Cooperative Personnel Services offers the exams monthly at testing sites in Northern and Southern California. Exams are generally held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
What are the exams like?
The certification exams are 100-question, multiple-choice. They are offered only in English and do not include any "hands-on" or performance testing.
How much does it cost to take the exams?
The registration fee for each exam is currently $115. The cost to re-take each exam is also $115. Special, optional testing arrangements may require additional fees.
Can I take the exam orally?
Yes, for an additional $100 - $200, Cooperative Personnel Services can arrange to have the Lead Supervisor exam read aloud to you. The Lead Inspector/Assessor, Project Monitor and Project Designer exams may not be taken orally.
Can I have the exam given at my company?
Yes. For an additional $200, Cooperative Personnel Services will give an exam, at a time and place of your choosing, for up to 20 people. If you have more than 20 people at your company who need testing, contact Cooperative Personnel Services. You must also provide, schedule and pay for an acceptable facility in which to hold the testing. Call Cooperative Personnel Services at (916) 263-3644 for more information.
Can I go to Cooperative Personnel Services to take my exam?
Yes. If you cannot wait until the regularly scheduled exams, and wish to travel to Cooperative Personnel Service's Sacramento office to take the exam on a different day, you may do so. The additional cost for this is: $60 to take 1 exam; $80 to take 2 exams; $100 to take 3 exams; or $120 to take 4 exams. You must call Cooperative Personnel Services at (916) 263-3644 to schedule a test date first. Cooperative Personnel Services will not administer exams on a "drop-in" basis.
Are special accommodations available for people with disabilities?
Yes, for no additional charge, Cooperative Personnel Services can provide ADA accommodations for those with special needs.
Are there "combined" exams?
No. The exams for Lead Inspector/Assessor, Lead Supervisor, Lead Project Designer and Lead Project Monitor are each separate. If you want get more than one of these certificates, you must take a separate exam for each.
When do I take my exam?
You may take the exam at any time. You need to take the exam before you apply to DHS for certification.
How do I register for my exam?
You may telephone CPS directly at (916) 263-3600 ext. 3057 or 3058 to obtain registration materieals. Complete the registration form that you received from CPS and mail it to:
Cooperative Personnel Services
Attention: Lead Certification Registration
191 Lathrop Way, Suite A
Sacramento, California 95815
Do not send your registration form to DHS.
Your registration fee must be a cashier's check or money order, made payable to Cooperative Personnel Services. You must register for your exam at least 30 days before the exam date.
How do I get admitted into the exam?
To be admitted into your exam, you must show a State Driver's License, State ID Card, Passport, Military ID Card or Resident Alien Card. If you cannot properly identify yourself when you arrive to take your exam, Cooperative Personnel Services will turn you away and not allow you to take the exam.
What happens if I fail my exam?
If you fail an exam, Cooperative Personnel Services will tell you how many percentage points below passing you scored. For exam security reasons, however, they cannot, tell you which questions you missed.
What happens after I pass my exam?
Cooperative Personnel Services will send a copy of your exam results to you. Please send a copy of these results to DHS. Once you have recieved notice that you passed your exam you may apply for certification. DHS will then review your experience, training, and education to determine if you meet all of the requirements for certification.
When can I apply for certification?
Apply to DHS after CPS has notified you that you have passed the exam
If I take my exam, do I still have to renew?
Yes. Taking the exam only enables you to become fully certified. Even if you have passed your exam(s), you still must renew your certificate(s) each year, and take Continuing Education every 2 years.
Are there any study guides available to help me prepare for the test?
Yes. The following links allow you to download lists of topics covered on each of the exams.
 |
The files below are
in Portable Data Format (PDF).
Follow
this link to go to the
Adobe Homepage and download the Acrobat Reader you will need to read the
files. (It's free!) |
Never downloaded
a PDF file before?
Follow
this link to see how. |
For exam schedules, testing locations, special testing options and registration confirmation, contact:
Cooperative Personnel Services
(916) 263-3644