This page is for facilities, plant engineering and maintenance professionals preparing for an AFE credential such as the CPE, CPMM or CPS. It links our free practice sets by topic, walks through sample questions with explanations, and sets out the fees, eligibility, scoring and retake rules AFE publishes, with links back to the official source. Practice with the free Association for Facilities Engineering Certification practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).
Interactive Association for Facilities Engineering Certification 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 (CPE) | 4 modules[1] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Time limit (CPE) | Up to 2 hours per module (4 modules)[1] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Passing score (CPMM) | 70% combined average across 2 modules[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Passing score (CPS) | 70% combined average across 2 modules[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPMM) | $800 (AFE member) / $1,050 (non-member), self-study program[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPMM Complete Program) | $2,000 (member) / $2,500 (non-member)[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPMM Review Course) | $1,200 (member) / $1,450 (non-member), review course only[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPS) | $600 (AFE member) / $850 (non-member), self-study program[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPS Complete Program) | $1,500 (member) / $2,000 (non-member)[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CPS Review Course) | $900 (member) / $1,150 (non-member), review course only[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Retake fee (CPMM) | First retake free; $125 for each additional retake[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Retake fee (CPS) | First retake free; $125 for each additional retake[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Retake policy (CPMM) | Free first retake, within 30 calendar days of the results notice[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Retake policy (CPS) | Free first retake, within 30 calendar days of the results notice[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Validity | 3 years[7] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Renewal | Free for members; $298 for non-members; $50 late fee; CEUs required[7] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Delivery (CPE) | Online; you email your preferred exam date[1] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Delivery (CPMM) | Online, open book[6] | info.irem.org · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Delivery (CPS) | Online[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Eligibility (CPE) | Engineering-related degree + 4 years' management-level or 6 years' experience; OR 6/8 years with a non-technical degree or no degree; OR PE + 4 years[1] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Eligibility (CPMM) | 5 years' experience, OR a 4-year related bachelor's degree, OR 3 years' experience + 2 years of related higher education[2] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Eligibility (CPS) | High school diploma + 5 years' professional experience (or 2 years supervisory within 5 years total)[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Next exam date (CPMM (IREM partner program)) | Review course November 17–19, 2026, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. CT[6] | info.irem.org · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Next exam date (CPMM Review Course) | Review course October 27–29, 2026, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. CT[4] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Next exam date (CPS Review Course) | Review course November 3–5, 2026, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. CT[5] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline (CPMM Review Course) | October 26, 2026 (review-only, for current self-study enrollees)[4] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline (CPS Review Course) | November 2, 2026 (review-only, for current self-study enrollees)[3] | Association for Facilities Engineering · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Testing window (CPMM (IREM partner program)) | November 19–22, 2026 (online)[6] | info.irem.org · Oct 23, 2026 |
According to Association for Facilities Engineering, “The exam consists of four modules, with up to two (2) hours to complete each module. Candidates may take all four (4) modules in one day, or complete them on different days.”[1]
AFE offers several credentials for facilities and plant professionals; this page covers CPE, CPMM and CPS. All three exams are taken online. For CPE you email the AFE Credential Team with your preferred exam date. The CPMM exam is open book.
Scoring and format differ by credential. CPE has 4 modules with up to 2 hours for each, and you can sit them in one day or on different days. CPMM and CPS each need a combined average of at least 70% across 2 modules. The AFE pages we checked do not list a passing score for CPE, so confirm it with AFE.
Eligibility is based on experience and education:
If you do not pass CPMM or CPS, the first retake is free when taken within 30 calendar days of the results notice; each additional retake costs $125. Certification is valid for 3 years. Fees depend on the program and on AFE membership, so read the current prices on afe.org before you enrol.
Prepare for the AFE - Association for Facilities Engineering Certification 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: A building's chiller plant has a measured COP of 4.5. What does this value indicate?
Answer: A. The chiller produces 4.5 kW of cooling for every 1 kW of electrical input
Explanation:
A is correct. COP compares useful cooling output with the electrical energy put in, using the same units on both sides, so a COP of 4.5 means 4.5 kW of cooling for every 1 kW of electrical input.
