- Which CAC This Cheat Sheet Covers
- The Exam at a Glance
- The Ten Domains and Their Weights
- Where the Most Points Live
- The Middle Tier: Cost, Bidding, Administration, Methods, Safety
- Engineering Concepts and Geomatics: Smaller but Not Skippable
- Eligibility, Fees, and Registration Mechanics
- Exam-Day Rules and Logistics
- After You Pass: Maintenance and Renewal
- Mapping the Domains to Your Calendar
- Quick Answers (FAQ)
- CAC here means Certified Associate Constructor, awarded through the American Institute of Constructors (AIC) Constructor Certification Commission.
- The exam spans ten domains; Communication Skills and Planning, Scheduling & Schedule Control are the heaviest at 12% each.
- Expect up to 300 multiple-choice questions across eight active hours, split into two four-hour sessions.
- Exam fee is $200 with a university-supplied proctor or $235 for third-party/online arrangements.
Which CAC This Cheat Sheet Covers
The acronym "CAC" is shared by several unrelated credentials, so one clarification up front: everything on this page concerns the Certified Associate Constructor credential from the American Institute of Constructors. It is an entry-level construction management certification. It is not a healthcare, addiction-counseling, or any other CAC, and none of the fees, dates, or domain weights below apply to those programs. If you are still orienting yourself, our explainers on what CAC certification is and what CAC stands for cover the basics in more depth.
This cheat sheet is built to be scanned the night before you start serious prep and again the week before exam day. It condenses the format, the content weights, the money, the deadlines, and the post-exam obligations into one reference. For the long-form version of your preparation, pair it with the CAC study guide.
The Exam at a Glance
| Item | What to Remember |
|---|---|
| Credential | Certified Associate Constructor |
| Certifying body | American Institute of Constructors (AIC), Constructor Certification Commission |
| Question format | Multiple choice; current overview advertises 300 questions, while the linked handbook says "up to 300" |
| Testing time | Eight active hours, delivered as two four-hour sessions |
| Content outline | Official specification revised September 10, 2022, with ten domains |
| Latest verified pass-rate statement | Greater than 70% for Fall 2025 |
| Delivery | Fall 2026 notice specifies remote proctoring for professionals and university arrangements for students; current material names PointLeader |
| Exam fee | $200 with university-supplied proctor; $235 for third-party/online arrangements |
| Optional official course | $50 for either membership category |
| Fall 2026 window | November 5-14, 2026 |
Eight active hours is a long exam by any standard. The two-session structure means pacing matters in a way it does not on shorter tests: you are managing energy across the day, not just time per question. Our breakdown in how hard the CAC exam is explains why the breadth, rather than any single topic, is what most candidates find demanding. For the pass-rate figure and what it does and does not tell you, see CAC pass rate: what the data shows.
The Ten Domains and Their Weights
The 2022 specification divides the exam into ten domains. These weights are your single most useful planning tool, because they tell you where the points are before you open a textbook.
| # | Domain | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication Skills | 12% |
| 2 | Engineering Concepts | 7% |
| 3 | Management Concepts | 9% |
| 4 | Materials, Methods and Project Modeling & Visualization | 10% |
| 5 | Bidding and Estimating | 11% |
| 6 | Budgeting, Costs and Cost Control | 11% |
| 7 | Planning, Scheduling & Schedule Control | 12% |
| 8 | Construction Safety | 10% |
| 9 | Construction Geomatics | 7% |
| 10 | Project Administration | 11% |
Notice how flat the distribution is. No domain exceeds 12%, and the smallest two still carry 7% each. That flatness is the defining feature of this exam: you cannot specialize your way to a pass. A candidate who is brilliant at scheduling and estimating but ignores geomatics and engineering concepts is giving away a meaningful slice of the test. For a domain-by-domain walkthrough, see the complete guide to all 10 CAC content areas.
Where the Most Points Live
Two domains tie for the largest weight at 12% each, and they could hardly be more different in character.
Domain 1: Communication Skills (12%)
This is the domain candidates most often under-prepare for because it feels like common sense. It is not a soft-skills quiz, though; it tests how information moves on a construction project and in what form.
