
Bookkeeping certifications validate advanced skills in financial reporting, payroll management, and taxation. These optional credentials can build your credibility and help you qualify for higher-paying jobs.
Bookkeepers often pursue certified professional bookkeeper (CPB) or certified bookkeeper (CB) credentials. The National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB) offers the CPB certification program, and the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) administers CB certification.
CPB and CB certifications overlap in some ways but differ in others, requiring you to consider the merits of each option. Use the information below to help guide your research.
Popular Online Accounting Bachelor's Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Why Pursue a Bookkeeping Certification?
-
New Job Opportunities
Earning a bookkeeping certification may increase job opportunities by helping candidates stand out to employers. Certification may also allow bookkeepers to advance their careers by demonstrating their ability to take on additional responsibilities. -
National Recognition
Certifications from AIPB and NACPB are nationally recognized, making them valid in all states. Many employers respect these credentials and may even require them when seeking the best candidates. -
Increased Earning Potential
According to Payscale data from Feb. 2025, bookkeepers earn an average annual salary of $48,720. To compare, bookkeepers with CB credentials earn an average salary of $59,000. It's worth checking with employers whether employees can receive a promotion or raise after becoming certified. -
Network Expansion
Developing relationships with other professionals can help bookkeepers gain fresh perspectives and grow their brands. AIPB and NACPB offer networking opportunities through free online communities where bookkeepers can support each other, discuss industry news and regulations, and share job opportunities.
How Do You Qualify for a Bookkeeping Credential?
CPB and CB certification programs both require candidates to pass rigorous examinations, but the credentials have different eligibility guidelines.
Aspiring CPBs must first complete NACPB's proprietary training program, which includes coursework and applied components. Meanwhile, AIPB's CB credentialing program emphasizes professional experience, requiring candidates to have relevant professional experience.
While CPB and CB credentials are recognized nationally in the United States, many other countries have bookkeeping certification programs. Keep this in mind if your career goals include international job placements.
The following subsections explore educational and experience requirements in further detail.
Educational Requirements
Neither NACPB nor AIPB requires you to hold any particular diploma or degree to qualify for CPB or CB bookkeeping certifications. However, specific educational requirements still apply.
To qualify for the CPB certification exam, you must complete NACPB courses in accounting, payroll, and Intuit QuickBooks fundamentals. You can bypass these requirements by submitting academic transcripts that show you have already completed comparable coursework at an accredited postsecondary institution.
AIPB offers optional CB prep courses. However, AIPB recommends that candidates develop their knowledge of various bookkeeping proficiencies. According to AIPB, more than 1,000 postsecondary institutions offer courses that prepare students for the CB exam. You can also take such courses to prepare yourself.
Professional Requirements
CPB and CB bookkeeping certifications include experience requirements, which you must meet to fully qualify for initial credentialing. To earn the CPB designation, you will need at least one year of professional experience. Notably, NACPB offers a bookkeeping experience program that can help you meet this requirement.
To become a CB, AIPB mandates that you must have two years of full-time professional experience or 3,000 hours of part-time or freelance experience working as a bookkeeper. However, you can accrue these hours before or after you pass the CB credentialing exam.
If you choose to acquire experience after the CB exam, you will have three years from the date you earned your passing score to meet the requirement.
What Do CPB and CB Exams Cover?
As of 2024, NACPB's nationally standardized CPB exam covered four parts, though its website currently refers to a "three-part" exam, indicating that the organization may have combined some subject matter on the test or slightly altered the format. These sections reflect the higher education courses (bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks Online) that future test-takers must complete.
Each CPB exam includes 50 questions, which examinees must finish in two hours or less. As of Feb. 2025, NACPB has set fees at $80 for members and $100 for non-members.
