- CCBCO requires two separate exams: Lending Compliance (150 questions, 3 hours) and Deposit & Marketing Compliance (50 questions, 60 minutes).
- Combined, that's 200 questions and 4 hours across two sittings - not one four-hour exam.
- Passing threshold is 70% on each required exam.
- October 2026 tuition runs $2,999 (member) to $4,799 (non-banker), plus a $500 exam fee.
CCBCO at a Glance
The Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CCBCO) credential is issued through the Independent Community Bankers of America's ICBA Education and Certification Board, delivered via the ICBA's own online portal rather than a third-party testing network. If you're new to the credential entirely, start with What Is CCBCO? or CCBCO Meaning before diving into this cheat sheet - this page assumes you already know the basics and just need the hard numbers in one place.
This is a one-page reference, not a tutorial. For a slower walkthrough of how to prepare, see the full CCBCO Study Guide 2026. For the question of whether the credential is worth pursuing at all, see Is the CCBCO Certification Worth It?
The Two Required Exams
CCBCO candidates must pass two expressly named certification examinations - not curriculum headings, not inferred domains. These are:
- Lending Compliance exam: 150 questions, 3-hour time limit
- Deposit & Marketing Compliance exam: 50 questions, 60-minute time limit
Added together, that's 200 questions and 4 hours of total testing time - but these are two separate examinations, administered as two separate sittings, not one combined four-hour exam. The exact scored-versus-unscored item split and the precise question format have not been publicly verified, so don't assume every item counts toward your score or that all items are standard multiple choice. Both exams are closed book with no outside resources permitted, and each exam must be completed uninterrupted once started.
Key Takeaway
Because the two exams can be taken in separate sittings, you can schedule your Lending Compliance attempt and your Deposit & Marketing Compliance attempt on different days - useful if you want to concentrate your final review on one subject area at a time.
For a deeper look at how difficult candidates actually find these two exams, read How Hard Is the CCBCO Exam? And because no credential-specific pass rate has been publicly disclosed by ICBA, treat any pass-rate figure you see elsewhere with skepticism - our own analysis of what's actually known is in CCBCO Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Domain Breakdown: What's Actually Tested
The two content areas map directly to the two exams:
Domain 1: Lending Compliance
This is the larger of the two exams by question count - 150 of the combined 200 items come from this domain. Candidates should expect coverage tied to the lending-side compliance obligations community banks face.
- Core lending compliance regulations and disclosure obligations
- Application of compliance rules to real lending scenarios at community banks
- Material drawn from the October 2026 institute curriculum, not a separately numbered exam blueprint
Domain 2: Deposit & Marketing Compliance
This exam is shorter - 50 questions in 60 minutes - but still requires focused preparation since it's a standalone pass/fail exam in its own right.
- Deposit account compliance rules and disclosure requirements
- Marketing compliance considerations specific to community bank advertising and promotion
- Same closed-book, no-outside-resources format as the lending exam
For a full walkthrough of both content areas with sample topics and study angles, see CCBCO Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 2 Content Areas.
