Infection Control Certification: CIC vs a-IPC vs LTC-CIP (2026)

“Infection control certification” can mean two very different things: a board certification that proves you can run an infection prevention program, or a training certificate that shows you finished a course. If you want a credential that shows you can run an infection prevention program, you are looking for one of the three board certifications from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC).

This guide compares all three — the CIC®, the a-IPC™ and the LTC-CIP® — using CBIC’s published requirements, so you can see which one you qualify for and which one to take first.

The short answer

	a-IPC™	CIC®	LTC-CIP®
Best for	Students, new or aspiring infection preventionists	Practicing infection preventionists in any healthcare setting	Infection preventionists in long-term care
Education required	None	Post-secondary, health-related field	Post-secondary, health-related field
Experience required	None	1 year full-time (or equivalent) with direct infection prevention responsibility	Responsibility for infection prevention in long-term care; 1 year recommended
Exam	100 questions (85 scored)	150 questions (135 scored)	150 questions (15 unscored pretest items)
Application fee (US)	$335	$445	$445
2025 pass rate	Not published	64% (2,007 candidates)	72% (465 candidates)
Valid for	5 years	5 years	5 years

If you already work as an infection preventionist and meet the experience requirement, the CIC is the credential to aim for. If you do not qualify yet, the a-IPC is the only option you can sit today. If your whole program is in a nursing home or assisted living, compare the LTC-CIP with the CIC before you apply.

Board certification vs. training certificate

Search results for “infection control certification” mix both kinds, so it helps to separate them before you spend money:

• Board certifications (CBIC) — a proctored exam, eligibility rules, a credential you put after your name, and recertification every five years. These are the a-IPC, CIC and LTC-CIP covered below.
• Training certificates — courses that end with a certificate of completion, such as the free CDC and CMS training for nursing home infection preventionists, CDC’s Project Firstline modules, or infection control courses that some states require for licensed professionals. They are useful for learning and compliance, but they are not a board certification.
• Profession-specific exams — for example, the dental assisting field has its own infection control exam. These cover infection control for one profession rather than running an infection prevention program.

The rest of this guide is about the board certifications.

CIC®: the standard for infection preventionists

The CIC is CBIC’s core credential for practicing infection preventionists. CBIC describes it as indicating “competence in the actual practice of infection prevention and control and healthcare epidemiology.”

Who is eligible

CBIC requires all three of the following:

1. Education — completed post-secondary education in a health-related field, such as medicine, nursing, laboratory technology, public health or biology.
2. Direct responsibility — you must be directly responsible for infection prevention and control program activities in your current position, for example by advising departments on infection prevention practices and products, or supervising the people who do.
3. Experience — at least one year of full-time employment, two years part-time, or 3,000 hours of infection prevention work in the previous three years. Your role must cover all five core components of infection prevention and at least two of the remaining three (employee/occupational health, management and communication, education and research).

There is no required job title. Infection preventionist and epidemiologist are typical, but nurses, medical technologists and physicians qualify if their role meets the definition above.

The exam

• Length: 150 multiple-choice questions, of which 135 count toward your score.
• Time: two 90-minute sections with an optional 16-minute break between them.
• No skipping: since January 2, 2025, you must answer questions in the order they appear.
• Scoring: scaled scores run from 300 to 900; you need 700 to pass. If you pass you only see a pass message; if you fail you get your scaled score.
• Where: at a Prometric testing center or at home with Prometric’s live remote proctoring (ProProctor).
• Language: English or Spanish.
• Fee: $445. If you fail, there is a 90-day wait and you pay the full fee again.
• Pass rate: 64% in 2025, across 2,007 candidates.

What is on the exam

The current CIC content outline has eight domains. These are the scored items per domain:

Domain	Scored items
Identification of Infectious Disease Processes	22
Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation	22
Preventing/Controlling the Transmission of Infectious Agents	22
Cleaning, Disinfection, Sterilization of Medical Devices and Equipment	18
Management and Communication	14
Environment of Care	14
Education and Research	12
Employee/Occupational Health	11
Total	135

The first three domains make up almost half the exam, so they deserve the most study time.

The content outline changes on November 24, 2026

CBIC has published a revised CIC content outline that takes effect on November 24, 2026:

• To test on the current outline, submit your application by November 10, 2026.
• From November 24, 2026 to February 22, 2027, applicants take a beta version of the new exam at a 25% discount on the application fee. Beta testing runs from March 1 to April 9, 2027, and results arrive about 60 days after the testing window closes.

If you are early in your preparation, check CBIC’s updated outline before choosing study materials, and decide whether a discounted beta exam with a long wait for results suits your timeline.

