APICS exams, run by ASCM, are taken on a computer at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE. This page gives candidates free practice sets by topic, worked questions with explanations, and a plain summary of the format, scoring and retake rules, so you can see what to practise before you book. Practice with the free American Production and Inventory Control Society Certified practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).
Interactive American Production and Inventory Control Society Certified resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 150 questions (130 scored, 20 pretest)[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Passing score | 300 on a 200–350 scale[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Rescheduling/cancellation) | $45 reschedule/cancel fee[2] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $400 (members with certification upgrade) / $500 (others)[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Retake policy | 14-day waiting period before a retake[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Validity | 5-year maintenance cycle[3] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Renewal | 75 maintenance points every 5 years (100 for Fellows)[3] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test centers or online via OnVUE[4] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Score release | Immediately[4] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Test before ATT expires (6 months; 12 months if bundled)[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Testing window | On demand, year-round[1] | ASCM · Oct 24, 2026 |
According to ASCM, “Each exam consists of 150 questions (130 operational and 20 pretest).”[1]
APICS certification exams are set by ASCM and delivered on a computer, either at a Pearson VUE test center or online through the OnVUE system. They are offered on demand, year-round, so you choose your own test date.
Each exam has 150 questions: 130 are scored and 20 are pretest questions. Scores run from 200 to 350, and 300 or higher is needed to pass. Your result is released immediately after you finish.
After you buy, your authorization to test (ATT) expires 6 months later, or 12 months if it was bundled, so book within that window. Rescheduling or cancelling carries a non-refundable $45 fee.
If you do not pass, there is a 14-day waiting period before a retake. The retake fee is $400 for members with a certification upgrade and $500 for members and nonmembers.
Once certified, you keep the credential valid by earning and submitting 75 maintenance points every 5 years (100 for Fellows). Certifications that are not maintained in that time are suspended.
Eligibility, exam content and fees differ between APICS certifications and can change. Check the ASCM certification pages and the Pearson VUE APICS page before you register.
Prepare for the APICS - American Production and Inventory Control Society Certified exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
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.
Question: How do changes in demand affect S&OP?
Answer: B. They require adjustments in production, inventory, and supply chain management.
Explanation:
The correct answer is that changes in demand require adjustments in production, inventory and supply chain management. S&OP exists to keep supply aligned with expected demand, so when demand moves, the plan has to move with it: schedules, inventory targets and supplier or transport orders are revisited.
Higher production costs may follow in some cases, but that is a side effect, not what the process does. Reduced forecasting accuracy is not an automatic result; a demand change is new information that feeds a revised forecast. Longer lead times are what poor adjustment can cause, not what a demand change inherently brings.
Rule to remember: in S&OP, a demand change triggers a rebalancing of the whole plan, not a single fix.
Question: What is the main goal of demand management?
Answer: B. To match supply with customer demand while minimizing costs.
Explanation:
The correct answer is to match supply with customer demand while minimizing costs. Demand management means understanding customers, forecasting, and shaping demand where useful, so that the supply chain can meet it efficiently.
Increasing inventory levels is wrong because stock is a tool with a carrying cost, not the goal. Reducing supplier contracts is wrong because the number of contracts says nothing about balance between supply and demand. Reducing customer demand is wrong because the aim is to influence and serve demand, not shrink it; shaping may move demand in time or mix, but it is not an end in itself.
Rule to remember: demand management is about balance between supply and demand at sensible cost.
Question: What is the FIRST consideration when designing a solution in American Production and Inventory Control Society Certified practice?
Answer: B. Understanding requirements, constraints, and stakeholder needs
Explanation:
The correct answer is understanding requirements, constraints and stakeholder needs. A design can only be judged good if you know what it must achieve and what limits it must respect, so this step comes before any choices are made.
Budget constraints matter, but they are one constraint among others and only make sense once requirements are known. Selecting the preferred technology or method too early commits you to a solution before you know the problem. Establishing the timeline is also premature, because the work involved cannot be estimated without the requirements.
Rule to remember: when a question asks what comes first in design or problem solving, choose the option about understanding the need before the options about tools, cost or schedule.
Start with the official ASCM content outline for your certification, since this page does not list its content areas. Note which topics feel weakest.
Then work through the practice sets by topic rather than as a mixed run. Good starting points are Demand Management, Sales & Operations Planning, Inventory Management and Supply Planning. After each set, read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, and write down the rule behind each miss.
Next, move to Scheduling & Capacity Planning, Manufacturing Operations & Execution, Procurement & Sourcing, Logistics & Distribution, Lean Manufacturing, and the Supply Chain Strategy sets (here and here). Return to weak topics and repeat sets until you can explain an answer, not just recognise it.
In the final days, take the full practice test in a sitting under timed conditions and use the result only to decide what to review. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to practise reasoning and rely on ASCM material for official definitions. Book your date inside your ATT window.
Each APICS exam has 150 questions. Of these, 130 are operational (scored) and 20 are pretest questions. ASCM states this in its certification FAQs. Content areas differ by certification, so check the official outline for the exam you plan to take.
You need 300 or higher on a scale of 200 to 350. ASCM applies this score range to all of its exams. Your score is released immediately after you finish, so you will know the outcome before you leave the test center or close the online session.
Yes. APICS exams are delivered by computer at Pearson VUE test centers worldwide and also online through the OnVUE system. Exams are offered on demand, year-round. Check the Pearson VUE APICS page for current booking steps and the technical requirements for online testing.
There is a 14-day required waiting period before you may retake the exam. The retake fee is $400 for members with a certification upgrade and $500 for members and nonmembers. Confirm the current fee with ASCM before booking, since fees can change.
Your authorization to test (ATT) expires 6 months after purchase, or 12 months if it was bundled. Rescheduling or cancelling costs a non-refundable $45 fee, so pick a date you can keep. Check your ATT details with ASCM if you are unsure.
No. The practice questions here were written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. They are meant to help you practise topics and reasoning. For official content, definitions and policies, use the ASCM website and your exam outline.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.