Frequently Asked Questions

Review our exam guides and offerings to help determine which Adobe Certified Professional exam to take.

Prior to June 2021, this program was known as Adobe Certified Associate. In June 2021, all valid ACA certifications that had been earned through live-in-the-app exams (CC 2018 or later) automatically adopted the new Adobe Certified Professional title for the remainder of their three-year eligibility period.

New Credly badges have been awarded and new certificates are available for download through Certiport.com accounts.
Certifications that have been earned through simulation-based exams (CC 2015 or earlier) will remain under the Adobe Certified Associate name.

To become an Adobe Certified Professional, candidates must pass a live-in-the-app exam.
Learn more about the name change.

Yes, each certification is valid for three years after the date of issue. This is to help ensure that Adobe-certified individuals are trained and updated on new app features and capabilities. However, certifications are not directly tied to specific versions of the apps.

For individuals, the cost of taking an Adobe Certified Professional exam varies based on factors such as delivery method and location.
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Each Certiport Authorized Testing Center establishes its own prices for exam vouchers and proctoring fees. It may also offer bundles with other products or services, such as retakes, learning materials, or training.

The cost of an online exam delivered by Certiport through the OnVUE remote proctoring platform depends on the candidate’s location and currency. In the US, the price is US$150 per exam.

Note: Volume purchasing and site licenses are available for institutions and test centers. To learn more, contact Certiport’s global sales team.

There are currently seven certifications available:

• Visual Design Using Adobe Photoshop
• ‍Graphic Design & Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator
• Print & Digital Media Publication Using Adobe InDesign
• Digital Video Using Adobe Premiere Pro ‍
• Visual Effects & Motion Graphics Using Adobe After Effects
• ‍Multiplatform Animation Using Adobe Animate ‍
• Web Authoring Using Adobe Dreamweaver  

To learn more about the exam versions and languages, please visit certiport.com/adobe.

There are currently two ways to access Adobe Certified Professional exams:

Option 1:
‍Online through Certiport’s OnVUE solution (English only)

• Follow these instructions to book an OnVUE exam through your Certiport.com account.

Option 2:
In person or online through a Certiport Authorized Testing Center

• Find a public test center that offers your desired exam through the CATC locator tool or, for candidates outside North America, by contacting the Solution Provider for your region.

Note: Many academic institutions are private Certiport Authorized Testing Centers. Students and educators should check with their institutions about the potential for free or discounted Adobe Certified Professional exams prior to booking exams through OnVUE or public testing centers.

Each Adobe Certified Professional exam includes 30 questions.

Candidates are expected to have at least 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience in an application prior to earning the certification.

Each 50-minute exam includes a Questions section with selected-response items and a Tasks section with live-in-the-app activities inside Adobe software. For more details, see Certiport documentation.

Yes, Adobe Certified Professional exams are all available in several languages. In fact, the Adobe Photoshop exam is available in 12 languages! When contacting a Certiport Authorized Testing Center to schedule an exam, ask about the languages they can accommodate. Contact the Certiport Solution Provider in your country or region for more information about exams outside North America.

Your organization can deliver exams onsite and online by becoming a Certiport Authorized Testing Center. Learn more about the process, requirements, and volume purchasing options for CATCs.

To become an Adobe Certified Professional, you need to earn a passing score of 700 out of 1,000. For an outline of the skills, knowledge, and abilities that are covered in the exams, refer to the Objective Domains.

Visit Certiport to learn about the retake policy.

Adobe offers tutorials and sample projects to help creators of all skill levels get started with any of the 20+ apps included in Creative Cloud.

Reaching the level of proficiency required to pass an Adobe Certified Professional exam requires approximately 150 hours of hands-on experience and instruction. The exams themselves take 50 minutes to complete.

There are Adobe Certified Professional exam guides and details for each certification: 

• Visual Design Using Adobe Photoshop‍
• Graphic Design & Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator ‍
• Print and Digital Media Publication Using Adobe InDesign ‍
• Digital Video Using Adobe Premiere Pro ‍
• Visual Effects & Motion Graphics Using Adobe After Effects ‍
• Multiplatform Animation Using Adobe Animate ‍
• Web Authoring Using Adobe Dreamweaver

RTEducators have prepared students for Adobe certification in a variety of ways, including through year-long, semester-long, and intensive courses. For instance:

• Certiport offers several learning products to help educators integrate the exams into a curriculum — such as practice tests, courseware, and textbooks.
• The Adobe Education Exchange offers a wide range of free learning resources.
• ‍Certifying Adobe Skills in the Classroom is a free, self-paced course on the Adobe Education Exchange that introduces educators to the Adobe Certified Professional program.

Upon passing an exam, you’ll receive an official certificate through your Certiport account and an invitation from Credly to claim your digital badge (admin@youracclaim.com).

As an Adobe Certified Professional, you should share your achievement with the world by adding digital badges to your portfolio, resume, LinkedIn page, and social profiles.

Certiport will also send you a congratulatory email with resources to support further learning and career growth.

In the current career landscape, Creative Cloud certifications and skills are in high demand. As an Adobe Certified Professional, you can gain a competitive edge by proving that you have practical design and digital media skills.
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Employers, clients, and hiring managers seek innovative creators with the technical know-how to match. Adobe Certified Professionals stand out because they’ve validated these coveted skills through certification in the world’s most powerful apps for graphic design, video editing, and more. In short, becoming educated and certified boosts your credibility and confidence and helps organizations find or train the talent they need.

Discover even more benefits of becoming an Adobe Certified Professional.

To download your official certificate, log in to your Certiport.com account, click the My Transcript tab, and scroll to the My Certiport tab. Learn more.

RTHere are few places in your resume to consider listing your Adobe certification or even including your digital badge:

• Next to your name
• In a summary section
• Near the top in a Special Certifications section
• Under your work experience section

As an Adobe Certified Professional, you should add your digital badge to your resume, portfolio, and anywhere that potential employers or clients can find you online. This includes:

• Digital portfolios
• Social media profiles
• Personal websites
• Email signatures
• Digital resumes

Whenever possible, be sure to include a public hyperlink to your badge credentials in your Credly account. This enables potential employers to verify your badge’s authenticity and validate your abilities.

It’s also easy to download and print a PDF version of your Adobe Certified Professional certificate, which includes a unique code that can be used to validate your achievement via verify.certiport.com.

An Adobe Certified Professional specialty credential in Visual, Video, or Web Design is automatically awarded to an individual who completes an eligible pair of certifications. These credentials require knowledge of two products that are frequently used together in the industry.

For example, if you’re already certified for Premiere Pro, you’ll receive a badge and specialty credential for Video Design once you pass either the Photoshop or After Effects exam.

Both certifications must be earned through live-in-the-app exams (2018 or later). Learn more.

Visit Certiport’s support page for guidance on technical and customer support issues for candidates. For questions specific to Certiport’s OnVUE delivery option, please contact AdobeOnVUE@pearson.com.

Visit Certiport’s support page for guidance on technical and customer support issues for Certiport Authorized Testing Centers.

The processes and policies for rescheduling exams vary across Certiport Authorized Testing Centers. Please contact your CATC about rescheduling an exam. 

To reschedule a Certiport OnVUE exam, visit the My Exams section of the My Certiport tab in your Certiport.com candidate portal.