CCS Practice Test

The CCS is a course from the Calgary Real Estate Board for licensed Alberta real estate professionals who want condominium knowledge. This page sets out the delivery, eligibility and passing-score facts we could verify, then gives you practice sets by topic, worked explanations of sample questions, a study plan and answers to common questions. Our content is written with AI tools.

CCS Exam at a Glance

What changed for CCS in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to In person at CREB headquarters (3 days) (previously In person at CREB headquarters, 300 Manning Road NE, Calgary (3 days)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to Licensed with RECA and CREA member through an Alberta board (previously Licensed with RECA and a CREA member through an Alberta board).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Passing score changed to 70% or higher (previously 70% or higher on the final assessment).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Registration opens changed to 3 months prior to scheduled dates (previously Opens 3 months before the course date).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Testing window changed to Nov 23–25, 2026 (9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) (previously Nov 23–25, 2026 (3-day course, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)).^[2]

What the CCS is and how it works

According to Calgary Real Estate Board, “This comprehensive course is held at the CREB® headquarters, attendance on all three days, and a grade of 70% or higher on the final assessment is required to receive certification.”^[1]

The Certified Condo Specialist (CCS) course is offered by the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB). It is a course with a final assessment rather than a stand-alone sitting at a test centre. It is held in person at CREB headquarters over 3 days, and attendance on all 3 days is required. To receive certification you need a grade of 70% or higher on the final assessment.

On eligibility, CREB offers the course to non-CREB members who belong to another real estate board in Alberta, provided they are licensed with RECA and are members of CREA through that board. Check the official page to see how this applies to your own situation.

Registration opens 3 months prior to the scheduled dates. The session listed on CREB's registration page runs Nov 23–25, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Fees, retake rules, course materials and the exact list of topics are not among the facts we have verified, so we do not state them here. Confirm them on the CREB courses page before you register. Our practice sets are independent study aids written with AI tools. They are not CREB material and are not real exam questions.

Worked examples: how to reason through CCS 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 budget variance analysis in CCS financial management?

1. Comparing actual spending against budgeted amounts to explain differences
2. Creating next year's budget
3. Counting cash
4. Reviewing expense reports

Answer: A. Comparing actual spending against budgeted amounts to explain differences

Explanation:

The correct answer is comparing actual spending against budgeted amounts to explain differences. Variance analysis starts with the budget as a baseline, measures how far real results moved from it, and then asks why. The "why" is the useful part, because it tells a board or manager whether to adjust spending or revise the budget.

Creating next year's budget is planning, not analysis of past results. Counting cash is a check on what is on hand and says nothing about whether spending matched the plan. Reviewing expense reports checks individual claims for accuracy, but it does not compare the whole against a budget.

Rule to remember: variance analysis always has three parts, a budgeted figure, an actual figure and an explanation of the gap.

Example 2

Question: What is considered an unethical practice in condo sales?

1. Offering property tours
2. Providing full disclosures
3. Misrepresenting facts or hiding defects
4. Hosting open houses

Answer: C. Misrepresenting facts or hiding defects

Explanation:

The correct answer is misrepresenting facts or hiding defects. Buyers rely on what the seller and agent tell them, so false statements or concealed known problems undermine that trust and can bring legal consequences for everyone involved.

Offering property tours is ordinary sales activity that lets buyers see the property. Providing full disclosures is the opposite of unethical, since it gives buyers the accurate and complete information they are entitled to. Hosting open houses is a normal way to market a property to many buyers.

Rule to remember: the test is whether the buyer is being given a true picture. Marketing activity is fine, while deception or omission of known defects is not.

Example 3

Question: What is a needs assessment in CCS Marketing & Sales Strategies practice?

1. Identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes
2. Office supply list
3. Benefits survey
4. Property appraisal

Answer: A. Identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes

Explanation:

The correct answer is identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes. A needs assessment looks at where things stand, defines where they should be, and uses the difference to justify a change or an improvement.

An office supply list is simply an inventory of items and has no link to outcomes. A benefits survey collects opinions about existing benefits, which can be one input, but it does not compare current and desired conditions. A property appraisal estimates the value of a property and answers a different question altogether.

Rule to remember: when an option describes a gap between where you are and where you want to be, it is describing a needs assessment. Lists, surveys and valuations are separate tools.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official CREB courses page and read what it says about attendance, eligibility and the final assessment, so you know what you are preparing for. Then work through our practice sets one topic at a time rather than mixing them.

1. Take a quick pass through each set to find your weak areas. Do not worry about the score at this stage.
2. Pick the weakest topics, such as insurance and risk management or reserve studies and capital planning, and study each wrong answer until you can explain why the other options fail.
3. Give the finance sets, such as financial operations and budgeting, extra time if numbers are not your strength, and write out each calculation by hand.
4. Review law and ethics sets, including property management and condominium law, against your course notes and the official sources, because rules differ by province.

In the last days before the course, redo only the questions you missed. Remember that the course is in person and attendance is required throughout, so plan your time off and sleep as seriously as your reading. Our questions are practice aids, not a preview of the final assessment.

Sources & last verified

1. Calgary Real Estate Board — passing score, delivery, eligibility, registration opens (official source). “This comprehensive course is held at the CREB® headquarters, attendance on all three days, and a grade of 70% or higher on the final assessment…” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. Calgary Real Estate Board — testing window (official source). “Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, 2026 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

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