New CFE Exam Coming in 2026
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is committed to maintaining the highest standards for the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. As part of this commitment, we conducted a comprehensive job analysis study in 2024 to identify the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform and demonstrate proficiency in the fraud examination profession.
The results of this study were used to develop a new outline for the CFE Exam that reflects the industry’s evolution and changes in recent years.
A new version of the CFE Exam based on findings from this job analysis study will launch in June 2026, with revised CFE Exam study materials being released in March 2026.
How Will the CFE Exam Change?
The updated CFE Exam will ensure that CFE candidates are evaluated on the most current and practical knowledge that fraud examiners need to know.
The structure of the CFE Exam will also be modified to better reflect advancements in the anti-fraud profession and make the exam more accessible to aspiring CFEs. Starting in June 2026, the CFE Exam will be three sections, each of which will have a different number of questions and allotted exam time. This new format will improve the candidate experience while maintaining the rigor and credibility of the CFE credential.
The following chart outlines the new exam structure:
| Exam Section | Exam Details | Number of Questions | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fraud Schemes and Financial Crimes | This section explores different types of fraud schemes and financial crimes committed against both organizations and individuals, as well as the measures fraud examiners can take to prevent and detect them. | 120 | 2.5 hours |
| Fraud Investigations and Legal Issues | This section focuses on how to conduct a fraud investigation and the necessary legal considerations. Topics include employee rights during investigations, the rules and procedures for collecting evidence, gathering and analyzing data, conducting interviews, report writing and how to navigate the legal system. | 120 | 2.5 hours |
| Fraud Prevention and Deterrence | This section examines why people commit fraud and ways to prevent it. Topics include corporate governance, the role of managers and auditors in combatting fraud, how to conduct a fraud risk assessment, how to manage fraud risk and build an effective fraud prevention program and ethical considerations in fraud examination. | 70 | 1.5 hours |
How Will the CFE Exam Changes Affect Me?
If you are currently studying for the CFE Exam or beginning your CFE journey, it will be important to plan around the release of the new exam. When the new exam launches in June 2026, the old version will be retired and no longer available.
If you have already passed the Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes and/or Fraud Prevention and Deterrence sections, your passing results will remain valid and transfer to the new exam, subject to our exam attempt and result expiration policies. You will only receive credit for the Fraud Investigations and Legal Issues section of the new exam if you have passed both the Law and Investigation sections of the old exam.
If you have not passed all required exam sections prior to the new exam, you will be transitioned to the new version of the exam for your remaining sections.
The following chart outlines exam section equivalencies:
| Passed Result on Current Exam Section | Counts Toward | New Exam Section |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes | = | Fraud Schemes and Financial Crimes |
| Law + Investigation (MUST HAVE PASSED BOTH) |
= | Fraud Investigations and Legal Issues |
| Fraud Prevention and Deterrence | = | Fraud Prevention and Deterrence |
We will release updated study materials in March 2026 to allow new candidates sufficient exam preparation time for the new exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
No matter where you are in your journey to become a CFE, we are here to support you every step of the way. For more detailed information and answers to common questions about the upcoming CFE Exam changes, please refer to the questions and answers below.
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Why is the CFE Exam changing?
Every five to seven years, the ACFE conducts a job analysis study to re-evaluate the knowledge, skills and abilities tested on the CFE Exam. The results of this study are then used to update the exam to reflect changes in the industry. This ensures that the CFE Exam and CFE credential remain relevant to anti-fraud professionals and sufficiently assess the expertise needed to be a fraud examiner.
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What is a job analysis study?
A job analysis study is a comprehensive evaluation of the key tasks, skills and knowledge required for a specific profession. For the CFE Exam, a task force of fraud examiners and industry experts from around the world convened to determine the most relevant and current competencies needed in the fraud examination profession. The task force’s findings were then validated through an extensive survey of all ACFE members. The results of this job analysis study were used to determine the test specifications and content outline for the new version of the CFE Exam.
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When will the new CFE Exam Content Outline be available?
The ACFE will release the new CFE Exam Content Outline in early 2026.
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Will the difficulty level of the CFE Exam be changing?
The ACFE conducts regular psychometric reviews to assess how well exam questions are performing and ensure that the questions sufficiently evaluate candidates’ knowledge of fraud examination topics. While the structure of the CFE Exam and total number of exam questions will change, the exam’s rigor and overall difficulty level will remain consistent and comparable to the current exam.
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Should I take the CFE Exam now or wait for the new version?
The decision of when to apply for and take the CFE Exam is up to you and your personal circumstances. If your goal is to get certified in 2025 or the first half of 2026, we recommend studying for the current exam.
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What happens if I don’t pass the current exam before the transition?
If you don’t pass all sections of the current exam before June 2026, you’ll be transitioned to the new version once it launches and will need to take any exam sections that you have not yet received credit for (see table above). The ACFE will provide options for switching to the new study materials at that time.
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Can I use my current study materials to prepare for the new exam?
Due to the extensive structural and content changes that will take place, we do not recommend studying with older study materials.
While most foundational concepts will remain the same, the new CFE Exam features many topics, best practices and technological advancements that have emerged in recent years and will continue to impact the fraud landscape going forward. In addition, a significant amount of content will be moved between exam sections and content domains (i.e., Fraud Examiners Manual chapters), which will make it difficult to study with older products.
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I’m already a CFE; do these changes affect me?
No. If you have already earned the CFE credential, these exam changes will not affect your certification status. No action is required beyond maintaining your annual membership with the ACFE and meeting Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements. However, staying informed about the changes can help you stay current with industry developments and support others who are pursuing the credential.
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Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
If you have further questions, please reach out to our support team at Exam@ACFE.com or contact us via phone at (800) 245-3321 or +1 (512) 478-9000.