CET Practice Test

The CET (Certified Emerging Technologist) is an ISACA credential that is now retired, so it can no longer be earned, but existing holders can still maintain it. This page gives free practice sets by topic, worked explanations, a study plan, and the maintenance fee and CPE rules published by ISACA, for holders and for anyone studying emerging technology.

CET Exam at a Glance

What changed for CET in 2026

• Nov 1, 2026: Retake policy (Revoked holders) changed to US$50 reinstatement fee if appeal approved (previously US$50 reinstatement fee if an appeal is approved; otherwise the exam must be retaken).^[1]
• Nov 1, 2026: Eligibility changed to Retired; no longer available to earn (previously Retired; no new candidates since 6 January 2026).^[2]
• Nov 1, 2026: Validity changed to Renewed annually; maintenance fee due by 1 January (previously Renewed each calendar year; maintenance fee due by 1 January).^[1]
• Nov 1, 2026: Exam fee (Annual maintenance fee) changed to US$45 members / US$85 non-members per year (previously US$45 for ISACA members, US$85 for non-members per year).^[1]

What the CET is and how it works

According to ISACA, “The CET certification is retired, but maintenance is available for existing holders.”^[2]

The CET was an ISACA credential covering emerging technology topics: artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing and the Internet of Things. ISACA now lists it as retired. In its words, the CET certification is retired, but maintenance is available for existing holders. That means new candidates cannot earn it, and this page is most useful to people who already hold the credential and want to keep it, and to people who want to study the same subject areas for work or general knowledge.

For existing holders, maintenance has an annual requirement and a cycle requirement. Each year you need a minimum of 20 CPE hours, 10 of them skills-based, and across a 3-year cycle you need a total of 120 CPE hours. The annual maintenance fee is US$45 for ISACA members and US$85 for non-members, and the payment is due by 1 January each year. If a certification is revoked and an appeal is approved, a US$50 reinstatement fee applies before reinstatement.

We have not verified how the original exam was delivered, scored or timed, so we do not state those details here. Rules can change, so check the ISACA CET pages before you pay a fee or file CPE hours. Our practice questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions.

CET content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CET content outline published by ISACA, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CET 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: How should professionals apply industry best practices in daily practice?

1. Only when being evaluated
2. Consistently integrate best practices into every aspect of professional work
3. Apply principles selectively based on convenience
4. Follow standards only for complex tasks

Answer: B. Consistently integrate best practices into every aspect of professional work

Explanation:

The correct answer is to integrate best practices consistently into every aspect of professional work. A practice only protects quality if it is part of how the work is normally done, not something switched on for a particular moment.

Applying practices only when being evaluated is wrong because it shows a performance, not a habit. Applying principles selectively based on convenience is wrong because convenience is not a measure of risk, and the skipped steps are often where problems start. Following standards only for complex tasks is wrong because simple tasks also affect outcomes and trust, and people cannot reliably tell in advance which tasks will turn out to matter.

The rule to remember: standards work as daily habits, not as occasional events, and consistency is what builds professional credibility.

Example 2

Question: What quality assurance measure supports applied methods and techniques?

1. Quality checks are unnecessary for experienced professionals
2. Regular self-assessment, peer review, and adherence to established standards
3. Quality only matters for new practitioners
4. Annual review is sufficient

Answer: B. Regular self-assessment, peer review, and adherence to established standards

Explanation:

The correct answer is regular self-assessment, peer review and adherence to established standards. Each part checks the work from a different angle: you review your own output, a colleague spots what you miss, and standards give a shared baseline to measure against.

The claim that quality checks are unnecessary for experienced professionals is wrong because experience does not remove error or blind spots. The claim that quality only matters for new practitioners is wrong because the cost of poor quality does not shrink with seniority. Saying that an annual review is sufficient is wrong because a single infrequent check lets mistakes pile up for a long time before anyone notices.

The rule to remember: quality assurance is ongoing and applies to everyone, whatever their experience level.

Example 3

Question: What is the primary goal of a digital transformation initiative within an organization?

1. Replacing all legacy hardware with the newest available equipment
2. Fundamentally rethinking how technology, people, and processes create business value
3. Migrating all data to a public cloud provider as quickly as possible
4. Automating every existing manual process without reengineering them

Answer: B. Fundamentally rethinking how technology, people, and processes create business value

Explanation:

The correct answer is fundamentally rethinking how technology, people and processes create business value. Digital transformation is a change in how an organization works, and technology is only one input to it.

Replacing all legacy hardware with the newest equipment is wrong because new equipment alone does not change how value is created. Migrating all data to a public cloud provider as quickly as possible is wrong because it treats one technical move as the goal and ignores the business reasons and risks. Automating every manual process without reengineering is wrong because it speeds up old, possibly poor, processes instead of improving them.

The rule to remember: when a question asks about the goal of transformation, choose the answer about business value and the combination of people, process and technology, not a single tool or migration.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the ISACA CET pages so you know the content areas listed above and, if you hold the credential, the current maintenance rules. Then use the practice sets to find where you are weak, instead of working through them in order.

Take a first pass through the sets that match the content areas, such as core concepts, technology trends, and integration and implementation. Do not time yourself yet. For every question you miss, read the explanation and write a short note in your own words on why the right option fits and why the wrong ones do not. Wrong options on these questions are often absolute or selective, such as only, always, or when convenient, so notice that pattern.

On the next pass, return to the sets where you made the most mistakes and try them again without your notes. Then move to the sets on governance, compliance, ethics and best practices, which reward careful reading of scenarios more than memorizing terms.

If you are a current holder, keep a running log of your CPE hours alongside your study, so the annual requirement and the 1 January fee date do not catch you late. Treat our questions as practice for reasoning, not as a copy of anything ISACA ran.

Sources & last verified

1. ISACA — exam fee, retake policy, validity, renewal (official source). “The cost of the annual maintenance fee is US$45 for ISACA members and US$85 for non-members.” Verified Nov 1, 2026.
2. ISACA — eligibility (official source). “The CET certification is retired, but maintenance is available for existing holders.” Verified Nov 1, 2026.
3. ISACA — other (official source). “ai concepts 50%” Verified Nov 1, 2026.

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