The short version
Passing the AAIA exam does not expire on its own, but you have five years to apply for the credential, and once you hold it you must keep it alive with continuing professional education (CPE). ISACA’s AAIA maintenance page asks for at least 10 CPE hours a year and at least 30 over a three-year reporting period. If you fail the exam, you wait 30 days before the second attempt and 90 days before each later one. This page was checked against ISACA’s pages on October 22, 2026.
Two clocks, not one
People mix up the exam and the credential, and with AAIA the difference matters, because three separate clocks run:
- Eligibility window. After you register and pay, ISACA gives you six months to take the exam. Miss it and the fee is forfeited.
- Application window. After you pass, you have five years to apply for the credential. ISACA’s get-certified page says you must have passed the exam within the last five years when you apply.
- Maintenance cycle. After you hold the credential, CPE reporting and an annual maintenance fee keep the credential active.
Keeping them apart makes every rule below easier to read. The exam format page covers the first clock in more detail.
Retake rules
ISACA’s AAIA candidate guide sets these rules:
- You have four attempts within a rolling 12-month period, counted from your first attempt.
- Attempt 2 must wait 30 days from the first attempt.
- Attempt 3 must wait 90 days after the second attempt.
- Attempt 4 must wait 90 days after the third attempt.
- Each attempt needs its own registration, paid in full.
The ISACA AAIA web page itself does not list a retake policy. The rules come from the candidate guide, so read the current version of that guide before you plan around them.
A timeline example
Say you fail on January 10 and want the quickest path with no luck on the way:
| Attempt | Earliest date | Rule applied |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 10 | First attempt |
| 2 | February 9 | 30 days after attempt 1 |
| 3 | May 10 | 90 days after attempt 2 |
| 4 | August 8 | 90 days after attempt 3 |
All four fit inside 12 months with about five months to spare, so a short delay at one step would not push the fourth attempt outside the window. ISACA does not say in the pages we read what happens after a fourth failed attempt in a 12-month period, so ask ISACA support if you get there. This is an illustration of the published waits, not a recommendation to plan for failure. Most readers will not need the table.
What the retake rules do not say
The guide does not say the retake clock restarts if your eligibility window runs out between attempts, and it does not say whether a failed score carries any credit forward. Treat each attempt as a fresh full exam of 90 questions. If you want to know where you went wrong, the domain-level results on your score report are informational only; ISACA gives no question-level feedback.
The guide also describes a rescoring request. It must be made in writing within 30 days after results, and later requests are not processed.
If you pass
Passing starts the application window. To become a credential holder, ISACA’s page lists these steps:
- Hold an active CISA or another qualifying designation.
- Pass the exam.
- Pay the one-time application processing fee.
- Submit the application within five years of passing.
- Adhere to ISACA’s Code of Professional Ethics.
- Adhere to the CPE policy.
The candidate guide adds a retake restriction: if you pass, you cannot take the same exam again during the five-year application period. Credential holders cannot retake it while holding it either. So a pass is meant to be used. Do not pass and then let the application window slide.
Keeping the credential: CPE and fees
ISACA’s AAIA maintenance page says:
- Earn and report at least 10 CPE hours each year, in the AI specialized area and relevant to AAIA knowledge or tasks.
- Earn at least 30 hours over each three-year reporting period.
- Pay an annual maintenance fee, which ISACA says is due by January 1. We do not list amounts; check ISACA.
- Keep CPE records for at least three years.
- Keep the qualifying credential you used to apply in active status.
- Comply with the annual CPE audit if you are selected, and provide written evidence of what you reported.
- Follow the Code of Professional Ethics.
ISACA’s get-certified page adds that CPE reporting starts in the calendar year after you earn the credential.
A maintenance timeline example
Suppose you pass in March 2027 and are approved that autumn. Your first required CPE year is 2028. By the end of 2030, the first three-year period, you need at least 30 hours in total, with at least 10 reported each year. These dates are an example. Confirm how ISACA sets your cycle in your account.
What happens if you do not comply
ISACA’s page says that failing to meet the requirements, including a failed CPE audit, results in revocation of the designation. The page adds that a revoked certification must be destroyed immediately. The AAIA page we read describes no reinstatement process, so if you slip, contact ISACA before assuming anything.
What if the exam changes?
The candidate guide does not describe what happens to a pass or a pending attempt when ISACA updates the exam. The outline we used is dated June 2025 in the guide, and the ISACA web outline page shows no date. The field moves quickly, so look at the outline on ISACA’s site when you book and again a month before test day.
More guides for AAIA
- AAIA Study Plan: 4-Week and 8-Week Schedules
- AAIA Domains Explained: 3 Areas and Weightings
- AAIA Sample Questions With Answers
- Is the AAIA Exam Hard? An Honest Look
- Is AAIA Worth It? An Honest Look
- AAIA Cheat Sheet: Key Facts to Review
- AAIA vs AAIR: Which ISACA AI Exam First?
- AAIA vs AAISM: Which ISACA AI Exam First?
Next step
Read the exam format page for scoring and scheduling, then the prerequisites page to confirm your qualifying credential. For timed practice, try our AAIA practice tests. The overview is at AAIA exam guide. The authority on all rules is ISACA’s AAIA page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AAIA exam score expire?
ISACA’s pages do not give a score expiry. They give a five-year window in which you must apply for the credential after passing.
Can I retake AAIA after passing?
Not during the five-year application period, and not while you hold the credential, according to the candidate guide.
Do I need CPE before I hold the credential?
No. CPE reporting starts in the calendar year after you earn the credential, per ISACA’s get-certified page.