The American Payroll Association (APA) is a professional organization dedicated to the education, training, and ongoing development of payroll workers in the United States. American Payroll Association certification tests help ensure that professionals are equipped to handle payroll processing. Certification sends a clear message to employers that a candidate is skilled and qualified for a payroll processing position.
The APA offers an entry-level certification test for those who are new to the field. This APA exam will challenge you on the fundamentals necessary for professional practice. A little bit of preparation can pay huge dividends thanks to this certification opportunity!
You can register for this American Payroll exam on the official APA website. Once there, you can schedule your exam on the APA certification dashboard. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to register, as slots tend to fill up months in advance. Testing windows are available twice a year, between March and April and again between September and October. That gives you plenty of time to prepare!
Register online Register for the APAThe FPC American Payroll exam features 150 questions for you to answer over the course of three hours. A minimum score of 80 percent is required to pass.
The American Payroll Association CPP exam consists of 190 questions for you to answer over the course of four hours. A minimum score of 80 percent is necessary to pass this challenging test.
Thankfully, you won't have to wait long to learn whether you passed an American Payroll exam. Examinees receive their results immediately after taking their tests. While you won't receive specific scores, you will be notified of which sections were most detrimental to your overall performance.
The APA offers an entry-level certification test for those who are new to the field. This APA exam will challenge you on the fundamentals necessary for professional practice. A little bit of preparation can pay huge dividends thanks to this certification opportunity!
The APA offers an entry-level certification test for those who are new to the field. This APA exam will challenge you on the fundamentals necessary for professional practice. A little bit of preparation can pay huge dividends thanks to this certification opportunity!
This APA exam was designed to challenge experienced payroll professionals on their knowledge of industry best practices. Unlike the FPC test, the CPP exam focuses on higher-level skills like management and payroll systems. It's more rigorous and demands serious preparation. Professionals must meet one of two APA test criteria to take the exam: (1) they must have practiced payroll for at least three out of the previous five years, or (2) they must have practiced payroll for the last 24 months and completed specific APA courses. Earn a passing score and you're sure to impress current and future employers alike!
The American Payroll Association Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) exam was developed to measure the knowledge and skills of payroll professionals with at least three years of experience. The exam features 190 multiple-choice questions for examinees to answer over the span of four hours. Content covered by the exam includes core payroll concepts, compliance research and resources, paycheck calculation, and audits and accounting. To earn a passing score of 300 points or more, you’ll want to take as many practice exams leading up to test day as possible.
Beginning payroll professionals with little to no experience in the field are encouraged to take the American Payroll Association Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) exam to establish a baseline of payroll competency. There are 150 multiple-choice exam questions, which examinees must answer over the course of a three-hour testing period. To earn a passing score, you’ll have to answer at least 80 percent of the questions correctly. Be sure to review core concepts including the paycheck calculation, payroll administration, and auditing to ensure you earn the score you need.
There are many American Payroll Association study strategies to employ in the weeks leading up to your test. It's a good idea to kickstart your exam prep efforts with an American Payroll Association practice test. Your score can indicate how well you'd do on the real thing if it were happening today. Detailed answer explanations help you understand why you got a question wrong, allowing you to craft a study guide that's tailored to any content blind spots. Take another practice test before the real test to see how far you've come since you started studying!
Exam Edge® offers five APA FPC practice exams, each with 125 questions and detailed explanations to help you study. The practice tests cover topics ranging from core concepts to payroll processing, compliance, audits, accounting, and more.
Practice tests have proven to be one of the most effective forms of study. They mimic the exact conditions of exam day, allowing you to practice pacing while you familiarize yourself with the test's content and structure. Exam Edge® offers ten APA CPP practice tests with 125 questions each. You'll receive a detailed score report with guidance on why you missed certain questions, giving you unique insight into the areas where you should focus. If you're eager to earn a passing score on your first attempt on the APA exam, incorporate practice tests into your routine.
Exam Edge® offers APA practice exams for both the FPC and CPP tests. We also have free sample practice tests for new users eager for a leg up on test day. Click here to see why so many Exam Edge® users swear by our resources!