100+ Free CMCA Practice Questions

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Question 1

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Which of the following BEST defines a 'limited common element' in a condominium?

An element used by the public at large

An element entirely inside a unit

An off-site amenity owned by a third party

Common element reserved for the exclusive use of one or more, but fewer than all, unit owners

to track

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CAI PCAM Professional Community Association Manager

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CMCA Exam

120 questions

100 scored + 20 unscored pilot

CAMICB

2.5 hours

Time Limit

CAMICB

$360

2026 Exam Fee

CAMICB

6 domains

Updated Dec 2024 Blueprint

CAMICB

23%

Largest Domain (Governance)

CAMICB

Pearson VUE

Test Provider

CAMICB

CMCA is the entry-level credential to manage HOAs, condominiums, and co-ops. Updated December 2024 content outline weights six domains: Governance and Compliance (23%), Financial Management (20%), Meetings and Events (18%), Risk Management (15%), Property Maintenance (14%), and Contracting (10%). The 2026 exam fee is $360, with 120 questions (100 scored, 20 unscored pilot) administered through Pearson VUE in 2.5 hours. CAMICB certifies the credential; CE and renewal maintain it.

Sample CMCA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CMCA exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the updated CAMICB content outline effective December 2024, which domain carries the highest weighting on the CMCA examination?

A.Risk Management at 15%

B.Governance and Compliance at 23%

C.Financial Management at 20%

D.Property Maintenance at 14%

Explanation: The updated CMCA blueprint allocates 23% to Governance and Compliance, the largest single domain. Financial Management (20%), Meetings and Events (18%), Risk Management (15%), Property Maintenance (14%), and Contracting (10%) round out the six tested areas.

2A condominium board calls a special meeting but neglects to provide the notice period required by the declaration. Which of the following is the MOST LIKELY consequence?

A.The meeting proceeds as scheduled because notice is a formality

B.Actions taken at the meeting may be voidable or invalid

C.The state automatically dissolves the association

D.The manager must personally indemnify the association

Explanation: Failure to follow notice requirements set out in the governing documents and state statute generally makes actions taken at the meeting subject to challenge and potential invalidation. CMCA candidates must know that statutory and document-mandated notice procedures are jurisdictional, not optional.

3Which document establishes the legal existence of a community association as a corporate entity in the state of formation?

A.The declaration

B.The bylaws

C.The articles of incorporation

D.The rules and regulations

Explanation: Articles of incorporation are filed with the state to create the association as a nonprofit corporation. The declaration creates the servitude regime on the land, bylaws govern internal operations, and rules implement bylaw authority.

4In the hierarchy of governing documents for most U.S. community associations, which document controls when a conflict exists between two documents?

A.Rules and regulations control over bylaws

B.Bylaws control over the declaration

C.The declaration controls over the bylaws and rules

D.All documents have equal authority

Explanation: The standard hierarchy is: federal/state law, then the declaration (or master deed), then articles of incorporation, then bylaws, then rules. When documents conflict, the higher-ranking document prevails.

5A reserve study identifies a 30-year roof replacement cycle with a current estimated cost of $480,000. The roof is 10 years old and reserves currently total $80,000. What is the approximate percent funded ratio?

A.About 17%

B.About 33%

C.About 50%

D.About 100%

Explanation: Fully funded balance equals (life-used / total life) x replacement cost = (10/30) x $480,000 = $160,000. Percent funded = actual $80,000 / fully funded $160,000 = 50%. CMCA candidates must compute basic percent-funded ratios from reserve study inputs.

6Under the CMCA financial management domain, what is the PRIMARY purpose of a reserve study?

A.To set the annual operating budget for utilities

B.To identify major repair and replacement obligations and recommend funding

C.To audit the prior year's financial statements

D.To calculate insurance premiums

Explanation: A reserve study identifies the association's major repair and replacement components, projects useful life and replacement cost, and recommends a funding plan so the community avoids special assessments. Operating budgets, audits, and insurance premium calculations are separate exercises.

7Which financial statement reports an association's revenues and expenses for a specified period of time?

A.Balance sheet

B.Statement of revenues and expenses (income statement)

C.Cash flow statement

D.General ledger

Explanation: The statement of revenues and expenses (also called the income statement) summarizes operating results over a defined period (month, quarter, year). The balance sheet is a point-in-time statement; the cash flow statement traces cash movements; the general ledger is the underlying detail.

8An owner has not paid assessments for 90 days. The declaration authorizes the association to record a lien for unpaid assessments. Before recording the lien, which step is generally REQUIRED by state statute and good practice?

A.File a small claims lawsuit

B.Send a statutory notice of intent to lien and an opportunity to cure

C.Suspend the owner's water service

D.Foreclose the property immediately

Explanation: Most state statutes require pre-lien notice giving the owner the amount owed, a cure period, and notice of the consequences. Skipping required notice exposes the lien to procedural challenge. Foreclosure is a later step requiring additional process.

9In community association accounting, what is the distinguishing feature of fund accounting?

A.All revenues and expenses are commingled

B.Operating, reserve, and special purpose funds are tracked separately

C.Cash basis is the only acceptable method

D.Only the auditor maintains fund records

Explanation: Fund accounting segregates operating, reserve, and special funds so each is tracked separately with its own revenues, expenses, and balances. This matches industry practice and the AICPA Audit Guide for Common Interest Realty Associations.

