About the ISA CAP Exam (2024 Content Outline)

About the ISA CAP Exam

The Certified Automation Professional (CAP) credential from the International Society of Automation (ISA) recognizes professionals who are responsible for the direction, definition, design, development and application, deployment, documentation and support of systems, software and equipment used in control systems, manufacturing information systems, systems integration and operational consulting. ISA states that the exam assesses whether a candidate has the knowledge and skills needed in the first three years of post-certified work. The facts below come from ISA's CAP, CAP Body of Knowledge, CAP Requirements, Certification Testing, Exam Procedures, Certification FAQ and Recertification pages, checked in October 2026. ISA can change fees and windows, so confirm them on isa.org before you apply.

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Exam Format at a Glance

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The Six Domains of the 2024 CAP Content Outline

ISA built the current exam from the 2024 CAP Content Outline. Survey ratings of importance, frequency and criticality were weighted equally and converted into the domain percentages and item counts below.

Each domain is divided into tasks, and each task lists the knowledge and skills it requires—44 tasks in all. Technical knowledge appears across domains: instrument selection, networks, safety systems and HMI design are listed under System Design, but the same knowledge is needed to develop, deploy and maintain the system.

How This Guide Maps to the Outline

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Eligibility

• Four-year technical degree (engineering, chemistry, physics, math or another technical field, from an accredited institution): at least 5 years of automation work, documented as 7,500 hours during the 5 years before the application date.
• Two-year degree or no degree: at least 10 years of automation work (15,000 hours during the 10 years before the application date). An associate degree in automation or a related technology counts as 2 years. These candidates also submit two references showing at least 2 years in a position of responsible charge, with at least one signed by a current or former supervisor.
• CAP Associate credit: passing the CAP Associate certificate exam counts as 1 year (1,500 hours) toward either total.
• One year of work equals 1,500 hours, and work and education periods may not overlap.
• There is no application form. Paying the exam fee confirms that the candidate meets the criteria, will abide by the ISA Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy, and accepts a random audit; audited candidates must submit documents within 60 days.

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Fees and Exam Windows

ISA runs three exam windows a year. As of October 2026, the next application deadlines are 15 January 2027 (window 1 March 2027 to 29 February 2028), 15 May 2027 (window 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028) and 15 September 2027 (window 1 November 2027 to 31 October 2028). The exam invitation (notice to schedule) arrives from Meazure Learning 15 days before the window begins, and the exam can be scheduled online or at a test center from that email. The CAP review course (EC00 and its virtual, online and self-paced versions) does not include the exam fee.

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Recertification

CAP certification must be renewed every three years. Renewal requires 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) earned over the three years from at least three of the six continuing professional development categories; work in automation earns one PDP per 16 hours, up to 35 PDPs a year. The renewal fee is US$270 (member) or US$340 (non-member) by PDPs, or US$336 or US$420 by exam. Renewal can be paid up to 120 days before expiry, and a certification that is not renewed within four months after expiry lapses, after which the candidate must reapply and retest.

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Standards, References and How to Use This Guide

ISA recommends familiarity with ISA, IEEE, NFPA, NEC, NEMA, IEC, OSHA, FEMA, FDA and API standards and regulations, and notes that the validation study was done in the United States, so questions may refer to US standards and codes. ISA's own preparation materials include A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge and the CAP Study Guide, which contains 75 review questions with references.

Plan study time by weight: System Design and Operation and Maintenance together account for 74 of the 175 items. Practice the calculations that recur in this guide—payback and NPV, LOPA and PFD, valve Cv, intrinsic safety entity parameters, heat load, OEE and availability—until you can do them quickly with a basic calculator. In scenario questions several options can look workable, so practice explaining why the best option is better than each of the others.