ACAMS AML certification: cost, eligibility and exam
CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) is the anti-money laundering certification run by ACAMS. To earn it you need active ACAMS membership, 40 eligibility credits and a pass in a 120-question, 3.5-hour exam; the package costs US$2,095 in the private sector. You recertify every three years with 60 credits.
This guide is for compliance staff, practice managers and anyone weighing the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) credential. Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) reforms bring accountants, lawyers, conveyancers and real estate agents into the regime. Fees and rules come from ACAMS’s own pages and its CAMS candidate handbook, checked on 21 October 2026.
What is CAMS?
CAMS stands for Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. It is the flagship certification of ACAMS, the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists. When people talk about the ACAMS AML certification, this is the one they mean.
ACAMS is a membership organisation, not a government body. It reports more than 120,000 members and more than 65,000 CAMS-certified members, and says CAMS is trusted in over 180 countries.
ACAMS aims CAMS at people with 18 to 24 months in anti-financial crime work. Typical roles include compliance officer, money laundering reporting officer, risk manager and internal auditor.
Key point
Under Australia’s AML/CTF Act, a compliance officer must be at management level and fit and proper; the Act requires no CAMS or other certification.
Who can sit the CAMS exam?
You need two things: active ACAMS membership and 40 eligibility credits. Membership itself earns no credits.
Credits come from three sources, and you can mix them.
| Source | Credits |
|---|---|
| Associate degree | 10 |
| Bachelor’s degree | 20 |
| Master’s degree | 30 |
| JD or PhD | 40 |
| Each year of anti-financial crime work | 10 |
| Each hour of financial crime training | 1 |
| The four CAMS core courses, together | 18 |
| The CAMS Virtual Classroom | 12 |
A bachelor’s degree (20) plus two years in a financial crime role (20) reaches 40. Without a degree, three years’ experience (30) plus the four core courses (18) gets you to 48.
Your degree can be in any field, as long as an accredited institution issued it. Internships count if they were in anti-financial crime work.
How much does CAMS cost?
What CAMS costs, by sector
| Fee (US$) | Private sector | Public sector |
|---|---|---|
| CAMS package | US$2,095 | US$1,595 |
| Package with Virtual Classroom | US$2,495 | US$2,095 |
| Exam retake | US$299 | US$199 |
| Exam extension | US$100 | US$100 |
| Recertification, every three years | US$200 to US$300, by deadline | US$200 to US$300, by deadline |
Sources: ACAMS, CAMS Certification; ACAMS, CAMS Certification Candidate Handbook Reviewed
The package includes the study guide, flashcards, four core eLearning courses, two electives, the exam simulator and one exam sitting. Public sector prices are for people who work for government.
ACAMS membership is a separate fee, priced by sector and by one-year or three-year term on the ACAMS membership page. All ACAMS prices are in US dollars, subject to local tax, and can change without notice, so check the live price before you budget.
What is the CAMS exam like?
- Questions
- 120Multiple choice and multiple selection
- Time
- 3.5 hoursNo scheduled breaks
- Passing score
- 75No penalty for guessing
- Where
- Pearson VUE test centreMore than 5,000 worldwide; online proctoring in some locations
- Window
- 6 monthsFrom the day your application is approved
- Result
- On screen at the endPass or fail, straight away
- Retake
- After 30 daysThen 60 days, then 90 days
Sources: ACAMS, CAMS Certification Candidate Handbook; ACAMS, CAMS Certification Reviewed
The exam mixes knowledge questions with practical scenarios, in multiple choice and multiple selection formats. There is no penalty for guessing, so ACAMS advises you to answer every question.
Questions come from four weighted domains, published in the candidate handbook:
- Understanding the risks and methods of financial crime: 30%
- Global anti-financial crime frameworks, governance and regulations: 20%
- Building an anti-financial crime compliance program: 30%
- Tools and technologies to fight financial crime: 20%
The regulations domain names US and the European Union (EU) law, not Australian law. For Australia’s rules, see our guides to AML/CTF compliance and AML compliance requirements in Australia.