B is wrong because COP is a ratio of output to input, not a percentage of rated capacity. C is wrong because peak demand and nameplate rating describe electrical load, not efficiency. D is wrong because condenser water flow per ton of cooling is a flow rate, a different measurement from COP.
Rule to remember: COP is useful output divided by input energy, and a higher value means a more efficient machine.
Question: When evaluating capital projects, Facilities Engineers often use a 'payback period' calculation. What does this metric measure?
Answer: B. The time required for project savings or revenues to recover the initial investment
Explanation:
B is correct. Payback period is the time it takes for a project's cumulative savings or revenues to equal the money spent up front.
A describes life-cycle cost, which adds up everything an asset costs over its life rather than timing a recovery. C is net present value, which discounts future cash flows to today's value and gives a dollar amount, not a length of time. D is internal rate of return, a percentage rate, not a time.
Rule to remember: payback answers how soon you get your money back. It says nothing about what happens after that point, so engineers usually read it alongside net present value or internal rate of return.
Question: A sprinkler system is classified as 'Light Hazard Occupancy' per NFPA 13. Which type of facility would most likely fall into this classification?
Answer: B. Office building
Explanation:
B is correct. NFPA 13 sorts occupancies by how much combustible material they hold and how quickly a fire could grow. Offices hold little fuel and have a low chance of a fast, intense fire, which fits Light Hazard.
A, an automotive garage, involves fuels, oils and vehicles, which place it in a higher hazard class. C, a woodworking shop, has dust and large amounts of combustible material. D, paint storage, holds flammable liquids and sits among the most demanding classes.
Rule to remember: the classification follows the contents and activity of the space, not the type of building. Check the current edition of the standard for the exact class definitions.
Start with the official material, because AFE sets the exam rules and the review book that comes with the self-study program. Read the page for your credential on afe.org and note the eligibility option you meet, the passing rule and the retake terms.
Then use our practice sets as a diagnostic. Take AFE Fundamentals & Core Concepts to see where you stand, then work through the topic sets that match your daily work and, more importantly, the ones that do not. Facilities managers often find the energy, safety and capital planning sets less familiar than operations. Try Energy Management & Sustainability, Safety & Risk Management and Project Management & Capital Planning for that.
After each set, write down every question you missed and the rule behind it, then look that rule up in the official book. If you are sitting CPMM, which is open book, practise finding answers quickly rather than memorising. Finish with another pass on your weakest sets. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict the exam.
The CPMM exam is open book, according to the IREM partner page. The CPE and CPS exams are completed online, but the pages we checked do not say whether they are open book, so confirm with AFE before test day. Even for an open-book exam, practise looking things up quickly.
For CPMM and CPS, candidates need a combined average of at least 70% across the 2 exam modules. We have no verified passing score for CPE, so check the CPE page on afe.org. Because the score is a combined average, a stronger module can offset a weaker one.
For CPMM and CPS, your first retake is free but must be completed within 30 calendar days after AFE issues the official results notice. Each additional retake costs $125. We have not verified retake terms for CPE, so ask the AFE Credential Team.
Self-study: CPMM is $800 for AFE members and $1,050 for non-members; CPS is $600 and $850. Complete program: CPMM $2,000 and $2,500; CPS $1,500 and $2,000. Review course only: CPMM $1,200 and $1,450; CPS $900 and $1,150. For CPMM, the self-study fee includes the application fee, review book and online exam.
An AFE certification is valid for 3 years. Renewal is free for members and $298 for non-members, and a $50 late fee applies if you submit after your renewal date. CEUs are required, so keep records of your continuing education as you go.
The CPMM review course runs October 27–29, 2026 and the CPS review course runs November 3–5, 2026, both 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time. Review-only registration for current self-study enrollees closes October 26, 2026 for CPMM and November 2, 2026 for CPS. IREM also lists a CPMM course on November 17–19, 2026.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.