CAE Practice Test

The CAE is the Certified Assessment Evaluator designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers, taken by people working in property appraisal and assessment administration. This page offers free practice sets by topic, worked explanations of sample questions, a summary of the exam's fees, scoring and retake rules, and a study plan you can adapt to your own schedule.

CAE Exam at a Glance

What changed for CAE in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to 5 years' experience, 7 courses, 2 projects, and a bachelor's degree or alternative (previously 5 years' experience, 7 IAAO courses, 2 projects, and a bachelor's degree or alternative).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee (CAE Comprehensive Examination) changed to $395 non-member / $245 IAAO member (previously $395 non-member / $245 IAAO member (1st attempt)).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake fee (CAE Comprehensive Examination) changed to $295 non-member / $195 IAAO member (previously $295 non-member / $195 IAAO member (2nd attempt)).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Time limit (CAE Comprehensive Examination) changed to 8 hours, exclusive of a lunch break (previously 8 hours, not counting a lunch break).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake policy (CAE Comprehensive Examination) changed to Retake after 30 days; 180-day waiting period after a second fail; retake allowed while eligible (previously Retake after 30 days; after a second fail, wait 180 days; no limit on attempts while eligible).^[4]
• Oct 27, 2026: Validity changed to 5 years (one 1-year extension permitted) (previously Candidacy valid 5 years (one 1-year extension allowed)).^[4]

What the CAE is and how it works

According to International Association of Assessing Officers, “All professional development program examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis only. A passing grade is seventy percent.”^[2]

The CAE (Certified Assessment Evaluator) is a designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) for professionals in property appraisal and assessment administration. Candidates must have at least 5 years of experience, 7 courses, 2 projects, and a bachelor's degree or an accepted alternative.

The examination is delivered on paper with an approved proctor. It may be administered at any location and on any date, and IAAO prefers that the proctor be a CAE designee. Candidates are allotted a maximum of 8 hours, exclusive of a lunch break. Grading is pass/fail only, and the passing grade is 70%. Results are sent by email promptly after the exam is graded.

The fee is $395 for non-members and $245 for IAAO members. A retake costs $295 for non-members and $195 for members. You may retake the exam after 30 days. If you fail the re-examination, you must wait 180 days before any later attempt, and you may keep retaking for as long as you remain eligible. A candidacy is approved for 5 years, with a 1-year extension permitted. After you earn the designation, recertification requires 70 credit hours per 5-year cycle.

Fees and rules can change, and we have not verified an official list of content areas for this page. Check the IAAO designation pages and the Professional Development Manual before you register.

Worked examples: how to reason through CAE 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: The IAAO acceptable range for the overall level of assessment (median ratio) in a ratio study is:

1. 0.90 to 1.10
2. 0.85 to 1.15
3. 0.95 to 1.05
4. 0.80 to 1.20

Answer: A. 0.90 to 1.10

Explanation:

The correct answer is 0.90 to 1.10. IAAO standards treat a median assessment ratio inside that band as an acceptable overall level of assessment. It shows that properties are assessed close to market value on the whole.

0.85 to 1.15 and 0.80 to 1.20 are too wide. They would let the overall level drift far from market value and still count as acceptable. 0.95 to 1.05 is too narrow. It is tighter than the standard asks for, so it is not the accepted range.

Rule to remember: the median ratio measures the overall level of assessment, and the acceptable band is centered on 1.00 with limited room on each side. Separate measures, such as uniformity, are judged by other statistics, so do not mix them up with the level.

Example 2

Question: Which body typically hears first-level property assessment appeals at the local level?

1. City planning commission
2. State supreme court
3. Federal district court
4. Board of review or board of equalization

Answer: D. Board of review or board of equalization

Explanation:

The correct answer is the board of review or board of equalization. In most jurisdictions this local body is the formal administrative step where an owner first contests an assessment, before any court is involved.

A city planning commission deals with land use and zoning, not assessed values, so it has no role in assessment appeals. A state supreme court is the top of the judicial system and hears matters only after lower administrative and court steps are finished. A federal district court is the wrong level and the wrong system, because local property assessment disputes are generally state and local matters.

Rule to remember: appeals usually move upward from a local administrative board to higher administrative or judicial bodies. Exact names and procedures vary by state, so check your own jurisdiction.

Example 3

Question: Under most state statutes, which standard of value is the basis for ad valorem property assessment?

1. Liquidation value
2. Insurance replacement value
3. Book value
4. Market value (fair cash value)

Answer: D. Market value (fair cash value)

Explanation:

The correct answer is market value, also called fair cash value in some states. Most state statutes define the basis for ad valorem property assessment as market value or a close statutory equivalent such as true value.

Liquidation value is wrong because it assumes a forced, rushed sale, which usually produces a lower price than an open market sale would. Insurance replacement value is wrong because it estimates the cost to rebuild, which serves insurance purposes rather than taxation. Book value is wrong because it is an accounting figure based on historical cost less depreciation, and it need not reflect what the property would sell for.

Rule to remember: assessment aims at what a typical buyer and seller would agree on in an open market. Your state's statute sets the exact wording, so learn the local term.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the IAAO designation page for the CAE and the Professional Development Manual so you know the eligibility rules, the retake policy and how the exam is run. Since an official content outline is not reproduced here, use IAAO's course materials to decide which topics deserve the most time.

Next, take a practice set cold, before reviewing anything. Begin with Core Concepts and Principles, then move to Property Valuation Techniques, Income Approach to Value and Mass Appraisal and Statistical Analysis. Write down every question you miss and the reason: a gap in knowledge, a misread question, or a mix-up between similar terms.

Then study the gaps in your IAAO course notes and redo the sets you struggled with. Add Appeals and Dispute Resolution and Legal and Regulatory Framework, and note where your own state's rules differ from the general answer.

Before test day, practise working through long stretches of questions without breaks, since the real exam is long and on paper. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find weak areas, not to predict your score.

Sources & last verified

1. International Association of Assessing Officers — time limit, delivery, eligibility (official source). “It is comprehensive in nature, and the candidate is allotted a maximum of eight (8) hours for completion.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. International Association of Assessing Officers — passing score, renewal (official source). “All professional development program examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis only. A passing grade is seventy percent.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
3. International Association of Assessing Officers — exam fee, retake fee (official source). “Master Exam Fee-1st Attempt* $395.00 $245.00” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
4. International Association of Assessing Officers — retake policy, validity (official source). “The Candidate may retake the exam after thirty days. If the Candidate fails the re-examination, the Candidate must wait 180 days for any subsequent attempt.…” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
5. International Association of Assessing Officers — score release (official source). “After the examination is graded, examinees will be notified promptly by e-mail.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

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