- The CAS exam requires at least 60% correct to pass, per the current ECFC certification FAQ.
- The exam has 75 multiple-choice questions administered over a 3-hour window.
- A $90 retake fee applies if you don't clear 60% on your first attempt.
- You get access to the exam within 120 days of purchasing the CAS course package.
The Actual CAS Passing Score
If you're searching for the exact number you need to pass the Certified COBRA Administration Specialist exam, here it is: the current ECFC certification FAQ states candidates must score at least 60% to earn the designation. That's the only passing-score figure that's been verified directly from ECFC's own pages as of the latest retrieval date.
There's no published breakdown of how many of the 75 questions count toward your score versus whether any are unscored pilot items - that split simply isn't disclosed. For planning purposes, the safest assumption is that every question matters, and you should prepare as if all 75 are live.
Exam Format: 75 Questions, 3 Hours
Knowing the passing score only matters if you understand the format it's measured against. According to the current ECFC certification FAQ, the Certified COBRA Administration Specialist exam consists of:
- 75 total questions, all multiple choice
- 3 hours to complete the exam
- Administered online through ECFC/the Flexible Compensation Institute (no third-party testing vendor has been verified)
That works out to an average of under two and a half minutes per question if you use the full allotted time - generous for multiple choice, but not infinite once you factor in reading comprehension on scenario-style items tied to the COBRA Case Studies domain. Details on open-book status, calculator use, and proctoring mechanics are unverified, so don't assume anything about exam-day conditions until ECFC confirms it in your registration materials.
Key Takeaway
Budget your 3 hours assuming you may need extra time on case-study questions, then bank the time you save on definitional or regulatory-recall items for the harder scenario-based ones.
What 60% Actually Means for Your Prep
A 60% passing threshold on a 75-question exam means you can afford to miss roughly 30 questions and still pass - in theory. In practice, you don't want to plan your studying around "how much can I get wrong." You want to plan around closing every obvious knowledge gap, because weak spots tend to cluster. If you're shaky on COBRA's interaction with other laws, for example, you're likely to miss several related questions in a row, not just one or two scattered across the exam.
This is also why generic exam-prep advice ("just get comfortable with multiple choice") doesn't hold up for the CAS exam. The content is specialized - COBRA continuation coverage mechanics, qualifying events, notice obligations, and how COBRA interacts with Medicare, state mini-COBRA laws, and HIPAA. A 60% bar is forgiving only if your knowledge gaps are spread thin. If they're concentrated in one domain, you can fail even while feeling broadly prepared.
For a full walkthrough of how to structure your preparation around this threshold, see CAS Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
How the Four Domains Factor In
ECFC has not published a weighted blueprint showing what percentage of the 75 questions come from each content area. What is verified is that CAS preparation follows four published study-course sessions, which map to the exam's four domains:
Domain 1: COBRA: Mergers and Acquisitions
Covers how COBRA obligations shift when businesses change ownership structure - who becomes the responsible employer, how qualifying events are handled mid-transaction, and how coverage continuity is preserved or disrupted.
- Identifying which party (buyer or seller) inherits COBRA responsibility in stock vs. asset sales
- Timing of qualifying events relative to the transaction close
Domain 2: COBRA: Alternative Coverage and Retiree Issues
Focuses on how COBRA coordinates with other coverage options available to qualified beneficiaries, including retiree health plans and marketplace alternatives.
- How retiree coverage interacts with COBRA election rights
- Situations where alternative coverage affects COBRA eligibility or duration
Domain 3: COBRA and Other Laws
Tests your ability to apply COBRA alongside adjacent federal and state requirements rather than in isolation.
- Interaction with HIPAA, Medicare, and state continuation ("mini-COBRA") statutes
- Sequencing rules when multiple laws could apply to the same qualified beneficiary
Domain 4: COBRA Case Studies
Applies the first three domains to realistic administrative scenarios - this is where format meets substance, and where time management during the 3-hour exam matters most.
- Working through multi-step qualifying-event scenarios
- Spotting which rule governs when several COBRA provisions seem to apply at once
Because there's no disclosed weighting, don't assume the domains are tested equally - or unequally. Study all four with comparable depth, and lean on realistic scenario practice for Domain 4 since it synthesizes the other three. For a deeper walkthrough of each content area, read CAS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas.
