Effective September 14, 2019, all FPC and CPP examinations will be based on recently updated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). The KSAs were developed during extensive validation and testing, involving hundreds of payroll professionals, over the past three years.
See charts below for a comparison of the FPC and CPP exam content area percentages, comparing pre- and post-September 14, 2019 exams.
The exam is offered in North America during the following windows:
Fall 2019*
Registration: July 9 - October 11, 2019
Exam: September 14 - October 12, 2019
Spring 2020
Registration: January 14 - April 17, 2020
Exam: March 21 - April 18, 2020
Why Have the Percentages Changed?
Every few years the APA completes a Job Task Analysis (JTA) to validate certification examinations and ensure that the content specifications for the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Examination and the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) Examination are current and relevant to the payroll profession.
Out of the JTA come the new KSAs. The APA’s Education department has been working diligently to align its educational materials with the updated blueprint in order to help future exam candidates prepare for the exams.
Read our full announcement from December 2018 here.
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For information on taking the exams, or to apply for an exam, please review the Candidate Handbook available on the Certification web page.