AIPB's CB exam has a more complex structure and comprises four subsections:
- Part 1: Adjustments and Error Correction
- Part 2: Payroll and Depreciation
- Part 3: Inventory
- Part 4: Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention
Two of the four subsections (Parts 1 and 2) contain two separate tests instead of one. The two tests in Part 1 cover:
- Adjustments (Adjusting Entries)
- Error Correction
Similarly, Part 2 covers each of the subsection's two key topics with separate tests:
- Payroll
- Depreciation
Each test uses a multiple-choice format. Parts 1 and 2 are closed-book, computerized tests issued at Prometric Test Centers, while Parts 3 and 4 use an open-book format.
You can take each part individually and in any order. However, you must pass all four parts within three years, or you will have to start over.
The following table offers a simplified breakdown of the CB exam:
Section | Format | Time | Fee |
---|---|---|---|
Part 1: Adjustments and Error Corrections Test 1: Adjustments (Adjusting Entries) Test 2: Error Correction |
Multiple choice | 1 hour per test (2 hours total) | $100 |
Part 2: Payroll and Depreciation Test 1: Payroll Test 2: Depreciation |
Multiple choice | 1 hour per test (2 hours total) | $100 |
Part 3: Inventory | Multiple choice | No limit | No fee |
Part 4: Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention | Multiple choice | No limit | No fee |
Scoring the Exams
As of 2024, NACPB requires candidates to earn a cumulative score of at least 75% on the CPB exam to qualify for certification. Each question carries equal weight when exams are scored. Examinees have their tests scored electronically immediately after completion and receive the results immediately.
AIPB's CB exam uses a more complex scoring system, as passing standards differ among the six individual multiple-choice tests covered in the exam:
Test | Passing Score |
---|---|
Part 1, Test 1: Adjustments | 75% |
Part 1, Test 2: Error Correction | 75% |
Part 2, Test 1: Payroll | 75% |
Part 2, Test 2: Depreciation | 75% |
Part 3: Inventory | 70% |
Part 4: Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention | 70% |
For Parts 1 and 2, which occur at Prometric Test Centers, you will automatically receive your grade immediately after the test ends. For Parts 3 and 4, you can choose between paper and online test formats. Paper tests appear at the end of AIPB's official study workbooks for each of those two exam subsections.
AIPB's retesting policies also vary by section. Parts 1 and 2 each contain two separate tests. If you pass one test but not the other, you receive credit for the test you passed. You can retake the other test after 30 days for a $60 fee, and you will take a different test from the first time.
If you do not pass Part 3 or 4 the first time, you can retake either exam anytime and at no cost.
How Do You Register for the Exam?
You qualify to register for the CPB exam after completing NACPB's required prep courses. If you have already completed acceptable equivalents to these bookkeeping courses at accredited postsecondary institutions, you can register for the exam once NACPB reviews your academic transcripts and approves your waiver request.
For additional information on examination and registration requirements, visit the NACPB's CPB licensing resource.
To register for AIPB's CB exam, you must:
- Complete a paper application form and mail a signed, dated copy to AIPB.
- Wait for AIPB to notify you that they have reviewed and approved your application.
- Use the testing identification number you will receive with your application approval to schedule your testing sessions at a Prometric Test Center.
You can cancel or reschedule your Prometric test appointment without fees or penalties if you contact the Prometric National Call Center before 12:00 noon (local time) at least two days before your scheduled test. Alternatively, you can cancel or reschedule your test online.
When you arrive at Prometric for your test, you will need to present one of the following forms of primary identification:
- Valid state driver's license
- Valid passport
- State or military ID card
- Student ID card
You will also need to supply a secondary form of identification, which can be a credit card, debit card, or U.S. permanent resident card (green card).
How Can You Prepare for a Bookkeeper Exam?
Start studying early for your bookkeeper certification exam and focus specifically on the material you know will be tested. To that end, review the topics covered on the CPB exam and the concepts included in the CB exam.
