How to become a CMA: requirements and separate deadlines
To become a CMA, maintain IMA membership, enter the CMA program, pass both exam parts, satisfy the education and experience requirements, and comply with IMA’s ethics rules. The exam deadline and the education/experience deadlines use different reference events.
| Requirement | What is needed | Deadline or reference event |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Pass both parts in either order | Within three years of entering the CMA program. |
| Education | Accredited bachelor’s degree or an approved professional certification | Handbook: submit verification within seven years of completing the examination. |
| Experience | Two continuous years of qualifying management-accounting or financial-management experience | Before, or within seven years of passing the examination. |
| Membership and ethics | Active IMA membership and compliance with ethical standards | Required for certification and ongoing good standing. |
The application and certification sequence
You can complete the exams before you have finished every certification requirement. Keep records of the dates and proof associated with each step.
Step 1
Check your evidence
Identify your degree or approved qualification and whether your duties meet the experience definition. Ask IMA about unusual cases.
Step 2
Join and enroll
IMA membership and the CMA entrance fee are separate items. Entering the program starts the three-year exam clock.
Step 3
Register and schedule
Current English CBQ purchases allow eight months from the invoice date to sit. Save the authorization and its actual eligibility dates, then book a Prometric appointment within them. The separate three-year deadline for passing both parts still applies.
Step 4
Pass and document
Pass both parts and submit the required education and experience evidence. Wait for certification before using the designation.
Keep three different completion clocks in your records
An individual exam purchase, the two-part program and the certification evidence do not necessarily expire together. Your exam authorization determines when that purchase can be used. The program-entry date determines the three-year period for passing both parts. The handbook separately describes the education and experience deadlines.
The current English CBQ purchase page states eight months from the invoice date, while the March handbook still describes fixed-window registrations. Save the purchase confirmation and the actual eligibility dates rather than calculating an appointment solely from an older general guide. Ask IMA to resolve any mismatch before relying on it.
A later purchase does not imply that the overall program deadline has restarted. Put the program-entry date, passed-part record and current authorization in the same checklist so that planning a retake does not conceal an approaching program expiry.
| Record | What to save | Why it is separate |
|---|---|---|
| Program entry | Enrollment confirmation and program-end date | Controls the deadline for passing both parts. |
| Exam purchase | Invoice, authorization and eligibility dates | Controls use of that particular registration. |
| Qualification evidence | Submission confirmations and IMA’s acceptance/status | Passing exams alone does not complete certification. |
Plan the evidence around your situation
A student may use the exam period to develop knowledge while still completing the education requirement. A working candidate may have relevant experience but need to document duties clearly. A candidate with a qualification from another country may need to check the verification and translation requirements before assuming a transcript is sufficient.
Describe what the work involved. “Prepared monthly forecasts, evaluated budget variances and advised managers on costs” is more informative than a title alone. Keep dates, weekly hours and appropriate employer verification available. This is a way to prepare your evidence, not an independent determination that IMA will accept it.
After passing, review the remaining requirements and wait for IMA to confirm certification before using the designation. Keep membership and ongoing professional obligations in your plan; the exam fee is not the entire long-term commitment.
Why the deadline wording needs care
IMA’s short pathway summary says seven years after enrolling for education and experience, while its detailed handbook uses completion or passing of the examination. The same pathway page’s experience FAQ also uses passing the examination. The table above follows the detailed handbook, pages 5-6. If your deadline is material, obtain written confirmation from IMA rather than relying on the shorter summary.
Assess duties, not just a job title
The handbook requires regular professional judgment in management accounting or financial management. FP&A, budgeting and financial analysis are examples; occasional exposure or purely clerical tasks are not equivalent. Document the duties you actually performed and let IMA determine eligibility.
| Evidence to assemble | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Employment dates and weekly hours | Shows continuity and whether full-time or part-time treatment applies. |
| Specific responsibilities | Connects work to qualifying professional judgment. |
| Supervisor or employer verification | Supports the experience record rather than an unsupported job-title claim. |
| Degree or approved qualification verification | Education is assessed separately from work experience. |
Common questions
- Can I take Part 2 before Part 1?
- Yes. IMA permits either order.
- Can I sit before completing my experience?
- Yes. Experience can be completed before or within seven years of passing the examination, subject to IMA’s qualification rules.
- What happens if both parts are not passed within three years?
- The handbook says passed parts expire and the entrance fee must be paid again. Check your program-entry date before planning another attempt.
Sources and editorial notes
Source check: . MiloPrep editorial team. Official facts and provider offer claims are identified below. Study schedules, examples and recommendations are editorial; they are not official questions, a required study-hour total or a passing guarantee.
- IMA CMA Handbook, March 2026 (PDF) ↗
Pages 4-6: certification deadlines; 7-9: format, windows, older registration cutoffs and appointment changes; 10-13: exam day, scoring and reports. The current CBQ purchase page describes a different, eight-month authorization period.
- IMA certification steps and resources ↗
Part order, recurring windows and certification steps. Its brief deadline summary conflicts with the detailed handbook; see the requirements guide.
- IMA English CBQ purchase and eligibility window ↗
Current purchase page: eight months from invoice purchase date to sit; eligibility dates confirmed in Prometric. This differs from the March handbook’s fixed-window registration wording.
MiloPrep is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by IMA or the providers discussed. Editorial methodology · About the editorial team.