Career pathRequirements
CEH requirements and how to get certified
You qualify for the CEH exam in one of two ways, per EC-Council as of Oct 11, 2026: complete EC-Council's own CEH training, or show at least two years of information-security work experience and get an eligibility application approved, which carries a non-refundable $100 fee. Neither route lists a degree.
- Exam
- 312-50
- Updated
- Oct 11, 2026
Two routes to the exam
| Requirement | Training route | Experience route |
|---|---|---|
| What qualifies you (differs) | Completing EC-Council's CEH training: instructor-led at a training center, its iClass online course, or an academic program | Two years of work experience in information security |
| Eligibility fee (differs) | Included: EC-Council says the training fee covers it | $100, non-refundable even if the application is rejected |
| Who confirms it (differs) | Your training record | An employer or verifier who vouches for the experience |
| Processing time (differs) | None stated | 5 to 10 working days after your verifiers respond |
| Exam voucher (differs) | Included in training kits, valid one year | Bought separately, valid one year |
| Exam taken | 312-50 | 312-50 |
Tinted rows marked ≠: the two differ.
Holders of CEH versions 1 to 7 are a third, narrow case: the candidate handbook lists them as eligible.
Picking a route by what you already have
If you already have two years in a security job, the experience route is the cheap one. The application costs $100 and you buy the voucher on its own; current voucher prices are on the CEH exam cost page. EC-Council publishes no training price, and says it cannot prescribe minimum pricing for its partners, so the course figure varies by format and region.
If you do not have the experience, training is the only door in. It also bundles things the experience route leaves to you: course material, lab access and the voucher. Pay for it because you need the eligibility or want the structure. The exam at the end is the same 312-50 either way.
The experience route, in order
Document your two years
EC-Council asks for information-security work experience. Gather role titles, dates and, for each job, someone who can vouch for it.Submit the eligibility application
Pay the $100 fee. It is non-refundable, including when the application is rejected.Your verifier responds
EC-Council asks the employer or verifier you named to confirm the experience. Brief them first: the processing clock starts only when they reply.Wait for the decision
EC-Council puts processing at 5 to 10 working days after verifiers respond (as of Oct 11, 2026).Book inside the window
Approval is valid for three months. Buy a voucher and schedule; the CEH registration walkthrough covers remote and test-center booking.Study by weight
Start with the heaviest domains. The CEH study guide lists all nine with their blueprint weights.
Words you will meet on the application
- Eligibility application
- The form behind the experience route. It carries the $100 fee.
- Verifier
- The employer or other person who confirms the security experience you claim.
- Approval window
- The three months after approval during which you are expected to sit the exam.
- Exam voucher
- The prepaid code you redeem to book. Valid one year and non-transferable.
- Aspen
- EC-Council's member portal, where certificates and continuing-education credits are kept.
Once you pass
EC-Council issues the certification within seven working days after verification, and it is valid for three years. Keeping it takes 120 continuing-education credits and an annual fee; the CEH renewal rules lay out the cycle. If you need CEH for a defense job, read how CEH relates to DoD 8140 before you rely on it.
The certificate is a private credential, not a government license; how to become an ethical hacker covers what legal testing rests on and the skills and jobs on either side of the exam.
Fees, minors and the practical exam
Is the CEH eligibility fee refundable?
No. The candidate handbook says the $100 application fee is non-refundable, including when the application is rejected (as of Oct 11, 2026).
Can a minor take the CEH?
Yes, with paperwork: EC-Council asks for a consent letter from a parent or guardian plus a letter from an accredited institution (as of Oct 11, 2026).
Does CEH (Practical) use the same eligibility rules?
Yes. EC-Council lists the same two routes for the practical exam: two years of experience with the $100 application, or its CEH training (as of Oct 11, 2026). The CEH Practical page covers the format.