10Which type of insurance policy protects the association's directors and officers from personal liability for decisions made in their governance role?

A.General liability

B.Directors and officers (D&O) liability

C.Fidelity (employee dishonesty) bond

D.Workers' compensation

Explanation: D&O insurance responds to wrongful-act claims arising from decisions made by directors and officers serving the association. General liability covers bodily injury/property damage, fidelity covers theft by insiders, and workers' compensation covers employee injury.

About the CMCA Exam

The CMCA is the foundational, internationally recognized credential for community association managers. The exam tests 120 multiple-choice questions (100 scored + 20 pilot items) across six domains under the updated December 2024 content outline. Administered through Pearson VUE in 2.5 hours, the CMCA is required by many states (Florida, California, Nevada, Virginia, others) and most employers in the community association management industry.

Questions

120 scored questions

Time Limit

2.5 hours

Passing Score

Criterion-referenced cut score (scaled)

Exam Fee

$360 (CAMICB (Community Association Managers International Certification Board))

CMCA Exam Content Outline

23%

Governance and Compliance

Governing document hierarchy, federal/state law (FHA, ADA, ECOA, FCC OTARD), records access, fining hearings, board authority, due process

20%

Financial Management

Budgets, reserve study (FFB, percent funded, cash flow funding), fund accounting, assessment collection and lien process, audit vs review vs compilation

18%

Meetings and Events

Meeting notice, agenda, quorum, voting, proxies, minutes, open vs executive session, electronic voting integrity

15%

Risk Management

Property/GL/D&O/fidelity/umbrella insurance, COI tracking, disaster preparedness, business continuity, OSHA

14%

Property Maintenance

Preventive maintenance, NFPA fire safety inspections, emergency response, transition study, IPM, reserve replacement schedule

10%

Contracting

RFPs, statements of work, vendor approval, lien waivers, COI tracking, management contract terms, subcontracting controls

How to Pass the CMCA Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Criterion-referenced cut score (scaled)
Exam length: 120 questions
Time limit: 2.5 hours
Exam fee: $360

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CMCA Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study to the December 2024 blueprint weights — Governance and Compliance (23%) and Financial Management (20%) together account for nearly half the exam. Allocate study time proportionally.

2Master the governing document hierarchy: federal/state law > declaration > articles > bylaws > rules. When documents conflict, the higher-ranking document prevails. This single concept anchors dozens of exam questions.

3Learn reserve study math cold: fully funded balance (FFB) = (effective age / useful life) x current replacement cost. Percent funded = actual reserves / FFB. These calculations show up directly on the financial section.

4Memorize the Fair Housing Act's seven federally protected classes: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. The CAMICB content outline tests these repeatedly across the governance domain.

5Drill executive-session topics (litigation, personnel, attorney-client privilege, contract negotiations) versus open-session requirements; CAMICB tests the distinction across the meetings domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CMCA exam pass rate?

CAMICB does not publish official pass rates. Industry estimates place the first-time pass rate around 65-75% based on third-party prep providers and community manager surveys. CAMICB uses a criterion-referenced cut score set through psychometric analysis (Modified-Angoff method), so candidates are evaluated against a fixed standard rather than against peer scores.

How much does the CMCA exam cost in 2026?

The 2026 CMCA exam fee is $360, payable to CAMICB upon application. The fee includes one exam attempt. Re-examination requires a separate fee. Most candidates also invest $300-700 in pre-exam training (CAI M-100 course, study guides, third-party prep), bringing total exam preparation costs to $660-$1,060.

What are the six CMCA content domains and their weights?

Under the December 2024 blueprint, the six CMCA domains are: Governance and Compliance (23%), Financial Management (20%), Meetings and Events (18%), Risk Management (15%), Property Maintenance (14%), and Contracting (10%). The Meetings and Events domain expanded from 10% to 18% in the update; the Human Resources domain was eliminated. Study time should be proportional to these weights.

What format is the CMCA exam?

The CMCA exam contains 120 multiple-choice questions — 100 scored items and 20 unscored pilot items — administered through Pearson VUE at testing centers in 2.5 hours. The exam is closed book and is offered worldwide. Candidates have approximately 75 seconds per item on average.

Do I need a prerequisite course to sit for the CMCA?

CAMICB does not strictly require a prerequisite course, but it strongly recommends completion of a community association management training course (most commonly CAI's M-100: The Essentials of Community Association Management, a 2-day course) before taking the exam. Some chapters offer state-specific prep workshops covering the CMCA content outline in detail.

How long should I study for the CMCA?

Plan for 40-80 hours of study over 6-10 weeks for most candidates. New managers without prior community association experience should plan for the upper end (60-80 hours). Experienced managers with strong governance and financial backgrounds may complete preparation in 30-40 hours. Practice questions should consistently score above 80% before scheduling the exam.

How do I maintain the CMCA credential?

CAMICB requires periodic continuing education (currently 16 CEUs every two years per CAMICB's published renewal requirements) and renewal fees. Certificants must adhere to the CAMICB Standards of Professional Conduct. Failure to meet CE or renewal obligations results in credential suspension or revocation. Always check CAMICB's website for the current renewal cycle and CE requirements.