The short answer
CCI lists the RCIS examination fee at $365 USD. CCI states that all exam fees include a $100 USD non-refundable fee for the staff resources required to review and process applications. After you pass, keeping the credential costs $165 USD per three-year renewal cycle. Everything else — study materials, review courses, a retake — is separate, and none of it is charged by CCI.
What CCI charges
These are the fees published by CCI itself. They are the only amounts on this page we can state as figures, because CCI sets them and publishes them.
| Fee | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| RCIS examination fee | $365 USD | The exam itself, application included |
| — of which non-refundable | $100 USD | CCI's stated charge for the staff resources required to review and process applications |
| Score verification | $50 USD | Optional, if you want your result re-checked |
| Pre-application criminal matters review | $50 USD | Non-refundable; applies only to candidates who need this review |
| Renewal | $165 USD | Every three years, to keep the credential active |
| Late fee (grace period) | $50 USD | Added to renewal, for a total of $215 USD |
| Penalty fee (probationary period) | $200 USD | For registry and advanced level credentials, which includes RCIS |
| Retired status | $30 USD | Per triennial cycle, administrative; CEUs not required |
Examination and score-verification fees per CCI's official RCIS credential page; renewal, late, penalty, and retired-status fees per CCI's renew credentials page. Both retrieved 2026-08-15. Fees change and CCI is the only authority on them — confirm the current amount directly with CCI before you pay anything.
What does the $100 non-refundable portion actually mean?
It means that once CCI has taken your application into its review process, $100 of your $365 has been spent regardless of what happens next. CCI describes it as covering the staff resources required to review and process applications.
The practical consequence is about timing rather than money. People sometimes apply early to "lock something in" while still deciding whether they are ready. Applying is not a free option — it starts a process with a cost attached. For the refund treatment of the remaining balance, and the conditions and deadlines attached to it, check CCI's current refund and cancellation policy directly; we are not going to paraphrase a policy that determines whether you get money back.
What the fee does not include
CCI's $365 buys the application and the exam. It does not buy preparation. The costs below are real and are worth budgeting for, but they are set by third parties and vary too widely for us to attach numbers to honestly.
- Study materials. Question banks, review courses, apps, and textbooks span a very wide price range, and several are subscriptions rather than one-time purchases. We compare the main options on their merits, not their prices, on best RCIS exam prep 2026.
- A retake, if it comes to that. A second attempt means a second exam fee. This is the single largest avoidable cost in the whole process, and it is avoidable by not sitting before you are ready.
- Time off and travel. Exams are delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. Depending on where you live, that can mean a drive and a day off the schedule.
- CEUs for renewal. Continuing education can often be earned free through employers, conferences, or professional societies, but not always. See the renewal section below.
The cheapest thing you can do is pass the first time
A failed attempt costs another exam fee, plus whatever waiting period CCI requires before you can rebook. Sitting three months later and passing is cheaper than sitting the week you become eligible and failing.
Eligibility and readiness are different clocks, and conflating them is the most expensive mistake in this process. CCI decides when you are permitted to register; only your practice results tell you whether you should. The specific retake interval and any re-examination fee can change, so confirm the current retake policy with CCI before you rebook.
If you want a genuinely free read on whether you are close, the RCIS exam pass rate page puts the odds in context and the diagnostic below gives you a topic-level breakdown at no cost.
What does it cost to keep the credential?
CCI renews registry-level credentials on a three-year cycle at $165 USD. Alongside the fee, registry-level holders must complete 36 CEUs per triennial cycle, of which a minimum of 30 must be cardiovascular-related and the remaining 6 may be in any medical-related field.
Miss the deadline and it gets more expensive: CCI lists a $50 USD late fee during the grace period, taking renewal to $215 USD, and a $200 USD penalty fee for registry and advanced level credentials during the probationary period. If you are stepping away from the field, CCI offers a retired status at $30 USD per triennial cycle with no CEU requirement.
Renewal fees and CEU requirements per CCI's renew credentials page and CCI's continuing education page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
Ask whether your employer will pay for it
This is the part of the cost question most people skip, and it is the part with the largest possible answer. Hospitals commonly reimburse certification exam fees, fund them from unit education budgets, or attach them to a clinical ladder step — but the arrangements vary enormously between institutions and almost none of them advertise it.
It is a short conversation with your manager or education department and it costs nothing to have. No reasonable manager reads the question badly; if anything, it reads as someone taking their own development seriously. Ask before you pay, not after, because reimbursement policies often require pre-approval.
Before you spend $365, find out where you stand
A free 25-question diagnostic matched to the CCI blueprint, with a topic-level breakdown of your weak domains. The questions start right away — no email and no account required.
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How much does the RCIS exam cost?
CCI lists the RCIS examination fee at $365 USD, which includes a $100 USD non-refundable portion. Confirm the current fee with CCI before applying.
How much of the RCIS exam fee is refundable?
CCI states that $100 USD of every exam fee is non-refundable. For the treatment of the remaining balance and the conditions attached, check CCI's current refund policy directly.
How much does it cost to renew RCIS certification?
$165 USD per three-year cycle. A $50 USD late fee applies during the grace period, taking it to $215 USD, and CCI lists a $200 USD penalty fee for registry-level credentials during the probationary period. Retired status is $30 USD per cycle.
Does the RCIS exam fee include study materials?
No. CCI's fee covers the application and the exam. Study materials are separate purchases from third parties at widely varying prices.
Will my employer pay for the RCIS exam?
Many will, through reimbursement, education budgets, or clinical ladder programs, but it varies entirely by employer and often requires pre-approval. Ask your manager before you pay.