Retake Rules, Fees, and the 120-Day Window
Passing score aside, the mechanics around scheduling and retaking matter just as much for your planning:
| Item | What's Verified |
|---|---|
| Passing score | At least 60%, per current ECFC certification FAQ |
| Questions | 75, multiple choice |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Exam access window | Within 120 days of purchasing the CAS course package |
| Retake fee | $90 |
| Course + exam package price | $574 member / $1,024 non-member |
Note that the $574/$1,024 figure is for the full course-and-exam package, not an exam-only fee, and prerequisite costs are separate. Older third-party guidance mentioning a 30-day access window is outdated - the current CAS designation page specifies 120 days from purchase. If you fail on your first attempt, the $90 retake fee applies rather than having to repurchase the full package. For a complete cost picture, see CAS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Before you register, confirm you meet the prerequisites - a prior COBRA credential plus completion of the four-session CAS study course - detailed in CAS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Allocating Study Time Against the Score Target
With a 60% threshold and four domains to cover inside a 120-day access window, the smartest approach is to treat your prep like a countdown with checkpoints rather than an open-ended review. Here's a sample allocation built around the CAS domain structure:
Domain 1 & 2 Foundations
- Work through mergers-and-acquisitions COBRA obligations and alternative-coverage/retiree scenarios
- Build a reference sheet of who's responsible for COBRA notices in each transaction type
Domain 3: Cross-Law Interactions
- Drill HIPAA, Medicare, and state mini-COBRA interaction rules
- Practice distinguishing which law governs in overlapping scenarios
Domain 4: Case Study Application
- Run timed practice scenarios that combine two or more domains
- Track which question types consistently cost you time under the 3-hour limit
Full-Length Review
- Simulate the full 75-question, 3-hour format at least once
- Revisit only the domains where you're missing more than a handful of practice questions
This kind of spaced, checkpoint-driven schedule works specifically because the CAS exam rewards consistent coverage across four distinct domains rather than deep expertise in just one. If you want a condensed reference for last-minute review, bookmark the CAS Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts, and run practice questions regularly at CAS Exam Prep to track your readiness against the 60% target before exam day.
Common Mistakes That Push Candidates Below 60%
Because the CAS exam blends regulatory recall with applied scenarios, most near-misses come from a handful of predictable gaps:
- Treating Domain 4 as an afterthought. Case studies combine material from the other three domains - if you haven't practiced applying rules together, standalone knowledge of each domain won't transfer automatically.
- Memorizing COBRA in isolation. Domain 3 specifically tests how COBRA interacts with other laws. If you've only studied COBRA rules on their own, cross-law questions will catch you off guard.
- Underestimating the M&A domain. Mergers-and-acquisitions COBRA obligations are a narrower topic than the other domains, which means candidates sometimes under-allocate study time here - and then face questions they didn't expect.
- Misjudging the 3-hour pace. Spending too long on early questions can leave you rushing through later scenario items, where a careful read matters most.
- Letting the access window lapse. The 120-day window from course purchase to exam access is generous, but procrastinating into the final weeks compresses your review time unnecessarily.
If you're trying to gauge overall difficulty before you commit to the course-and-exam package, read How Is the CAS Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for a realistic view of what candidates find challenging.
Key Takeaway
Most candidates who fall short of 60% aren't missing isolated facts - they're missing the ability to apply COBRA rules across scenarios (Domain 4) or alongside other laws (Domain 3). Prioritize applied practice over flashcard-style recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
At least 60%, according to the current ECFC certification FAQ. This is the only verified passing-score figure for the Certified COBRA Administration Specialist exam.
The exam has 75 multiple-choice questions and a 3-hour time limit, per the current ECFC certification FAQ.
A $90 retake fee applies rather than repurchasing the full course-and-exam package, which is priced at $574 for members and $1,024 for non-members.
The current CAS designation page states you have 120 days from purchase to access the exam. Older guidance citing a 30-day window reflects outdated information and should not be relied on.
ECFC has not published domain-level weighting or a requirement to pass each domain individually - the published threshold is an overall 60% score across the full 75-question exam.
Understanding the exact passing score is only half the picture - pairing it with a realistic view of what the exam rewards (and what it penalizes) is what actually moves your score above 60%. For a broader look at whether the full certification investment makes sense for your career path, see Is the CAS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026, and when you're ready to test your readiness, head to CAS Exam Prep for practice questions built around these same four domains.