Fees, Registration & Deadlines
CCBCO is bundled with required institute attendance, not offered as a standalone exam registration. For the October 2026 cycle, published tuition is tiered by membership status, with one listed certification exam fee layered on top:
| Candidate Type | Institute Tuition | Exam Fee | Calculated Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICBA Member | $2,999 | $500 | $3,499 |
| Non-Member | $3,899 | $500 | $4,399 |
| Non-Banker | $4,799 | $500 | $5,299 |
These totals exclude travel costs. For a complete pricing breakdown and discussion of what drives the tier differences, read CCBCO Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Eligibility itself is lighter than many compliance credentials: candidates need basic compliance knowledge, completion of a required pre-institute Compliance Management System course, and full institute attendance with assignments completed. There is no published universal degree requirement, no fixed work-year minimum, and no formal reference-letter requirement. Full detail is in CCBCO Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Passing Score & Format Rules
Both exams require a 70% passing threshold to earn the credential. Keep these format rules in mind on exam day:
- Closed book - no notes, references, or outside materials permitted during either exam
- Each exam must be completed in one uninterrupted sitting once started
- Separate sittings are allowed between the two different exams
- Calculator availability, adaptive testing logic, and live-proctoring setup are not publicly verified - confirm these details with ICBA before test day rather than assuming
A credential-specific pass rate has not been publicly disclosed by ICBA. A broader "greater than 95%" figure sometimes associated with ICBA programs generally is not a verified CCBCO-specific pass rate, so don't rely on it when gauging your own odds. For the full picture of the passing-score mechanics, visit CCBCO Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Keeping the Credential Active
Earning CCBCO is not a one-time event - maintaining "active" status requires ongoing commitment:
- 30 relevant CPE credits every two years
- At least half of those CPE hours must be live (not self-paced or recorded)
- $150 annual fee to remain in active status
- No double-counting credits across reporting periods
Key Takeaway
Budget the $150 annual fee and plan your CPE calendar early - since half your CPE must be live, you can't satisfy the requirement with on-demand webinars alone.
A Compressed Prep Calendar
Given the 75/25 item-count split between the two exams, your study time should roughly mirror that imbalance - more hours on Lending Compliance, fewer but still focused hours on Deposit & Marketing Compliance.
Lending Compliance Foundations
- Work through core lending compliance regulations from the October 2026 institute curriculum
- Build a scenario-based practice habit since the exam applies rules to real lending situations
Lending Compliance Deepening
- Run timed practice sets to get comfortable with the 150-question, 3-hour format
- Target weak areas identified during Week 1 review
Deposit & Marketing Compliance
- Shift fully to deposit account and marketing compliance topics
- Practice under the tighter 50-question, 60-minute time pressure, since this exam leaves less room for second-guessing
Full Review & Logistics
- Take full-length timed practice runs for both exams
- Confirm your exam deadline directly with ICBA given the noon/5 p.m. discrepancy
- Finalize whether you'll sit both exams the same day or in separate sittings
Use our CCBCO practice tests to simulate both the 150-question Lending Compliance format and the shorter 50-question Deposit & Marketing Compliance format under realistic time pressure. Running both formats separately, the way the real exams are administered, builds the right pacing instincts for each.
Where CCBCO Fits Your Career
Because CCBCO is issued through ICBA specifically for community bank compliance roles, it tends to carry the most direct recognition among community bank employers rather than large national institutions. If you're weighing the credential against career plans, the CCBCO Salary Guide 2026 and CCBCO Jobs pages cover earnings context and hiring patterns in more depth. For a refresher on job-title terminology, What Is A CCBCO? and What Does CCBCO Stand For? are useful quick references. And if you want the full certification process spelled out from end to end, see CCBCO Certification or What Is CCBCO Certification?.
If formal institute-based training appeals to you beyond self-study, CCBCO Training covers what the required pre-institute Compliance Management System course and full institute attendance actually involve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two separate exams: Lending Compliance (150 questions, 3 hours) and Deposit & Marketing Compliance (50 questions, 60 minutes). The combined 200 questions and 4 hours are totals across both, not a single sitting.
A 70% passing threshold applies to each required exam. A credential-specific pass rate has not been publicly disclosed by ICBA.
October 2026 institute tuition is $2,999 for ICBA members, $3,899 for non-members, and $4,799 for non-bankers, plus a $500 certification exam fee - calculated totals of $3,499/$4,399/$5,299 before travel expenses.
Both exams are closed book with no outside resources allowed. Calculator availability specifically has not been publicly verified, so confirm with ICBA ahead of your exam date.
Maintaining active status requires 30 relevant CPE credits every two years, with at least half completed live, plus a $150 annual fee. Credits cannot be double-counted across reporting periods.