Recertification

The CIC is valid for five years. You recertify either by retaking the exam or by earning continuing education credits CBIC calls Infection Prevention Units (IPUs).

a-IPC™: the entry-level option

The Associate – Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC) is designed for people who are new to the field or want to move into it.

• Eligibility: none. CBIC says a candidate “must only have interest in the field of infection prevention and control” — no degree or job requirement.
• Exam: 100 multiple-choice questions, 85 of them scored. Like the CIC, you need a scaled score of 700 to pass.
• Fee: $335 in the US. CBIC uses lower, income-based fees in some countries.
• Where: testing centers in the US, Canada and internationally, or remote proctoring at no extra cost.
• Valid for: five years, expiring on December 31 of the fifth year. You can renew by exam or with 40 IPUs earned during the five years.

The a-IPC covers the same eight domains as the CIC, with fewer items in each. It is a good way to show employers you know the fundamentals while you build the experience the CIC requires — but it is an associate-level credential, not a replacement for the CIC.

LTC-CIP®: for long-term care

The Long-Term Care Certification in Infection Prevention (LTC-CIP) is built for infection preventionists in nursing homes and other long-term care settings.

• Eligibility: post-secondary education in a health-related field, plus responsibility for infection prevention and control programs in a long-term care setting. CBIC recommends, but does not require, one year of full-time infection prevention experience.
• Exam content: shares most domains with the CIC, drops Education and Research, and adds Antimicrobial Stewardship and Long-Term Care Settings. Fifteen items are unscored pretest questions.
• Fee: $445.
• Pass rate: 72% in 2025, across 465 candidates.
• Recertification: every five years, by exam or with IPUs, including at least five that are specific to long-term care.

Which certification should you take?

• You meet the CIC requirements: take the CIC. It is recognized across every healthcare setting, including long-term care.
• You work only in long-term care: the LTC-CIP tests what you do day to day, including antimicrobial stewardship. If you might move to a hospital or another setting later, the CIC travels further.
• You do not have a year of experience yet: take the a-IPC now if you want a credential while you build experience, then sit the CIC once you qualify.
• You only need training for compliance or onboarding: a free CDC or CMS course may be enough — no exam fee required.

How to prepare for the CIC exam

With a 64% pass rate, roughly one in three CIC candidates fails, so preparation matters. Three habits make the biggest difference:

1. Study by domain weight. Spend most of your time on the three 22-item domains, and do not skip cleaning, disinfection and sterilization — at 18 items it carries more weight than management, environment of care, education or employee health.
2. Practice with exam-style questions, not just reading. The CIC tests applied judgment: what to do first, which measure fits a situation. Answering questions and reading the explanation of every wrong answer builds that skill faster than rereading a textbook.
3. Rehearse the real format. Take at least one full 150-question timed practice exam, answering in order without skipping, so exam day holds no surprises.

CIC Prep is built for exactly that: 654 CIC-style practice questions with an explanation for every answer, full-length 150-question timed mock exams, a review quiz of the questions you missed and an AI tutor that explains the reasoning when you are stuck. It is free to download on iOS and Android, and your first quizzes are free.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best infection control certification?

For practicing infection preventionists, the CIC is the standard credential, recognized across healthcare settings. The a-IPC is the best option if you do not yet meet the CIC’s education and experience requirements, and the LTC-CIP is designed specifically for long-term care.

Can I take the CIC without a nursing degree?

Yes. You need completed post-secondary education in a health-related field — medicine, nursing, laboratory technology, public health and biology are all listed — plus the required infection prevention experience. There is no nursing requirement.

How much does infection control certification cost?

CBIC’s application fees are $445 for the CIC, $445 for the LTC-CIP and $335 for the a-IPC in the US. Training certificates such as the CDC and CMS nursing home course can be free.

How hard is the CIC exam?

In 2025, 64% of the 2,007 people who took the CIC passed. You need a scaled score of 700 out of 900, and questions must be answered in order without skipping.

How long is infection control certification valid?

All three CBIC certifications are valid for five years. You recertify by retaking the exam or by earning continuing education credits (IPUs).

Sources

All figures were checked against CBIC’s published pages on October 20, 2026. Fees, dates and outlines change, so confirm the details with CBIC before you apply.

• CBIC — About the CIC® examination
• CBIC — CIC® initial certification FAQs
• CBIC — CIC® eligibility guidelines
• CBIC — a-IPC™ certification
• CBIC — LTC-CIP® eligibility guidelines
• CBIC — LTC-CIP® FAQs
• CBIC — Crosswalk of CBIC certifications

CIC Prep is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by CBIC. CIC®, a-IPC™ and LTC-CIP® are trademarks of the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.