CIRE exam cost calculator

How the math works

Writing the CIRE involves four costs. The exam fee is required, the official materials are free, a prep platform is optional, and a retake only happens if you need one. Employer reimbursement can offset the total.

• CIRO enrolment fee: $475 CAD for the first attempt, $300 CAD per retake in the same 12-month enrolment, plus applicable taxes. The fee is the same for all nine CIRO exams. Paid by credit card only, through the Fitch Learning enrolment portal. Confirm the live figure when you pay.
• Official materials: free on CIRO's Exam Hub (syllabus, practice exam, guide for studying). No mandatory preparatory course. The syllabus is CIRO's authoritative list of what can be tested, so download it before you pay anyone for prep. The practice exam is one full 110-question paper with an answer key. The free materials do not include a large question bank, a second full-length mock or explanations of why an answer is wrong.
• Employer reimbursement: some dealers cover exam fees for new representatives. Policies vary, and some firms require repayment if you leave soon after. Ask HR.
• Resit fee: a second or third attempt in the same 12-month enrolment is $300. One enrolment covers up to 3 attempts. After three failed or absent results within six months there is a six-month cooling-off, and continuing after it (or after the 12 months end) takes a new $475 enrolment. Resits are the largest hidden cost. Two attempts cost $775 in exam fees, not $950. Cutting prep to save money is a false economy if it leads to a retake: one $300 retake costs more than a year of Registrant Prep, and it pushes back the date you pass.
• Registrant Prep: $29.99 CAD/month or $249 CAD/year (saves $110.88 vs 12 months of monthly). Includes all 9 CIRO Proficiency Model exams under one subscription, not just the CIRE.

Costs candidates underestimate

• Missing the 36-hour cut-off: you can reschedule, cancel or switch between a test centre and remote delivery free of charge up to 36 hours before your appointment. If you do not attend and did not change the booking by then, the attempt is recorded as absent (a fail) and there is no refund. Book a date you can keep.
• Multi-exam paths: every CIRO exam has its own $475 enrolment. A retail representative writing the CIRE and the Retail Securities Exam pays $950 before taxes if they pass both on the first attempt, and the Derivatives or Supervisor Exam adds another $475 each.
• Study time: it never shows up on a receipt. If you cut back paid hours to study, the income you give up belongs in the budget, and it can exceed every fee on this page. The how-long-to-study guide breaks the hours down by background.

CIRE exam cost, frequently asked questions

How much does the CIRE exam cost in 2026?

The first CIRE attempt is $475 CAD. A second or third attempt in the same 12-month enrolment is $300 CAD. Both fees are listed in the Fees, Payments and Refunds Policy (April 2026) and are subject to applicable taxes. CIRO does not require a preparatory course. Official syllabus PDFs are free on the Exam Hub. Optional prep such as Registrant Prep is $29.99/month or $249/year.

Is the CIRE exam expensive compared to the CSC?

CSI sells the CSC as a $998–$1,398 course bundle. A first CIRE attempt is $475, with a $300 retake. There are no four-module CIRE sittings. For investment dealer representatives the comparison is moot: the CIRE is required. The CSC still counts for mutual fund dealer and Exempt Market Dealer representatives under NI 31-103.

What if I held the CSC before January 1, 2026?

A completed CSC does not count toward the CIRE on its own. If you were an Approved Person on December 31, 2025, you can stay in the same role without the new exams (IDPC s.2625(2)), but you must still complete CIRO's free Conduct Training by December 31, 2026. If you enrolled in a CSI course before January 1, 2026, it can still count if you finish the course and its exam before January 1, 2027 and your dealer applies for your approval before that date, along with the other conditions in IDPC s.2629(1).

Does my employer pay for the CIRE exam?

Some dealers reimburse exam fees for new representatives, sometimes on conditions such as passing within a set time. Policies vary by firm. Worth confirming with HR before paying out of pocket.

How much does a CIRE rewrite cost?

$300 CAD per retake in the same 12-month enrolment (Fitch Fees, Payments and Refunds Policy, April 2026). After three failed or absent results within six months, a six-month cooling-off applies and a new $475 enrolment is required.

Are CIRE exam fees tax-deductible in Canada?

Possibly, as a tuition tax credit rather than a deduction. The CRA says fees for an occupational, trade or professional exam that is required to obtain a professional status recognized by federal or provincial statute, or to be licensed or certified, may be eligible for the tuition tax credit, and you need a receipt. Speak with a tax preparer about whether the CIRE qualifies in your situation.

Do newcomers to Canada get a discount on the CIRE?

CIRO and Fitch Learning do not currently publish a newcomer discount on the CIRE fee, which is the same $475 for every candidate. The CIRE is administered by Fitch Learning under CIRO, not by CSI.

Related reading

• CSC cost vs CIRE cost in 2026 , side-by-side numbers for candidates choosing between pathways.
• I have the CSC, do I need to write the CIRE? , five candidate scenarios that decide whether you owe a CIRE sitting fee at all.
• Canadian Securities Course in 2026: full hub , context on the credential that the CIRE replaced.