- Written project correspondence, documentation, and record-keeping conventions
- Reading and interpreting drawings, specifications, and contract documents
- Oral communication in meetings, coordination, and conflict situations
- Choosing the appropriate channel and level of formality for a given project scenario
- Presenting technical information to non-technical stakeholders such as owners
Domain 7: Planning, Scheduling & Schedule Control (12%)
This is the most technical of the heavy domains and the one where calculation practice pays off most directly.
- Work breakdown structures and activity sequencing
- Critical path method concepts: early/late dates, float, and identifying the critical path
- Bar charts versus network diagrams and when each is appropriate
- Schedule updating, tracking progress, and recovering from delays
- Resource and duration relationships, including the effect of changes on completion
Together these two domains account for nearly a quarter of the exam. Because they sit at opposite ends of the skill spectrum, one narrative and one computational, they are a good test of whether your preparation is balanced.
The Middle Tier: Cost, Bidding, Administration, Methods, Safety
Five domains sit between 10% and 11%, and together they make up over half the exam. Several of them are tightly interlinked, which you can use to your advantage while studying.
Domain 5: Bidding and Estimating (11%)
Expect quantity takeoff logic, direct versus indirect costs, markups, and the structure of different bid and delivery approaches.
- Quantity survey and takeoff reasoning
- Labor, material, equipment, and subcontract cost components
- Overhead, contingency, and profit treatment in a bid
- Bid evaluation, bid documents, and the bidding process
Domain 6: Budgeting, Costs and Cost Control (11%)
This is where an estimate becomes a managed budget. The concepts overlap with Domain 5, so study them as a pair.
- Cost codes, cost tracking, and variance analysis
- Cash flow, billing, retainage concepts, and financial reporting on projects
- Earned value style thinking: comparing planned, earned, and actual progress
- Responding to cost overruns and forecasting final cost
Domain 10: Project Administration (11%)
The paperwork and process backbone of a project, and a domain that rewards candidates with field or office experience.
- Submittals, requests for information, and change order processing
- Contract administration, payment applications, and closeout procedures
- Documentation, project records, and procurement of subcontractors and suppliers
Domain 4: Materials, Methods and Project Modeling & Visualization (10%)
Broad by design. It covers how things get built and how project information is represented.
- Common construction materials, their properties, and typical applications
- Construction means and methods across major building systems
- Project modeling and visualization concepts, including how digital models support planning and coordination
Domain 8: Construction Safety (10%)
Safety is both a regulatory and a management topic on this exam.
- Hazard recognition, jobsite safety planning, and accident prevention
- Roles and responsibilities for safety on a project
- Safety programs, training, and recordkeeping practices
Engineering Concepts and Geomatics: Smaller but Not Skippable
The two lightest domains are 7% each, but they are exactly the ones that candidates from non-technical backgrounds are tempted to skip. Resist the temptation: 14% combined is more than a full domain's worth of points.
Domain 2: Engineering Concepts (7%)
Foundational engineering principles that every constructor should be able to reason about, even without being a design engineer.
- Basic structural behavior: loads, forces, and how members respond
- Soils, foundations, and site-related engineering considerations
- Fundamental mechanics and calculations at the applied, not theoretical, level
Domain 9: Construction Geomatics (7%)
Surveying and layout, the discipline that turns drawings into positions on the ground.
- Distances, angles, elevations, and leveling procedures
- Layout and control concepts for site and building work
- Reading survey data and basic computations using trigonometry
This is where the calculator rule matters. The linked handbook references restricted nonprogrammable trigonometric calculator use under closed-book conditions, so practice your geomatics and engineering problems on a simple scientific calculator rather than relying on a phone or programmable device. Confirm the current remote-proctoring materials instructions before test day, since the delivery model has shifted.
Eligibility, Fees, and Registration Mechanics
Eligibility has two routes, and the right one depends on where you are in your career. The full detail lives in our CAC requirements guide; here is the compressed version.
- Professional route: four years of qualifying education and/or experience.
- Student route: you may sit the exam within 12 months of completing the qualifying construction degree. In that case, the award follows degree completion.
- Experience credit: a work year is counted as 2,000 hours, with credit that varies by role and degree. Supervisor verification applies.
