What is the CPACC certification?
The CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) is the foundational credential offered by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). It demonstrates broad, cross-disciplinary knowledge of disabilities, accessibility and universal design, and the standards, laws, and management strategies that govern accessible products and services.
Crucially, the CPACC is not a technical exam. It does not require coding or hands-on testing. It is ideal for people who manage, plan, procure, or champion accessibility — project managers, content authors, designers, policy and compliance staff, and anyone starting an accessibility career. If you want a technical, code-level credential, that is the separate WAS (Web Accessibility Specialist) exam. Earn both while valid and you receive IAAP's highest credential, the CPWA. (See our CPACC vs WAS vs CPWA guide.)
The exam is designed to test conceptual understanding across the whole field of accessibility rather than deep expertise in any single tool.
- 100 multiple-choice questions
- 2-hour time limit (additional time available as an accommodation)
- Computer / web-based, remotely proctored or at a test centre
- Closed book
- Available in English and German (a Spanish pilot launches in Q3 2026)
Scoring is scaled, and IAAP does not publish a fixed pass percentage — so the smartest strategy is simply to master the Body of Knowledge rather than aim for a magic number.
The CPACC Body of Knowledge, in full
The Body of Knowledge (BoK) is IAAP's official document defining exactly what the CPACC exam can ask you. It is free to download from IAAP, and it is the single most important document in your preparation — every exam question maps to something in it.
The current edition is October 2023 (version 4.0, updated February 2025). Below is its complete structure, so you can see at a glance where your study time should go.
The three CPACC domains and their exam weightings, from the IAAP CPACC Body of Knowledge (October 2023, v4.0).
| Domain | Weighting | Roughly how many of the 100 questions |
|---|
| 1. Disabilities, Challenges, and Assistive Technologies | 40% | ~40 |
|---|
| 2. Accessibility and Universal Design | 40% | ~40 |
|---|
| 3. Standards, Laws, and Management Strategies | 20% | ~20 |
|---|
Domain 1 — Disabilities, Challenges, and Assistive Technologies (40%)
- 1A. Theoretical models of disability — medical, social, biopsychosocial, economic, functional solutions, social identity / cultural affiliation, and charity models. Learn to tell these apart; the exam tests the distinction directly.
- 1B. Categories and characteristics of disabilities, their associated barriers and solutions
- 1C. Assistive technologies and adaptive strategies for permanent, temporary and episodic disabilities, across both ICT and the physical world — covering visual, auditory, deaf-blindness, speech and language, mobility and body structure, cognitive, seizure, psychological, and multiple or complex disabilities
- 1D. Disability demographics, statistics and data trends
- 1E. Applying disability etiquette
Domain 2 — Accessibility and Universal Design (40%)
- 2A. Individualised accommodations versus universal design — and why the distinction matters
- 2B. The benefits of accessibility
- 2C. Web accessibility principles (WCAG 2.1)
- 2D. Built environment accessibility principles
- 2E. Universal design principles — know all seven
- 2F. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), plus usability and user experience
Domain 3 — Standards, Laws, and Management Strategies (20%)
- 3A. International declarations and conventions on disability rights
- 3B. Regional instruments on human and disability rights
- 3C. National and provincial instruments on human and disability rights
- 3D. Domain-specific and government procurement laws and regulations
- 3E. Applying ICT accessibility standards and regulations
- 3F. Organisational integration of ICT accessibility
How to actually use the BoK
Most candidates read it once and move on. That is a mistake. Treat it as a checklist: work through it line by line and mark each sub-topic as confident, shaky, or unknown. Your shaky and unknown items are your study plan — and because the weightings are published, you already know that a gap in Domain 1 or 2 costs you twice what the same gap costs in Domain 3.
Two things worth knowing. First, the two 40% domains together are 80% of the exam, so the conceptual material — models of disability, universal design, assistive technology — matters far more than the law. Second, Domain 3 is the one people over-study, because laws feel concrete and memorisable. It is worth 20 marks.
Structure verified against the IAAP CPACC Body of Knowledge (October 2023, v4.0, updated February 2025) on 1 September 2026. IAAP revises the BoK periodically — download the current edition free from IAAP before you sit the exam. A11ytek is an independent training provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by IAAP.
The three CPACC domains explained
The CPACC Body of Knowledge (BoK), last updated in 2023, is organised into three domains. Knowing roughly how each is weighted helps you spend your study time wisely.
1. Disabilities, Challenges, and Assistive Technologies (~40%)
The largest domain. Expect questions on the major categories of disability — visual, auditory, motor/mobility, cognitive, speech, and more — how each affects a person's interaction with digital and physical environments, and the assistive technologies people use (screen readers, magnifiers, switch devices, captions, and so on). Learn disabilities by their functional impact, not just their name.
2. Accessibility and Universal Design (~40%)
Equally weighted. This covers the principles of universal design, accessible design practices across web, documents, hardware, and the built environment, and the benefits of inclusive design for everyone. Be comfortable with the 7 Principles of Universal Design and the difference between accessibility, usability, and universal design.
3. Standards, Laws, and Management Strategies (~20%)
The smallest domain, but easy points if you prepare. Know the key standards (WCAG, EN 301 549, Section 508) and laws across regions (ADA, AODA, the European Accessibility Act, and others), plus how organisations build and sustain accessibility programs through policy, procurement, and governance.
Who can take the CPACC?
IAAP asks that candidates have one year of accessibility experience, or be in a new or changing role with some responsibility for accessibility. If you have less than a year, you will simply be asked to describe your background and goals related to the credential. In practice the CPACC is the most beginner-friendly accessibility certification, which is exactly why it is the recommended starting point.
A proven 6–8 week study plan
IAAP recommends planning for 5–10 hours a week over 6–8 weeks. Here is a simple structure that works:
- Weeks 1–2 — Domain 1. Read the BoK section on disabilities and assistive technologies. Make a one-line summary of each disability category and the technologies that support it.
- Weeks 3–4 — Domain 2. Study universal design and accessible design practices. Memorise the 7 Principles of Universal Design and connect each to a real example.
- Week 5 — Domain 3. Learn the standards and laws. Build a quick comparison table (region → law → what it requires).
- Weeks 6–8 — Practice and review. Take timed practice questions daily, review every wrong answer until you understand why, and revisit your weakest domain.
The single highest-value habit is active recall through practice questions — testing yourself, not just re-reading. That is what moves knowledge into long-term memory and builds exam-day speed.
Tips from a certified CPWA
- Anchor everything to the official BoK. Every exam question maps to the Body of Knowledge — it is your single source of truth.
- Learn concepts, not trivia. The CPACC tests understanding. If you can explain why something matters, you can answer questions you have never seen before.
- Watch the wording. Read each question fully; CPACC questions often hinge on words like "best," "first," or "except."
- Manage your time. 100 questions in 120 minutes is about 72 seconds each. Flag hard ones, keep moving, and return at the end.
- Practise under realistic conditions. Timed, full-length practice sessions remove most exam-day anxiety.