How do you get certified?
From package to certificate, then every three years
The CAMS route, in order
- Step 1
Buy a package and join ACAMS
Active membership is required to apply, and to keep the credential.
- Step 2
Work through the learning path
Four core courses, two electives, study guide and exam simulator.
- Step 3
Apply with 40 eligibility credits
From education, experience and training.
Approval is typically within 5 business days.
- Step 4
Sit the exam
Within six months of approval, at a Pearson VUE test centre.
-
Recertify every three years
60 credits, active membership and a recertification fee.
Sources: ACAMS, CAMS Certification; ACAMS, CAMS Certification Candidate Handbook Reviewed
Your package includes self-study material and an exam simulator with more than 1,000 practice questions. For live teaching, the ACAMS Virtual Classroom is a four to six week online course, at extra cost.
You can apply before or after you finish the learning path. Once approved, you have six months to sit the exam, so time your application to your study plan.
How do you keep CAMS active?
CAMS runs on a three-year cycle. To recertify, you keep your membership active, earn 60 credits and pay a recertification fee.
- 60 credits in each three-year cycle, with at least 12 from ACAMS training
- No rollover: credits above 60 do not carry into the next cycle
- Outside training counts if it covers financial crime, runs live for at least an hour and you keep proof
- Fees: US$200 by 1 October, US$250 by 15 December, or US$300 by 31 March of the next year
Key point
Under ACAMS policy, a CAMS holder who misses the 31 March late deadline loses the designation and must pay again and resit the exam.
Is CAMS worth it for Australian AML roles?
From 1 July 2026, the AML/CTF Amendment Act 2024 brings accountants, lawyers, conveyancers and real estate agents under AUSTRAC regulation. Each newly regulated business takes on AML compliance duties, including appointing an AML/CTF compliance officer.
AUSTRAC says that officer does not need to be an AML/CTF expert. In a small business it can be someone at management level who learns the role through training and on the job.
So CAMS is a choice, not a requirement. It suits people who want a credential that travels across sectors and countries, because it teaches international standards rather than one country’s law.
Weigh it against the cost and the study time. ACAMS’s Australasian Chapter, set up in 2007, adds a local network, with events in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities.
Frequently asked questions
Does AUSTRAC recognise CAMS?
AUSTRAC does not name CAMS or any other certification as a requirement. The AML/CTF Act asks that your compliance officer be at management level and fit and proper, which includes having the competence for the role.
Can I sit the CAMS exam online?
The standard route is a Pearson VUE test centre, of which there are more than 5,000 worldwide. ACAMS says online proctoring may be offered in certain locations.
What happens if I fail?
You can retake after 30 days. After a second fail the wait is 60 days, and 90 days after that. Each retake costs US$299 in the private sector or US$199 in the public sector.
Do I need a degree?
No. Work experience earns 10 credits a year and training earns 1 credit an hour, so you can reach 40 credits without one.
Next steps
If you are building an AML/CTF program for an accounting, legal or real estate business, the credential is only part of the job. The rest is a documented ML/TF risk assessment and customer due diligence on every client.
StackGo’s IdentityCheck runs know your customer (KYC) and AML identity checks inside the customer relationship management (CRM) or practice management software your team already uses. See how IdentityCheck supports AUSTRAC Tranche 2 compliance or create a free account to test it on your own workflows.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources, checked on 21 October 2026.
- ACAMS, CAMS Certification
- ACAMS, CAMS Certification Candidate Handbook (PDF)
- ACAMS, Membership
- ACAMS, Australasian Chapter
- AUSTRAC, AML/CTF compliance officer
- AUSTRAC, Anti-money laundering and counter terrorism laws cover thousands more businesses (1 July 2026)
- Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (s 26J)