The CBB (Certified Business Brokers) designation is issued by the California Association of Business Brokers. Candidates complete CABB education courses and an application that a committee reviews. This page gives you free practice sets on valuation, financing, ethics, negotiation, due diligence and compliance, plus worked explanations and a study plan. Our questions are written with AI tools and are not real exam questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit (CABB 101) | 4-day, 12-hour course[1] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (CABB 250) | 7-hour course[2] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $50 application fee[3] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CABB 101) | $249 members / $349 non-members[1] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (CABB 201) | $249 members / $349 non-members[6] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake fee (CABB 101) | $25 for members (course materials)[1] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Failed courses can be repeated at no additional fee[4] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 4 years[5] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (CABB 501) | Virtual, about twice a year[5] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release | Up to 30 days for committee approval[3] | California Association of Business Brokers · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to California Association of Business Brokers, “This course is typically offered virtually 2 times a year so please plan accordingly based on your expiration date.”[5]
The CBB designation comes from the California Association of Business Brokers (CABB). It is built around education courses and a committee-reviewed application, so the official CABB pages are the place to confirm what applies to you.
Published course details include CABB 101, a 4-day, 12-hour course, and CABB 201. Each costs $249 for members and $349 for non-members. CABB 250 is a 7-hour course for California business brokers at all experience levels. CABB 501 is offered virtually, typically 2 times a year, so plan around your expiration date.
The application fee is $50, paid after the committee approves the application. Approval can take up to 30 days.
If you fail an education course, you can attend a future course at no additional fee. CABB members can also retake CABB 101 for $25 for course materials.
The CBB designation requires recertification every 4 years.
The verified facts we have do not include a passing score, a question count or a scoring method, and requirements may change. Check cabb.org for current eligibility, course dates and fees before you register.
Prepare for the CBB - Certified Business Brokers 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: When using a market-based valuation, what is typically compared?
Answer: B. Similar business sales
Explanation:
The correct answer is similar business sales. A market-based valuation estimates what a business is worth by looking at what comparable businesses actually sold for, then adjusting for differences in size, earnings and terms.
Product pricing models describe how a company sets prices for what it sells. That affects revenue, but it is not a comparison of whole-business transactions. Industry regulations shape how a business operates and may affect risk, but they are not a pricing benchmark. Customer satisfaction surveys measure service quality and can support a story about the business, but they do not produce a market value on their own.
Rule to remember: the market approach compares completed sales of similar businesses, the income approach looks at future earnings, and the asset approach looks at what the business owns.
Question: What is an SBA 7(a) loan most commonly used for in business acquisitions?
Answer: B. Funding the purchase of existing businesses, including goodwill and working capital
Explanation:
The correct answer is funding the purchase of existing businesses, including goodwill and working capital. An SBA 7(a) loan is a flexible acquisition loan, which is why buyers often use it when a large part of the price is intangible value rather than hard assets.
Financing commercial real estate only is too narrow. Real estate can be part of a deal, but the question asks what the loan is most commonly used for, and that is the business purchase itself. Operating capital for start-ups misses the acquisition focus, since this question is about buying an existing business. Refinancing a personal mortgage is a personal-finance use and does not fit business acquisition lending.
Rule to remember: when a buyer needs to finance goodwill, working capital and closing costs along with the purchase price, think of 7(a) acquisition financing.
Question: What is a key principle in maintaining ethical client relations as a business broker?
Answer: D. Being honest and transparent with clients
Explanation:
The correct answer is being honest and transparent with clients. A broker acts for people making a major financial decision, and trust depends on clients getting accurate information, including unwelcome news about price or risk.
Aggressively closing the sale puts the broker's interest in finishing the deal ahead of the client's interest. Promising unrealistic returns is misleading and can create legal exposure as well as ethical problems. Using vague language lets a client leave with a wrong understanding of fees, terms or risks, which is a quiet form of dishonesty.
Rule to remember: when a question asks about ethical practice, pick the option that gives clients accurate, clear information and puts their informed decision first.
Start with the official CABB course pages so you know which courses and application steps apply to you. Then use the practice sets to find where you are weak.
Remember that our questions are original practice items, not copies of real exam content. Use them to check understanding, and rely on CABB for current requirements.
The California Association of Business Brokers (CABB) issues the CBB designation. Requirements, course dates and fees are published on cabb.org and can change, so check the official site before you register or apply.
CABB lists a $50 application fee, paid after the committee approves the application. Approval can take up to 30 days. Course fees are separate: CABB 101 and CABB 201 each cost $249 for members and $349 for non-members.
CABB states that people who fail an education course can attend a future course at no additional fee. CABB members can also retake CABB 101 for $25 for course materials. Confirm current terms with CABB.
CABB describes CABB 101 as a 4-day, 12-hour course. CABB 250 is a separate 7-hour course for California business brokers at all experience levels. Check cabb.org for current schedules and enrollment.
CABB requires recertification of the CBB designation every 4 years. CABB 501 is offered virtually, typically 2 times a year, so plan around your expiration date. See the CABB renewal page for current steps.
No. We wrote these questions with AI tools to help you practise topics such as valuation, financing and ethics. They are not real exam questions, and we make no claim about scores or results.
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