Taking the CRM Exam

Approved Candidates and CRAs can attain the Certified Records Manager (CRM) designation by successful completion of the six (or three additional parts for CRAs) exams:

Parts 1 through 5 consist of 100 multiple-choice questions each. The multiple-choice questions in Parts 2 through 4 are chosen based upon equal weighting of the Examination Outline. All examination questions are in English.

Candidates must pass Parts 1 through 5 before registering for Part 6. Part 6 consists of 2 essay questions and requires a well thought-out and detailed written business case. The answers to Part 6 must be written in the English language.

The questions in each part are based on fundamental records and information management practices, and are meant to represent the best practices in the industry. Questions are NOT included in the test bank if they refer solely to the practices of a specific country, vendor or company.

If English is not the Candidate’s native language, they are entitled to an additional 20 minutes of test time for each of Parts 1 through 5, and an additional 60 minutes of test time for Part 6. Candidates requiring this additional time should request approval from the Regent for Exam Administration (examadmin@icrm.org) prior to registering for an exam.

Registering for Exams
An eligible Candidate registers for exams using the Prolydian website. Registration has two steps:

  1. Authorization to test is granted once you have registered and paid for the exam via credit card on the Prolydian website. Once authorized, you will be able to schedule your online exam through the Prolydian Exam Dashboard.
  2. After scheduling, you will set up your Examity profile so that you are ready on test day. Please be sure to test your computer ahead of time to ensure a smooth testing experience: https://prod.examity.com/systemcheck/check.aspx

Examination Fees
A $100 fee per examination is charged for each Parts 1 through 5. A $150 fee is charged for Part 6. Exam registration is conducted through the Prolydian website and payment is made directly to Prolydian during the exam scheduling process. Prolydian accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and JCB payments.

Taking the Examination
The ICRM contracted with Prolydian to provide online proctored exams through Examity. A candidate may sit for Parts 1 through 5 of the examination in any sequence and on the schedule they desire. Part 6 can only be taken after the Candidate has passed Parts 1 through 5. A Candidate must pass all exams within 5 years unless they have attained the CRA designation.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
All candidates will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to beginning the exam. If you do not accept the non-disclosure agreement, you will not be allowed to complete the exam and will forfeit your exam payment. A copy of the non-disclosure statement may be found on the ICRM website: https://www.icrm.org/OnlineExam-NDA

Part 6 Test Administration
Part 6 is an essay type examination administered by Prolydian through online proctoring from Examity. The test does not include the ability to format text (for example, bold or underline), and copying, cutting or taking screenshots of exam content is not allowed during the exam. Part 6 tests are timed and allotted 240 minutes (four hours).

During the exam, you will be required to write two 50 point business cases. You will be presented with a mandatory business case first, and then able to choose between two options for the final case. You will have a total of four hours to read the cases and complete the entire exam. When you confirm you have completed and reviewed the first business case you will be given an optional 10 minute break. When you return from break, you will select one of the two remaining 50-point business cases to answer. When you confirm the second case study is completed, the exam is over. There is also a notepad function available during the Part 6 exam.

Our Part 6 testing procedures are currently being updated to fit our new online proctoring model. Our website will be updated as new information is received.

Grades
The passing score for each part of the examination is 70%. Candidates taking Parts 1 through 5 will receive their exam results within 72 hours upon completion of testing.

Part 6 exam answers are graded by qualified CRM graders. Each exam is graded by two graders and the higher of the two scores is counted. Candidates will be notified via email by the Regent for Exam Administration and Grading once all Part 6 exams are graded and confirmed. This process takes approximately 6 weeks to complete.

Examination Dates
Candidates may schedule exams at the frequency and in any sequence desired. Since Parts 1 through 5 are offered year-round, a Candidate may schedule a retake for any failed exam once they have received their score.

Upon receiving passing notice on Parts 1 through 5, a candidates may schedule to take Part 6 during the next available test cycle. Part 6 is offered four times a year in 10 week cycles. Please check for Part 6 scheduling information at: https://www.icrm.org/exam-events. If a Candidate fails to pass Part 6, they must wait until the next cycle to retake.

Examination Time Allotment
Candidates are allowed 85 minutes to complete each Part 1 through 5 exams. Part 6 has a 240 minute (4 hour) time period. For Part 6, the 10 minute break is included in the 240 minute time frame.

Candidates must sign on 10-15 minutes prior to their exam to complete the Examity secure verification process.

Rescheduling or Cancelling Your Exams
You may reschedule your exam up to 24 hours before your appointment at no cost (Part 6 exams must be rescheduled within the same exam cycle). You may cancel your exam up to 24 hours before your appointment with a $15 processing fee. If, however, you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours notice, or you miss your appointment, show up late, or provide inadequate identification, you will not be able to make a new appointment without paying an additional testing fee. Prolydian will send you a confirmation email each time you reschedule or cancel an appointment. Rescheduling and cancelling exams must be completed online in your Prolydian Exam Dashboard.

Part 6 Appeals
A Candidate who fails Part 6 by less than eight points (63%–69%), and who has a legitimate reason to believe that there was a grading error, may make a written request to appeal the failing grade. Appeal deadlines vary by cycle and will be provided in the exam results notification.
Review of contested grades will be performed by the Appeals Committee and shall be processed within 30 days following receipt of the appeal by the Committee. Decisions of the Appeals Committee are final. The Appeals Committee does not provide feedback on appeals.

Feedback
Feedback to Candidates who are unsuccessful in passing an examination part is provided via email with your score within 72 hours after taking the exam. Feedback consists of a listing of the outline sections where you missed more than 30% of the delivered questions and may help focus your study for retaking the exam.

Feedback for Part 6 is provided by the graders who graded each question (each exam is graded by two different graders). Feedback is in narrative form for each section of the exam.

Online Testing Resources:
We encourage you to review these helpful resources to ensure a successful online testing experience: