System Maintenance Alert

The ACC will perform system updates on Oct. 15 from 8-11 p.m. ET. During this time, online purchases and payment processing will be unavailable. Thank you for your understanding.

Important Dates

Application Deadline Nov. 6, 2026
Exam Date Nov. 19–22, 2026

Exam Day Details

What you need to know for exam day.

Overview of the Exam

  • The Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge Examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering the field of cardiovascular disease.
  • All questions are designed to test your clinical judgment with patient vignettes.
  • The CCKE has 5 sections that consist of 30 questions. You have 1.5 hours per section.

Ready to Take the Exam?

On exam day, log into the Exam Hub to complete your exam
Exam Hub

Timing For the CCKE

  • The exam window is four days and will open at 12:01 a.m. ET on Day 1 and remain open until 11:59 p.m. ET on the final day.
  • Once you start the exam, you have a total of 31.5 hours to take the CCKE.
    • The CCKE has 5 sections that consist of 30 questions each.
    • You have 1.5 hours to complete each section.
    • You will have a total of 7.5 hours to answer all questions. Many examinees finish the exam in 4–5 hours.
    • You are allocated 24 hours of optional break time that can be taken between the exam sections.

Taking the Exam

You must have:

  • A private space that is free from disruptions for the time allotted for the assessment.
  • Reliable internet access.
  • A laptop or desktop computer with Chrome, Edge, or Safari internet browsers.

Do Not:

  • Do not use a tablet or phone.
  • Do not use Internet Explorer or Firefox internet browsers.