Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Validate your knowledge and skills with the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation – three little letters that demonstrate you’ve taken the hard road to continue your education. Embrace your continued growth in payroll with a certification that not only proves your dedication to this profession but will also open many doors in your future endeavors.

The Certification Board requires that payroll professionals fulfill ONE of the following criteria before they are eligible to take the Certified Payroll Professional Examination.

CRITERIA 1:
The payroll professional has been practicing for at least a total of three (3) years out of the five (5) years preceding the date of the examination application. 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 a candidate takes the CPP 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 courses within ONE of the following three options offered by PayrollOrg:

Option 1

• Payroll Practice Essentials and
• Intermediate Payroll Concepts and
• Advanced Payroll Concepts and
• Strategic Payroll Practices

Option 2

• Foundations of Payroll Certificate Program and
• The Payroll Administration Certificate Program

Option 3

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Boot Camp®*

*Delivered exclusively by PayrollOrg.

CRITERIA 3:
Before a candidate takes the CPP 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 designation, and has completed within the last 18 months, ALL of the courses within AT LEAST ONE of the following three options offered by PayrollOrg:

Option 1

• Intermediate Payroll Concepts and
• Advanced Payroll Concepts and
• Strategic Payroll Practices

Option 2

• The Payroll Administration Certificate Program

Option 3

• *Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Boot Camp®*

*Delivered exclusively by PayrollOrg.

You do not have to be a PayrollOrg member to apply for or take this exam. As a first step, all candidates must download the CPP Candidate Handbook.

Convince Your Boss
You’re convinced that you should sit for the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) exam, and we really want you to; now it’s time to convince your boss! Customize this letter to convince your boss to support and fund your journey to become certified.

Additional Resources

• My Certification Dashboard
• Complete the CPP Application
• Register/Pay for Exam
• Test from Home
• View the Exam Content Outline
• Download CPP handbook
• Recertification Log
• Directory of Certificants
• Digital Badges

What Others Are Saying

"So many times, we come across things that are difficult to get through in our professional or personal life. I think every time you come across those things, you learn how to manage them. Taking the CPP exam made me dig deep and re-learn how to think about things critically to come to the right answer."

-Cari Breitinger, CPP
Director, HRIS and Payroll
Belfor

CPP Candidate Handbook

The CPP Candidate Handbook contains information necessary to schedule an exam. It also contains information regarding suggested study tools, testing center guidelines, and how to maintain the CPP certification. Failure to follow the policies found in the handbook can result in a denial of the CPP designation.

Download Your Handbook

Share Your Achievement

You have two options to share your achievement – online via digital badge and through hardcopy certificate.

Share your achievement on social media, and as part of your email signature or digital resume!

• Once you have passed the FPC or CPP examination, you will receive an email notification from the Acclaim Platform ([email protected]) with instructions for claiming your digital badge and setting up your account.
• When you successfully recertify, you will receive an email confirming that the recertification has been successfully approved and your date has moved forward. Your digital badge will automatically update.

Please allow 48 hours after passing the exam or recertifying to claim your digital badge.

You may also choose to order a hardcopy certificate through the PayrollOrg store.

Please allow 48 hours after passing the exam to place a certificate order.