Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™

The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education (ECE) and is the best first step on the path of career advancement in ECE. For more information about the benefits of the CDA credential and the process of earning the credential, please visit the Council for Professional Recognition’s website.

For detailed information about the CDA Exam, please refer to the Competency Standards book.

Schedule Your CDA Exam

CDA Candidates who have applied to the Council for Professional Recognition and have received a Ready to Schedule Notice may schedule the CDA Exam. There are two ways a Candidate can schedule the CDA Exam. Testing times and locations are available on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Schedule online

To schedule the exam online, Candidates must first create a Pearson VUE web account. When creating your account, you will need the Candidate ID number from your Ready to Schedule Notice that you received from the Council.

Schedule by phone

To schedule your CDA Exam by phone, for English call 1-866-507-5627; for Spanish call 800-511-6951. You may schedule the CDA Exam anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), Monday through Friday. Do not call the Council for Professional Recognition to schedule your CDA Exam.

CDA Exam accommodations

It is the Council’s commitment to provide a standardized and fair assessment for all eligible CDA Candidates. Prior to submitting the CDA Application, a CDA Candidate with a documented disability should submit the Special Accommodations Request Form to the Council.

Click here to learn more about accommodations provided by Pearson VUE.

CDA Exam for military personnel

CDA Candidates who are military personnel have access to additional Department of Defense (DoD) test sites. Military personnel who received the Ready to Schedule Notice may choose to take the CDA Exam at one of the DoD sites.

Click here to schedule the CDA Exam at a DoD site.

Last updated 2023-07-26