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Exam with university-supplied proctor | $200 |
| Exam with third-party/online proctoring arrangements | $235 |
| Optional official course (either membership category) | $50 |
| Annual recertification fee | $25 member / $175 non-member, plus any membership dues |
Exam-Day Rules and Logistics
- Closed-book: plan on having no reference materials during the exam.
- Calculator: the handbook describes a restricted, nonprogrammable trigonometric calculator. Verify the exact permitted model type in your current instructions.
- Delivery: the Fall 2026 notice specifies remote proctoring for professionals and university arrangements for students. Test your equipment and room setup well before the window opens.
- Structure: two four-hour sessions, eight active hours in total. Plan meals, breaks, and sleep around that structure.
- Timeline: the Fall exam window is November 5-14, 2026, and the professional registration deadline in the newer notice is October 1. Details on scheduling are in our CAC exam dates guide.
One caution about scoring: do not assume a number you read elsewhere is the cut score for this credential. Verify the current standard through AIC, and read our CAC passing score article for what is and is not publicly confirmed.
After You Pass: Maintenance and Renewal
Certification does not end at the exam. The CAC carries ongoing maintenance, but its structure is lighter than many professional credentials.
- Biennial employment/reporting maintenance: you periodically report your employment status rather than logging continuing education.
- No mandatory CAC CPD-hour minimum: there is no required count of professional development hours for this credential.
- Annual recertification fee: $25 for members or $175 for non-members, in addition to any membership dues.
- Renewal pathway: the public renewal page requires a CPC attempt within ten years, or a CAC retake. CPC refers to the next-level AIC credential, so this is effectively a built-in nudge to progress in the certification ladder.
Key Takeaway
Because the annual fee drops sharply for members, run the numbers on AIC membership before your first renewal. The gap between $25 and $175 can exceed the cost of membership dues themselves, depending on the dues you would pay. Our ROI analysis walks through that math.
Mapping the Domains to Your Calendar
The weights suggest an order of attack. Start with the computational domains that reward repetition, then layer on the narrative ones, and keep the two lightest domains in rotation so they never go cold. Here is one eight-week arrangement built around the domain list, not a generic template.
Planning, Scheduling & Schedule Control (Domain 7)
- Drill critical path calculations until forward and backward passes are automatic
- Work float and delay-impact problems
Bidding, Estimating, and Cost Control (Domains 5 and 6)
- Study takeoff logic and cost components together
- Practice variance and forecasting problems
Engineering Concepts and Geomatics (Domains 2 and 9)
- Practice trigonometry and leveling on a simple scientific calculator
- Review soils, loads, and structural basics
Communication Skills and Project Administration (Domains 1 and 10)
- Walk through submittals, RFIs, and change orders
- Work scenario-based communication questions
Materials/Methods, Safety, and Management Concepts (Domains 4, 8, 3)
- Cover major building systems and safety program elements
- Review management and organizational concepts
Full-length mixed practice
- Simulate long sessions to build the stamina eight active hours demands
- Revisit weak domains identified by your practice results
Mixed practice is the part most candidates under-invest in, because the real exam does not announce which domain is coming next. Use our CAC practice tests to rehearse that unpredictability, and revisit the practice question bank by domain whenever a weak area surfaces. If you want a deeper strategy layer, the study guide expands on pacing and review.
Quick Answers (FAQ)
It stands for Certified Associate Constructor, the entry-level construction management credential from the American Institute of Constructors (AIC). Other credentials share the acronym, but nothing here applies to them. See what CAC stands for for more.
Communication Skills and Planning, Scheduling & Schedule Control, at 12% each. Bidding and Estimating, Budgeting, Costs and Cost Control, and Project Administration follow at 11% each. The two lightest domains, Engineering Concepts and Construction Geomatics, are 7% each.
$200 with a university-supplied proctor or $235 for third-party/online arrangements. There is no separate member and non-member exam tier. The optional official course is $50 for either membership category.
The Fall exam window is November 5-14, 2026, and the newer notice lists October 1 as the professional registration deadline. Always confirm against current AIC announcements, and see our exam dates guide.
There is no mandatory CAC CPD-hour minimum. Maintenance is biennial employment/reporting plus an annual recertification fee, and the public renewal page requires a CPC attempt within ten years or a CAC retake.
Start with CAC jobs for who hires certified associates, and the CAC salary guide for earnings context.