Exam format
GCFAWhat the GCFA exam looks like
GCFA has 82 questions in 180 minutes, 1 proctored exam, web-based and required to be proctored, with remote proctoring through ProctorU or onsite proctoring through PearsonVUE. Every figure on this page is read from the official exam page and linked to it.
How many questions, and how long
GIAC states 82 questions for GCFA, with a time limit of 180 minutes. That is about 2.2 minutes a question, including the time it takes to read the stem and the options.
The count is fixed and the cut is a percentage of the marks, so the number you can miss follows from it.
What the questions look like
A CyberLive exam. Some of the questions put you into a live machine with the real tools and score what you do there. GIAC does not publish how many of the 82 are hands-on, so neither do we.
What passes
The passing score for GCFA is 71 percent.
If you do not pass
A retake costs another $899.
How long it stays valid
GCFA is valid for 4 years from the day you pass. GIAC states a certification is active for four years and requires renewal every four years, with renewal registration enabled at the 2-year mark before the expiration date. Renewing adds 4 years to the current expiration date rather than to the date of renewal. The CPE route asks for 36 credits over four years, and GIAC lists the certification maintenance fee as a non-refundable $499 payment due once every four years at the time of registration. GIAC certifications last four years. Renewal is either 36 CPE credits plus a renewal fee, or passing the current exam again.
What this means for practice
Our GCFA practice exams are assembled to the published domain weightings and sat against a 180-minute clock, in exam conditions or in study mode. Every answer shows the official page it was checked against.
Keep reading
- GCFA practice questions
Free sample questions with the full explanation on every answer.
- Free GCFA practice test
10 original questions, playable now. No account, no card.
- GCFA passing score
The exact cut score, what kind of number it is, and the retake terms.
- How hard is GCFA?
An honest difficulty read from the format, the clock and the weights.
- What GCFA costs
The voucher price, the retake, and what renewal costs across the cycle.
- GCFA guide
Who it is for, study plans by experience level, and whether it is worth it.
Practice GCFA for free while you decide
Original questions written from the published objectives, with the concept, the reasoning, and a note on every wrong option. No account needed to start.
Start free GCFA questions