crediting takes.
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ISC2 AMF: what maintaining the CISSP actually costs
125 then 135 dollars a year, an Emeritus status at around 405 dollars, and three accounts of CISSPs who had to sit the exam again after expiry.
More in this stage
- Career and salary What the CISSP changes for a career and a salary, based on three years of reports from certified professionals: doors opened, raises that follow a job change.