ISC2 Candidate Maintenance Policy

  1. Purpose

    This policy establishes the requirements for ISC2 Candidates to maintain their status in good standing.

  2. Revision History

    3.0 Version

  3. Scope

    This policy applies to all ISC2 Candidates.

  4. Policy

    4.1 ISC2 Candidate Requirements

    4.1.1 All ISC2 Candidates will be required to abide by the ISC2 Code of Ethics and the ISC2 Privacy Policy

    4.1.2 ISC2 Candidates will not have voting rights in ISC2 board elections or for/against bylaw amendments.

    4.1.3 ISC2 Candidates are required to pay annual dues in the amount of U.S. $50 which are due on the candidate’s second year and continuously due on the same date each year as long as ISC2 candidate status is held.

    4.1.4 ISC2 Candidates will be given a 90-day grace period from their due date to pay their annual dues in full. After the 90-day grace period expires and they fail to pay their annual dues, their candidate status will be terminated. See section 4.4 on ISC2 Candidate Status Termination

    4.1.5 Once annual dues are paid, they are non-refundable. ISC2 Candidate annual dues are subject to change based on ISC2’s discretion, with advance notification to ISC2 Candidates.

    4.1.6 ISC2 Candidates are not required to submit Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.

    4.1.7 There is no term limit for holding an ISC2 Candidate status. As long as dues are paid annually, the ISC2 Candidate remains in good standing.

    4.2 ISC2 Candidate Benefits

    ISC2 Candidates will receive access to career development and pathing, networking opportunities, tools, resources, continuous skill building and eventually certification.

    These benefits include:

    • 180-day access to Official ISC2 Online Self-Paced course for Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
    • Exam registration for Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
    • 20% off Official ISC2 Online Self-Paced certification courses
    • 20% off Official ISC2 Online Instructor-Led certification courses
    • 30% off Common Body of Knowledge textbooks
    • 50% off practice test books and study guides

    4.3 Upgrade to ISC2 Certified Member Status

    4.3.1 In order for ISC2 Candidates to achieve ISC2 certified membership status, they must successfully pass the exam for the corresponding endorsement application for their certification of choice.

    4.3.2 Upon approval of the endorsement application, the ISC2 Candidate will receive an email confirmation outlining the next steps towards certification. This will include paying an upgrade fee of U.S. $85, assuming the U.S. $50 candidate annual dues have been paid for the year.

    4.3.2.1 If an ISC2 Candidate has successfully passed the Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) exam: The AMF for CC certification is U.S $50 annually. Assuming the ISC2 Candidate has already paid their annual dues for that year, there be no upgrade fee associated with upgrading from ISC2 Candidate status to CC-certified member because the annual dues paid for that year already covers the AMF associated with the CC certification.

    4.3.3 The ISC2 Candidate status will be terminated under the termination reason ‘Upgrade Candidate.’ A new three-year certification cycle will start on the first of the following month once upgrade payment is received. The ISC2 Candidate badge will be terminated, and a new credential badge will be issued.

    4.4 ISC2 Candidate Status Termination

    4.4.1 An ISC2 Candidate status can be terminated under the following conditions:

    4.4.1.1 An ISC2 Candidate status will be terminated for non-payment of their annual dues after the 90-day grace period (following due date of dues) provided to them.

    4.4.1.2 If an ISC2 Candidate requests that they no longer want to continue their candidate status, ISC2 will mark their candidate status as terminated.

    4.4.2 Once a candidate status is terminated, the individual will no longer have access to candidate benefits or any offerings. Their contact will be removed from all ISC2 email campaigns and other forms of communication.

    4.4.3 Terminated ISC2 Candidates can be reinstated if they pay the current year’s candidate annual dues at the time they wish their candidate status to be reactivated. They will have access to their dashboard to pay the current year’s annual dues of U.S. $50. They will have to pay dues upon reinstatement, rather than at their one-year anniversary, because this will not be considered their first year as an ISC2 Candidate.

    4.4.4 Upon termination of candidate status, while their subscription will no longer be active, ISC2 will retain their name and contact details for five years solely for record keeping purposes in accordance with our privacy policy. This information will not be used for any marketing purposes without consent.