From there, you can follow these strategies to prepare for the examination:
Top Tips
-
Take Prep Courses
NACPB offers bookkeeping education courses, which cover the bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks material covered on the CPB exam. AIPB has developed a self-paced training course to prepare participants for the CB exam. -
Use Official Study Materials
NACPB strongly encourages prospective examinees to take the organization's prep courses, but AIPB publishes its prep materials in book form. AIPB's books cover all the concepts you must master to succeed on the exam, and they are the best source of exam-specific preparation information. -
Review Your Reasoning
When attempting practice questions, it may help to work through your reasoning as you generate answers. AIPB highlights this strategy as a "secret of success," as it reinforces conceptual learning and helps you understand why you are arriving at the answer you are giving. -
Join Forums or Study Groups
Online forums can help you connect with others who have already taken and passed bookkeeping certification exams. Learning from others' experiences may improve your testing outcomes. You can also seek out others preparing for the same exam and study as a group in person or online. -
Be Consistent
Instead of studying intensively in short bursts with long layoffs between study sessions, aim to study more regularly. Try to study a little every day — this supports good habits by creating continuous engagement with the test material.
Practice Exams and Study Resources
CPB Exam
- NACPB Bookkeeper Education: These official CPB exam prep courses cover the accounting concepts and test topics you must master to earn your bookkeeper certification. NACPB requires them of all candidates unless they have completed substantially similar equivalents at accredited postsecondary institutions.
- NACPB Assessment Exams: NACPB members can access pre- and post-assessment tests. They can take these tests before and after each NACPB bookkeeper education course to identify their strengths and areas for improvement before sitting for the certification exam.
CB Exam
- AIPB's Certified Bookkeeper Online Course: This online prep course offers a structured method of practicing the material on the CB exam. The self-paced, asynchronous course includes workbooks with exercises, homework, and quizzes you can use to assess your progress.
- Certified Bookkeeper Course Series: As an alternative to taking an AIPB course, you can purchase softcover workbooks for each of the six tests in the CB exam. AIPB also offers workbooks in e-Book form, and the materials include quizzes that closely match the questions on the exam.
What Is Needed to Maintain the Certification?
NACPB's CPB bookkeeping certification does not expire. However, NACPB offers certification and licensing programs. You qualify for a license by completing all certifications required for the class of licensure you seek. NACPB licenses expire annually on Dec. 31. To maintain a CPB license, you must complete at least 24 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) each year.
AIPB also requires CBs to complete CPE to maintain their credentials. This process involves completing at least 60 CPE hours every three years, except for the initial certification cycle. After receiving their initial certification, CBs receive 40 CPE hours, leaving them with only 20 hours to complete by the beginning of the first renewal period.
Should You Get CPB or CB Certification?
The CPB and CB bookkeeping certification programs overlap in many ways. However, the CPB path may be better for less experienced bookkeepers as it requires only one year of professional experience. AIPB's CB program requires two years or 3,000 hours.
Also, NACPB allows certification candidates to substitute the official bookkeeping experience program for one year of paid professional experience. AIPB does not have an equivalent option, though it does allow candidates to meet professional experience requirements before or after passing the exam.
Either credential can broaden your appeal to prospective employers. However, earning both certifications is likely redundant, and you can save time and money by choosing only one credential to pursue.
Questions About Bookkeeping Certifications
What qualifications do I need to be a bookkeeper?
Businesses typically prefer to hire bookkeepers with some college-level bookkeeping or accounting training. A postsecondary diploma or certificate plus on-the-job training can help you enter the profession, but some employers may require an associate or bachelor's degree.
Which certification is best for bookkeeping?
The CPB and CB bookkeeping certifications are nationally recognized, and either one makes a strong credential that can enhance your employability. You only need one year of work experience to become a CPB, while CB certification requires two years or 3,000 hours.
How long does it take to get a bookkeeping certification?
AIPB requires CB candidates to pass all six credentialing tests in no more than three years, so this is the maximum timeline for completing examination requirements. Your total timeline could extend to 5-6 years after factoring in AIPB's two required years of professional experience, which you have three years to acquire.
What's the difference between a bookkeeping certification and a certificate?
A certification is a professional designation earned by passing rigorous examinations and meeting experience requirements, while a certificate is an academic award you receive by completing coursework at an accredited postsecondary institution.
Recommended Reading
Search top-tier programs curated by your interests.
Let us know what type of degree you're looking into, and we'll find a list of the best programs to get you there.