Certified Payroll Professional
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Certified Payroll
Professional Information
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Establishing Eligibility
Beginning with the Fall 2003 administration of the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) examination, the APA's Certification Board has expanded the eligibility criteria to recognize the many experienced people who have been working in the payroll industry but have not met the current eligibility requirement.
The criteria have been expanded to include "related experience" in the practice of payroll, which is now defined to include the areas of Payroll Systems and Payroll Taxation. Also, based on your own level of payroll-related experience and management-level work, you may qualify by obtaining additional education under Criteria 2 or 3.
The criteria are expanded as follows:
The Certification Board of the APA requires that payroll professionals fulfill one of the following criteria before they take the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Examination.
CRITERIA 1:
The payroll professional has been practicing a total of three (3) years out of the five (5) years preceding the date of the examination. The practice of payroll is defined as direct or related involvement in at least one of the following:
- Payroll Production, Payroll Reporting, Payroll Accounting,
Payroll Systems and Payroll Taxation - Payroll Administration
- Payroll Education/Consulting
CRITERIA 2:
Before he/she takes the examination, the payroll professional has been employed in the practice of payroll as defined in Criteria 1 for at least the last 24 months, and has completed within the last 24 months, ALL of the following courses offered by the APA:
- Payroll Practice Essentials (3-day course) and
- Intermediate Payroll Concepts (2-day course) and
- Advanced Payroll Concepts (2-day course) and
- Strategic Payroll Practices (2-day course)
OR - Payroll 101: The Standard Foundation of Payroll Administration and
- Payroll 201: The Payroll Administration Course
CRITERIA 3:
Before he/she takes the examination, the payroll professional has been employed in the practice of payroll as defined in Criteria 1, for at least the last 18 months, has obtained the FPC and has completed, within the last 18 months, the following courses offered by the APA:
- Intermediate Payroll Concepts (2-day course) and
- Advanced Payroll Concepts (2-day course) and
- Strategic Payroll Practices (2-day course)
OR - Payroll 201: The Payroll Administration Course
Individuals meeting any one of the three existing criteria are eligible to take the CPP Examination beginning Fall 2003.
Payroll professionals who are currently certified and are applying for recertification through examination or continuing education are exempt from the above requirements. The experience and/or requirements are commensurate with the desired level of expertise for the CPP designation. The Certification Board reserves the right to review an applicant's qualifications and eligibility.
PREPARING FOR THE EXAM
Eligibility criteria should not be considered as the only criteria for preparation for the CPP exam. Candidates for the CPP exam, qualifying through any of the criteria, should be aware that a number of study aids are available as added preparation for the CPP Examination. No one source should be considered the only basis for preparation. Successful candidates indicate that they pursued a three-month minimum course of study and review based on the CPP content outline.
About the Exam
Please note that for the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 certification exams that test questions should be answered based on Federal laws and regulations as of January 1, 2008.
Mid-year changes are NOT reflected on the exams.
CPP Content Outline
CPP Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
Completing the Application
There are three applications for certification, corresponding to Criteria 1, 2, or 3 presented above. Be sure to complete the correct form. For full information on establishing eligibility for the CPP Examination, download the CPP Exam Candidate Handbook, Fall 2008 - Spring 2009.
You may also contact the Certification Department at (210) 226-4600 or email at
certification@americanpayroll.org. By submitting your application, you authorize the APA Certification Board to contact the supervisor who signed the "Verification of Application" section of your application to substantiate your eligibility.
The Board reserves the right to audit applications to verify applicant eligibility.
APA membership is not required.
Fees: Fall 2008 and Spring 2009: $355
As a candidate, you are responsible for the full amount of the examination fee. Once an appointment for an examination has been initiated, you are obligated to pay the full fee. If you cannot test for any reason, or decide not to test, the appointment must be changed or cancelled to avoid having to pay the exam fee for a missed examination.
Candidates are responsible for knowing all regulations regarding fees and examination scheduling as presented in the candidate handbook. There are no exceptions. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
More Information
This information has been extracted from the complete CPP Exam Candidate Handbook, Fall 2008 - Spring 2009. The handbooks are presented as Adobe pdf and can be viewed in the freely available Adobe Reader.
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