Certified Third-Party Risk Assessor (CTPRA) Certification

The Shared Assessments CTPRA class is a live, instructor-led, two-day event (5 hours per day). A typical bootcamp timeline is as follows:

CTPRA BOOTCAMP

• (Day 1) Time: 10:00am-3:00pm ET unless otherwise noted
• (Day 2) Time: 10:00am-3:00pm ET unless otherwise noted

Completion of both days of the bootcamp will earn 12 CPEs. We do not issue CPEs for partial attendance. The exam cannot be taken without bootcamp attendance for both days. Bootcamp attendance is verified by teleconference records and staff instructors.

The CTPRA Certification Job Practice Guide identifies the domains, topics, skills, competencies, and job roles that represent the type of work performed in the role of a Third-Party Risk Assessor who plans, performs, and oversees Third-Party assessments across multiple risk domains. The structure of the Job Practice Guide is based on the inputs of Shared Assessments Program members, recognized best practices, and the education and tools that drive Third-Party risk assurance.

Yes! Please email the Shared Assessments Sales team, sales@sharedassessments.org, for more information.

All upcoming bootcamps are listed in the “Upcoming Classes” section above.

The Shared Assessments Program can accommodate private bootcamps for organizations willing to certify 15 or more people. Please contact our Education team at Education@sharedassessments.org for more information.

The CTPRA registration cost includes the instructor-led bootcamp, examination, access to online reference and study materials, and a digital credential badge once the certification is successfully earned.

Note: Shared Assessments does not issue PDFs or hard copies of these documents.

Distribution of the materials to any party other than the person registered for the course is strictly prohibited. Sharing materials without permission by Shared Assessments may result in the removal from course registration or discontinuation of the certification designation attained.

Please contact the Shared Assessments Education team, education@sharedassessments.org, for assistance.

Once you complete the course, you’ll receive instructions on how to schedule your exam through Proctor360, our online testing provider.

Below is the exam structure:

• Online and remotely proctored
• Time-limited to three hours
• Closed-book
• 120 multiple-choice questions (worth up to 125 points)
• Focused on domain knowledge and application
• Passing score of 70% or higher

After completing the exam, you’ll be asked to complete a brief survey to share feedback on the course and exam experience. Additionally, you will receive your final exam results report, as well as information on next steps for certification if you pass, or retake instructions if you do not pass.

The exam can be taken during any time zone globally. You have 15 weeks from the start date of the course to take the exam. If you do not take the exam within 15 weeks, you may not be approved for certification and may need to retake the course at your own expense.

To take the CTPRA examination, you must attend the entire live bootcamp.

Yes. You have up to three (3) attempts to pass the exam. There is a $150 fee to retake the exam. After the third attempt, you must re-take the course at your expense. Individuals who wish to retake the course will receive a 50% discount.

You will receive your official exam results immediately upon completing the exam. A confirmation email with a link to your results will also be sent to you. You will have the option to print the results page or email a copy for your records.

Individuals interested in obtaining the Shared Assessments CTPRA certification are required to hold a minimum of five years of experience as a risk management professional. Listed below is an example of the type of experience that qualifies:

• Third-party risk management/assessment (either generally or IT-specific)
• Audit and/or compliance
• Experience with determining whether organizations are executing risk controls against specific standards
• Risk control areas assessed as part of the third-party assessment process or Business Continuity Planning (BCP), access control, privacy, etc.
• Knowledge in the importance of risk controls and determining if controls are adequate

Individuals who are interested in obtaining the Shared Assessments CTPRA certification must complete the following process:

• Attend a live CTPRA Bootcamp
• Successfully pass the CTPRA examination
• Submit the CTPRA application which includes a Proof of Experience form detailing your experience as a risk management professional

The application form is provided to you upon passing the exam. You must fill out your relevant work experience and provide the name and contact information for a person who can verify your employment experience. This is usually a current manager. For those who are self-employed or unemployed, Shared Assessments will make a determination based on a review of the documentation provided to show the necessary experience. We may ask for additional documentation as part of the approval process. In lieu of work experience, an applicant can receive up to a year of work experience credit if they have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in information security or information technology from an accredited university. An additional year of work experience may be waived if the applicant holds an active IT or IS certification (i.e., CISA, CISSP, CIPP, CIPM).

The CTPRA certification is awarded to those who complete the three steps indicated above.

For more information on the application process, see our CTPRA Eligibility Requirements and Policy page.

Candidates have up to 30 days to submit their application. If an extension is needed, please contact the Shared Assessments Education Team at education@sharedassessments.org.

Once received, applications are typically processed within two weeks of receipt. You will be notified of your designation via email from one of our Education team members.

Once an individual’s application is approved and they have earned the CTPRA certification, a digital credential badge is awarded to showcase the accomplishment.

To retain your certification, CTPRA holders must comply with the following requirements:

• Successfully earn the required 36 CPE credits per three-year certification term (we recommend earning 12 CPEs per year)
• Remain current with payments for the annual maintenance fee
• Successfully abide by the Shared Assessments Code of Ethics

Please note that it is your responsibility to maintain your certification. Shared Assessments is not responsible for notifying you of upcoming renewals.

If you attend a Shared Assessments event that is issuing CPEs, you must attend the entire event. Shared Assessments does not issue CPE credit for partial attendance. If our web conferencing or manual attendance records indicate that you attended an event, you will be automatically issued a CPE within 30 days of the event. You will receive an email from our automated system with instructions to download the digital CPE certificate from your account on our Shared Assessments Academy portal by logging in using the same email address you used to attend the event. Please note that sometimes the automated email can end up in your spam or junk folder.

Yes. CPEs issued from other organizations are accepted towards your CPE requirements. See our Qualifying Continuing Professional Education requirements for more information.

Certification holders must pay an annual maintenance fee of US $100.00 to maintain their certification. This amount is subject to change.

You can pay your annual maintenance fee directly through your account in the Shared Assessments Academy portal. For any questions or issues, please contact us at education@sharedassessments.org.

If you don’t yet meet the requirements, you can resubmit your application once you do.

The process for reinstating your lapsed certification will depend on how long your certification has been lapsed. If it has been under 2 years, we will reinstate your certification upon receiving all outstanding fees and/or proof of required CPEs. If it has been over 2 years, you will be required to retake the class and the exam at your own expense.

If you have additional questions, please contact us by calling Shared Assessments at 505-466-6434 or emailing us at education@sharedassessments.org.