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® Exam.
All 2026 Dates and Deadlines
IMPORTANT DEADLINES FOR THE ACS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
- January 20: Application period open for ACS CCP® Exam and ACS CCSE® Exam.
- 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 ACS CCSE® Exam.
- May 1: Deadline for deferral without penalty. (Late deferrals will incur a $100 Late Deferral Fee.)
- May 15:
- 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
*New for 2026: The Application Processing Fee and Exam Fee are combined into one fee that is due upon applying for the Exam. Collecting both fees up front allows ACS to more efficiently administer the program, secure exam services earlier in the process, and reduce delays and follow-up communications for candidates. This change also provides greater clarity around total costs at the outset of the application process.
ACS CCP® EXAM FEES
ACS Members:
Exam Fee (includes non-refundable Application Processing Fee): $535.00
Non-Members:
Exam Fee (includes non-refundable Application Processing Fee): $685.00
ACS CCSE® EXAM FEES
ACS Members:
Exam Fee (includes non-refundable Application Processing Fee): $535.00
Non-Members:
Exam Fee (includes non-refundable Application Processing Fee): $685.00
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.
