- What the CAS Credential Actually Covers
- Exam Format at a Glance
- The Four CAS Domains, One Line Each
- Registration, Fees, and Access Window
- Prerequisites and Course Requirements
- Renewal and Continuing Education
- Who Hires CAS-Credentialed Professionals
- Quick-Reference Table
- A Domain-Based Review Schedule
- FAQ
- The CAS exam is 75 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours; 60% correct passes.
- Four domains: M&A, Alternative Coverage/Retiree Issues, COBRA and Other Laws, Case Studies.
- The official course-and-exam package runs $574 member / $1,024 non-member; retakes are $90.
- You get a 120-day window from purchase to sit the exam.
What the CAS Credential Actually Covers
The Certified COBRA Administration Specialist (CAS) designation is issued through the Flexible Compensation Institute under the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC). It's a narrow, practice-oriented credential: it certifies that you can administer COBRA continuation coverage correctly in real-world scenarios, not just recite statute language. That distinction matters because the exam leans heavily on applied situations rather than pure definitions - a theme we unpack fully in the CAS Exam Domains 2026 guide.
If you're still sorting out basic terminology before diving into prep, start with What Is CAS? or the shorter CAS Meaning explainer. This cheat sheet assumes you already know the credential exists and just want the dense, one-page version of what to remember before exam day.
Exam Format at a Glance
According to the current ECFC certification FAQ, the CAS exam consists of:
- 75 total questions, all multiple choice
- 3-hour time limit
- 60% minimum score to pass
- Scored vs. unscored question split: not disclosed
- Candidate pass rate: not publicly disclosed
Older third-party material floating around the web references a 100-question version of this exam. That figure comes from outdated issuer badge criteria and does not reflect the current designation and FAQ pages, which both support the 75-question format. If you encounter prep material built around 100 questions, it's stale - don't recalibrate your pacing around it. For a deeper breakdown of what "passing" actually requires, see CAS Passing Score 2026, and for a realistic read on difficulty given the format, check How Hard Is the CAS Exam?
Key Takeaway
Plan your 3-hour block around 75 questions - that's roughly 2.4 minutes per question if you work steadily, with buffer time for flagged case-study items that take longer to reason through.
The Four CAS Domains, One Line Each
The CAS body of knowledge is organized into four domains. No official weighting has been verified, so don't assume equal emphasis or memorize a percentage breakdown you can't source back to ECFC.
Domain 1: COBRA: Mergers and Acquisitions
Covers how COBRA obligations transfer, split, or remain with a selling group versus a buying group during corporate transactions.
- Identifying which entity becomes the "successor plan" for continuation coverage purposes
- Timing issues when qualifying events overlap a deal closing
Domain 2: COBRA: Alternative Coverage and Retiree Issues
Focuses on how COBRA interacts with other coverage options qualified beneficiaries may have, and how retiree populations are handled differently from active-employee terminations.
- Coordination between COBRA elections and other available coverage
- Retiree-specific continuation scenarios and timing quirks
Domain 3: COBRA and Other Laws
Tests how COBRA intersects with the broader regulatory landscape administrators must navigate alongside continuation coverage rules.
- Spotting where COBRA rules are modified or supplemented by other applicable law
- Avoiding the trap of treating COBRA as an isolated, standalone rule set
Domain 4: COBRA Case Studies
Applies everything from the other three domains to multi-fact scenario questions - arguably the domain most likely to separate memorizers from practitioners.
- Working through fact patterns with multiple qualifying events or ambiguous dates
- Practicing elimination of plausible-but-wrong distractor answers
For a full walkthrough of each domain with more worked examples, the CAS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas is the logical next stop after this cheat sheet.
