CGM Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CGM exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
CGM exam key facts
- The CGM Application Exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions. Source
- Candidates have 90 minutes to complete the 75-question CGM Application Exam. Source
- The CGM Application Exam requires a minimum passing score of 80%. Source
- The CGM application fee is $200 for PGMS members, $300 for non-members and $400 to join PGMS and apply at the same time. Source
- CGM candidates get two initial opportunities to pass the Application Exam and must re-apply after a six-month waiting period if they fail the second re-take. Source
- CGM candidates have one year from acceptance to complete both the Application Exam and the PGME portfolio. Source
📋 CGM Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CGM Topics to Study (41)
✍️ Sample CGM Questions & Answers
1. A landscape manager discovers that a newly planted tree is exhibiting interveinal chlorosis on young leaves. The most likely nutrient deficiency is:
Iron deficiency causes interveinal chlorosis (yellow tissue between green veins) on young leaves, common in high-pH soils that limit iron availability.
2. What is the significance of professional networking in the Certified Grounds Manager field?
Professional networking facilitates knowledge exchange, generates referrals, and enables collaborative problem-solving that improves practice quality.
3. An Incident Command System (ICS) is best described as:
ICS is a standardized management system that allows multiple agencies and teams to coordinate effectively during any emergency.
4. Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), employees who work with hazardous chemicals must be trained:
HazCom requires training before initial exposure and whenever new chemical hazards are introduced to the workplace.
5. What does hearing protection help prevent?
Hearing protection, such as earmuffs or earplugs, is specifically designed to reduce the intensity of loud noises. Operating machinery like mowers or leaf blowers can expose workers to decibel levels that cause permanent hearing damage over time. By wearing appropriate protection, individuals can significantly mitigate this risk and safeguard their auditory health.
6. What is the function of a master valve in an irrigation system?
A master valve acts as a failsafe shutoff installed at the system's water source that only opens when a zone valve is scheduled to run.
🎯 Free CGM Practice Tests
📖 CGM Guides & Articles
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CGM
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length CGM mock exam — 75 questions in 90 minutes with a 70% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed CGM question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable CGM cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- CGM flashcards built from the same question bank.
- Free CGM practice tests with the correct answer shown after each question.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- pgms.org — Renewal, fees, exam format, retake fee, retake policy, score release, test dates, time limit, score validity, test delivery · verified Oct 2026