The Certified Public Relations Specialist (CPRS) exam is offered by the Accredited Certification Institute and is taken online. This page gives you the verified exam format, a worked example for each of three practice questions, a study plan, and free practice sets by topic. The questions are written with AI tools and are not real exam questions.
The CPRS has 80 questions and takes about 2 hours[1][2] (Accredited Certification Institute, verified Oct 29, 2026).
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 | 80 multiple-choice questions[1] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Time limit | 2 hours[2] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Passing score | 80%[3] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $99 per retake[3] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Retakes permitted for a $99 fee[3] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Delivery | 100% online, self-paced[3] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Open enrollment[2] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Score release | 4 weeks after examination date[3] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Testing window | Daily / open enrollment[1] | Accredited Certification Institute · Oct 29, 2026 |
According to Accredited Certification Institute, “Earn at least 80% in the online examination and project, and you will be mailed your signed certificate.”[3]
The CPRS credential is awarded by the Accredited Certification Institute. The exam is delivered 100% online and is self-paced, so you can fit it around work or study.
Programs are offered through open enrollment, and the exam dates are listed as daily. There is no fixed test day to plan around.
The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions, and you have 2 hours to complete it. To earn the certificate you need at least 80% in the online examination and project. The signed certificate is then mailed to you.
Results are not instant. Grading is completed within 4 weeks of your exam, and grades are sent exactly 4 weeks after your examination date. Plan around that wait if you need the credential for a job application or a deadline.
If you do not pass, you can retake the exam for a $99 fee per retake. Because each retake costs money, it is worth being well prepared before your first attempt.
We could not verify an official list of content areas, so check the syllabus and study guide from the exam provider before you start. Those documents are the authority on what is covered. Our practice sets are a way to test yourself on common public relations topics, not a copy of the exam.
Prepare for the CPRS - Certified Public Relations Specialist 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: How does the CPRS body of knowledge relate to daily professional practice?
Answer: B. It provides the foundational framework that guides decision-making and standard practices
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the body of knowledge provides the foundational framework that guides decision-making and standard practices. It collects the principles, standards and best practices that practitioners rely on in daily work.
Calling it theoretical with limited practical use is wrong, because the whole point is to guide real decisions. Saying it only applies during certification exams is wrong, because the exam only tests knowledge that is meant to be used on the job. Saying it is relevant only for academic research is wrong, because it is aimed at practice, not only study.
Rule to remember: when an option says a professional framework is only theoretical, only for exams or only for academics, it is usually a distractor.
Question: Which approach best demonstrates mastery of content creation in CPRS practice?
Answer: B. Applying principles to novel situations with sound judgment
Explanation:
The correct answer is applying principles to novel situations with sound judgment. Mastery means you understand why a method works well enough to adapt it when the situation is new.
Following procedures without understanding is wrong, because it breaks down as soon as a case differs from the template. Relying entirely on technology is wrong, because tools support judgment but do not replace it. Avoiding complex scenarios is wrong, because skill is shown by handling difficult cases, not sidestepping them.
Rule to remember: scenario questions tend to reward the answer that combines principle with judgment, not rote steps, total reliance on a tool or avoidance.
Question: When a well-known brand licenses its name to a manufacturer of unrelated products, this is called:
Answer: C. Brand licensing
Explanation:
The correct answer is brand licensing. A brand lets another company use its name or logo on that company's products, usually in exchange for royalties. The products can be unrelated to the brand's own.
Co-branding is wrong, because it joins two brands on one offering instead of renting a name to a manufacturer. Brand stretching is wrong, because it means the owner extends its own brand into new categories. White labeling is wrong, because a producer makes goods that another company sells under its own label, without a licensed famous name.
Rule to remember: ask who owns the name and who makes the product. A name lent out for a fee is licensing.
Start with the official syllabus and study guide from the exam provider. Read them first so you know what the exam expects, and note any topic you cannot explain in your own words.
Next, take the CPRS Fundamentals and Core Concepts set as a baseline. Do not worry about the score. Use it to see which topics are weak.
Then work through one set at a time, starting with your weakest areas. Good candidates are Strategic Planning, Brand Management, Crisis Communication and Stakeholder Relations. After each set, read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, and write one line on the rule behind each miss.
Do not rely on memorizing answers. Our questions are not real exam questions, so the aim is to build judgment you can apply to unfamiliar scenarios.
Close to your exam date, do a timed session of mixed questions. The real exam gives you 2 hours for 80 questions, so practise reading carefully at that pace. Since the target is 80% and a retake costs $99, spend your last days on weak topics rather than re-reading what you already know.
The CPRS exam has 80 multiple-choice questions, and the syllabus describes them as multiple choice or true-false. You have 2 hours to complete it. Check the official syllabus before your attempt in case the format has been updated.
You need at least 80% in the online examination and project to earn the certificate. Once you meet that, the signed certificate is mailed to you. Confirm the details on the official how-it-works page of the exam provider.
Yes. Accredited Certification Institute exams are administered 100% online and are self-paced. Programs use open enrollment, and the exam dates are listed as daily, so you are not tied to a fixed test day.
You can retake it. The retake fee is $99 per retake. Because of that cost, it helps to practise on each topic area before your first attempt and to review any weak topics before you try again.
Grading is completed within 4 weeks of your exam, and grades are sent exactly 4 weeks after your examination date. If you have a deadline for the credential, take the exam early enough to allow for that wait.
No. The questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. Use them to find weak topics and practise reasoning, and rely on the official syllabus and study guide for what the exam covers.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.