Registration, Fees, and Access Window
CAS pricing is structured around a bundled course-and-exam package rather than a standalone exam fee - an important distinction if you're comparing costs against other credentials.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Course + exam package (member) | $574 |
| Course + exam package (non-member) | $1,024 |
| Retake fee | $90 |
| Prerequisite credential | Extra cost, not included |
| Exam access window | 120 days from purchase |
| Validity period | 3 years |
| Renewal fee (member / non-member) | $150 / $300 |
Because ECFC blocked direct checkout retrieval at the time of review, the current live pricing page could not be independently confirmed beyond what's indexed. Always verify current numbers directly with ECFC before budgeting. A fuller breakdown of how this pricing compares to other prep investments is covered in CAS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Prerequisites and Course Requirements
You can't sit the CAS exam cold. The path requires:
- A prerequisite COBRA credential (completed before you can register for CAS)
- Payment and completion of the four-session CAS study course
- Passing the examination itself
The course itself yields 6 continuing education units upon completion - note this is separate from the renewal CE requirement discussed below; don't confuse "units earned from taking the course" with "units needed to renew." No separate degree, work-hour, or reference requirements have been verified, so don't assume you need prior job experience beyond the prerequisite credential. If you want the complete eligibility checklist before you commit money, read CAS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Renewal and Continuing Education
CAS certification is valid for 3 years. Here's where you need to pay close attention: the current CAS designation page states six renewal CE units are required per three-year cycle, while the current ECFC certification FAQ states twelve. No dated supersession between these two pages has been verified, so this is a genuine open discrepancy - not an error on our end. Confirm the actual requirement directly with ECFC before assuming either number.
Renewal fees are more consistent: $150 for members and $300 for non-members, per the current designation page. Budget for this recurring cost the same way you'd budget for initial certification - it's not a one-time expense.
Key Takeaway
Before your 3-year window closes, call ECFC to confirm whether you need 6 or 12 renewal CE units - don't guess, since the two official pages currently disagree.
Who Hires CAS-Credentialed Professionals
CAS holders typically work in roles tied directly to benefits continuation administration: third-party COBRA administrators, employer benefits departments, HR outsourcing firms, and compliance teams that manage qualifying events, elections, and notices for group health plans. The credential signals that you understand the mechanics behind continuation coverage well enough to handle non-routine situations - mergers, retiree transitions, and multi-law overlaps - not just standard terminations.
If you're evaluating whether this credential translates into better job prospects or pay, two companion articles go deeper than this cheat sheet can: CAS Jobs for role types, and CAS Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis for what's actually documented about earnings potential. For the bigger-picture return-on-investment question, see Is the CAS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Quick-Reference Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing body | ECFC, via the Flexible Compensation Institute |
| Questions | 75, multiple choice |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 60% minimum |
| Domains | 4 (M&A, Alternative Coverage/Retiree, Other Laws, Case Studies) |
| Prerequisite | Prior COBRA credential + 4-session course |
| Course CE units | 6 (separate from renewal CE requirement) |
| Validity | 3 years |
Keep this table bookmarked alongside your practice sessions on our CAS practice test platform - it's faster to scan than flipping back through ECFC's separate course, designation, and FAQ pages every time you need a number.
A Domain-Based Review Schedule
Rather than a generic study calendar, map your remaining prep time to the four CAS domains in the order they tend to build on each other - a structural approach, not a rigid productivity system.
COBRA and Other Laws
- Build the regulatory foundation first since the other domains assume this context
- Drill scenarios where COBRA rules interact with other applicable law
Mergers and Acquisitions + Alternative Coverage/Retiree Issues
- Pair these two domains since both hinge on identifying which entity or coverage source is responsible
- Practice timeline questions: when does the qualifying event actually occur
Case Studies
- Run full multi-fact scenarios pulling from all three prior domains
- Time yourself at roughly 2.4 minutes per question to simulate the 3-hour, 75-question format
Mixed Review
- Take full-length practice sets on the practice test site under real time constraints
- Revisit weak domains flagged by missed questions rather than re-reading everything equally
For a more detailed, step-by-step prep plan with additional resource recommendations, see the CAS Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you're still deciding when to register relative to your prep timeline, check CAS Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling before locking in your course purchase, since that starts your 120-day access clock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - the current ECFC certification FAQ confirms 75 total questions, all multiple choice, with a 3-hour time limit.
This has not been verified through current ECFC materials. Don't assume open-book conditions without confirming directly with ECFC before exam day.
ECFC's own pages currently disagree - the designation page says 6 per three-year cycle, the FAQ says 12. Confirm directly with ECFC rather than relying on either page alone.
The current CAS designation page allows exam access within 120 days of purchase. An older, commonly cited 30-day window is outdated and not the current rule.
Run timed practice sets on our CAS practice test platform and track misses by domain - it highlights weak spots faster than re-reading course material cover to cover.