2026 ACS Certification Exams
Dates, Deadlines, and Fees for 2026 ACS Certification
Read below for dates, deadlines, and fees on the the 2026 ACS Certified Cheese Professional® Exam and the ACS Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator T.A.S.T.E Test®.
All 2026 Dates and Deadlines
IMPORTANT DEADLINES FOR THE ACS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
- January 6: Application period open for ACS CCP® Exam and CCSE T.A.S.T.E. Test®.
- February 10: Large Group Cohort Application Deadline
- March 31: Application period closes / Deadline to apply to take the 2026 ACS CCP® Exam and the 2026 T.A.S.T.E Test®.
- May 1:
- Exam fee payment due to secure seat without penalty (Late payments will incur a $100 Late Exam Fee Payment Fee)
- Deadline for deferral without penalty. (Late deferrals will incur a $100 Late Deferral Fee.)
- May 15:
- Final Deadline for Exam Fee Payment (includes $100 late payment fee)
- Final Deadline for Deferral (includes $100 late deferral fee)
- Deadline to switch from Virtual to In-person (and vice versa) CCP ®Exam
Applications will not be reviewed without an accompanying application payment. The Member rate ($500) for the Exam fee is available only to ACS members in good standing. If you wish to apply for ACS membership, please allow sufficient time for processing. Payment can be made by VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Debit Card or check. No other form of payment can be accepted. Application fees are non-refundable.
Exam Fees
ACS CCP® EXAM FEES
ACS Members:
Application Processing Fee: $35.00
Exam Fee: $500.00
Non-Members:
Application Processing Fee: $35.00
Exam Fee: $650.00
T.A.S.T.E. TEST® FEES
ACS Members:
Application Processing Fee: $35.00
Exam Fee: $500.00
Non-Members:
Application Processing Fee: $35.00
Exam Fee: $650.00
CCP and CCSE Payment Schedule
A $35 non-refundable fee is due with the application for the American Cheese Society CCP tests or TASTE test.
Upon an applicants’ acceptance to sit for the test, the exam fee of $500 for ACS members or $650 for non-ACS members is due. The deadline for full payment of the exam fee is May 1. Exam fees will be accepted from May 2 - May 15, 2026, but will include a $100 late payment fee.
Payment received after the deadline will cause applicants to risk losing their seat for the exam. Applicants that have not paid the exam fee will not be allowed to sit for the exam.
The deadline for deferral is May 15. Deferrals past the May 15 deadline will incur an additional fee of $100.
RECERTIFICATION FEE
The fee for recertification is $75.00. This fee is waived for individuals who attended one or more of the last three ACS Annual Conferences. Learn more about recertification.
