ALOA Practice Test

What the ALOA is and how it works

According to ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc., “Each elective contains between 25 and 40 questions, depending on the subject covered.”^[1]

ALOA certifications are built in levels, and each level adds elective exams. The entry level, CRL, requires the mandatory exam plus 2 electives of your choosing. CPL comes after CRL and requires 12 more electives. CML comes after CPL and requires 9 more electives. AFDI is a separate credential and requires recertification every 3 years.

Each elective exam contains between 25 and 40 questions, depending on the subject. Tests are given on paper at ALOA events. Some are available at proctored test sites, and some can be taken online from home or office by remote webcam proctoring.

Fees vary by test and by membership. CPL and CML testing is listed at $150 for members and $195 for non-members, plus $70 for first-time test takers. CLL testing is listed at $75 for members and $125 for non-members, and registration must be made at least 14 days before the test. For the CLL exam given at the end of the Fundamentals class, results arrive by email within 3 to 4 weeks. The AFDI webinar course is listed at $650 for members and $730 for non-members.

We could not verify a passing score, a retake policy or a full test schedule. These can differ by event and location, so check the official ALOA certifications page and the event listing for your test before you register.

ALOA Exam at a Glance

What changed for ALOA in 2026

• Oct 26, 2026: Delivery changed to Paper at ALOA events; some tests at proctored test sites or online by webcam (previously Paper at ALOA events; some tests at proctored sites or online by webcam).^[1]
• Oct 26, 2026: Exam fee (CPL/CML) changed to $150 members / $195 non-members, plus $70 for first-time test takers (previously $150 members / $195 non-members).^[5]

ALOA content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official ALOA content outline published by ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc.. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through ALOA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is a 'laser cut' (sidewinder) automotive key?

1. A key with the bitting cut into the center of the blade in a winding pattern, requiring a specialized laser cutter
2. A key cut by a laser engraver for security marking
3. A key with an RFID chip inside the blade
4. A key cut to maximum depth for bumping

Answer: A. A key with the bitting cut into the center of the blade in a winding pattern, requiring a specialized laser cutter

Explanation:

The correct answer is the key with bitting cut into the centre of the blade in a winding pattern. A laser-cut, or sidewinder, key is thicker than a standard key and is cut along its face, so it needs specialised cutting equipment. That is also why it offers higher security than an ordinary edge-cut key.

The laser engraver option confuses the name with marking, which has nothing to do with how the key operates. The RFID option describes a transponder chip, which is a separate feature that can appear in any key head. The maximum-depth option describes a bump key, which is a different tool for a different purpose.

Rule to remember: the name describes the cut and the machine that makes it, not an electronic feature.

Example 2

Question: Which drilling technique for opening a safe targets the drill point directly above or through the combination dial to access the wheel pack?

1. Nose drilling (direct drive drilling through the dial spindle area)
2. Screw drilling
3. Side drilling
4. Bottom drilling

Answer: A. Nose drilling (direct drive drilling through the dial spindle area)

Explanation:

The correct answer is nose drilling. It goes in at the spindle area behind the combination dial, which gives access to the wheel pack. From there a technician can read the wheel positions with a borescope or defeat the mechanism that blocks the bolt.

Screw drilling, side drilling and bottom drilling are wrong here because none of them describes entering through the dial spindle area. Each names a different entry point on the safe, so they would not reach the wheel pack by the route the question describes.

Rule to remember: drilling methods are named for where the hole is made, so match the entry point in the question to the name before you think about the tool.

Example 3

Question: Which access control credential technology uses radio frequency to read a card or fob without physical contact?

1. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
2. Magnetic stripe
3. Wiegand wire
4. Smart chip contact

Answer: A. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

Explanation:

The correct answer is RFID. The card or fob exchanges data with the reader using radio frequency signals, so it does not need to touch the reader.

Magnetic stripe is wrong because the card has to be swiped through the reader, which is physical contact. Wiegand wire is wrong because it describes a wire-based card technology and a common reader output format, not a contactless radio read. Smart chip contact is wrong because the name itself says contact: the chip must touch the reader to be read.

Rule to remember: when a question stresses reading without touch, look for the radio-based technology and rule out anything that is swiped, inserted or wired.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official ALOA certifications page and work out which level you are aiming for and which electives it needs. Then check the event or test-site listing for your test, including fees, registration deadline and whether it is on paper or online by webcam.

Next, use the content-area table above as a checklist. Take a practice set for each area, and for every miss read the explanation, then write one line in your own words about the rule behind it. Questions you miss because you confused two similar terms need a different fix from those you missed because you did not know the topic, so sort your misses into those two groups.

Spend more of your time on the areas where you made the most errors, and return to the strong areas only briefly to keep them fresh. Repeat each set after a gap and compare your answers with your notes rather than with memory of the options.

Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for the reasoning, and rely on the official material and your hands-on work for exact procedures. In the last days before the test, reread your notes, confirm the test location or webcam setup, and rest.

Sources & last verified

1. ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. — number of questions, validity, delivery, eligibility (official source). “Each elective contains between 25 and 40 questions, depending on the subject covered.” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
2. ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. — exam fee (official source). “Member Cost: $650 Non-Member Cost: $730” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.
3. ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. — exam fee, registration deadline (official source). “Cost for ALOA/SAVTA Members: $75 Cost for Non-members: $125” Verified Oct 26, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
4. ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. — score release, testing window (official source). “You can earn this designation/certification by taking and successfully passing the examination offered at the end of class on Friday (expect to receive test results…” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.
5. cdn.prod.website-files.com — exam fee (official source). “CPL & ICPL (choose up to 12 electives), CML & ICML (choose up to 9 electives), CMAL, CMEL, CFL ___ ALOA / SAVTA Member $150” Verified Oct 26, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.