
Enhance Your AML Skills
Learn how Advanced CAMS-Audit, now exam-based, can equip mid-level and senior management professionals with the knowledge to reinforce internal controls and enhance your ability to meet regulatory expectations.

CAMS-Audit is the certification to take you beyond the CAMS credential to an elevated level of education and practice in the AML Audit arena.
Overview
Evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of an AML compliance program, suspicious activity reporting and transaction monitoring systems, and KYC/CIP policies, procedures, and processes
Address and mitigate AML risk including tracking and correcting previously identified issues and deficiencies
Analyze and recommend enhancements to policies, procedures and processes in accordance with guidance and regulations
Assess the adequacy of transaction testing in relation to risk and suspicious activity.
Understand and communicate reporting and record-keeping requirements in performing independent testing.
Enhance the role of audit in regard to your institution’s compliance monitoring and AML training.
New enrollments in our Advanced CAMS-Audit program are currently suspended. Due to the global pandemic, we do not have any live training events scheduled.
ACAMS is working on adapting the Advanced CAMS-Audit program into a different model, that will enable it to be offered online and that will include a formalized certification exam.
Please check back in the coming months for more information.
Advanced CAMS-Audit is now a global exam-based certification.
ACAMS certifications are developed by a global task-force of subject matters experts.
Certification exams are psychometrically developed and independently supervised at thousands of testing centers worldwide, to provide a validated and objective benchmark of knowledge.
Who is CAMS-Audit for
All organizations who conduct Anti-Financial Crime audits will benefit from having CAMS-Audit qualified leaders. These include:
- Banks
- Non-Bank Financial Institutions
- FinTechs
- DNFBPs with financial crime compliance programs
- Corporates
- Consulting firms
Advanced CAMS-Audit is best suited for mid-to senior-level professionals, including those who:
- Work in the internal audit function of an institution
- Consult as an external auditor
- Supervise individuals who perform financial crime prevention audits
- Help prepare institutions for regulatory examination
- Perform bank examinations from a regulatory perspective
About the Program
The program covers topics including:
- The role of the third line of defense
- The risk-based approach to preventing financial crime
- Understanding business operations and regulatory requirements
- Reviewing risk assessments, prior audits and regulatory exams
- Data collection
- Reviewing/evaluating/testing policies and procedures
- Evaluating risks and identifying the most significant
- Evaluating existing controls and how/if they mitigate risks
- Validating weaknesses
- Reporting
- Judgments made during the audit process
Who Should Apply
Advanced CAMS-Audit is best suited for mid-to senior-level professionals, including:
- Internal/External Auditors
- Consultants
- Regulators
- Compliance Officers
- Risk Managers
The Advanced CAMS-Audit is a global exam-based qualification – start studying anytime, and complete your exam online. To apply, candidates must have previously passed the CAMS exam, and have a recommended minimum of five years of previous audit or audit-related experience.
We certify the achievements of our members. You must be CAMS certified, and an ACAMS member to apply.
Download the handbook, and submit your application.
Once your application is approved and payment has been made, you’ll receive instructions on how to prepare and take your exam.
Pre-Purchase Your Advanced CAMS-Audit Package
Take advantage of this special price-limited time only! The Advanced CAMS-Audit certification is now available for pre-purchase, with study materials and examination available from summer 2021.
Take advantage of our early bird pricing until May 31, 2021.
Standard Package
Private Sector: US $1,995 | US $1,745
Public Sector: US $1,495 | US $1,245
Contact our team to pre-purchase your or your team's training package.
Upcoming Certification Dates & Locations
There are no upcoming dates for the Advanced CAMS-Audit Certification at this time. Please check back again soon.
Recertification
Advanced CAMS professionals are required to recertify every three years, to demonstrate continuing professional education. This replaces your previous CAMS recertification process, and those holding more than one Advanced CAMS designation only recertify their most recent qualification. In order to recertify the Advanced CAMS-Audit credential, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain an active ACAMS membership
- Meet the Continuing Education credit requirements
- Submit an online application
For full information on the recertification process, download the Candidate Handbook.
Recertification Fees
Prices are subject to local taxes
Early bird US$200
For applications submitted on or before 1 October in the year of your recertification.
Standard US$250
For applications submitted by the 15 December deadline, in the year of your recertification.
Late US$300
For late applications. Note that all applications must still be submitted by 31 March in the year following your recertification deadline.
FAQs
What is Advanced CAMS-Audit?
This is a new and revised version of the existing Advanced CAMS-Audit Program. This advanced Certification program is designed primarily for those who conduct or wish to conduct anti-money laundering or financial crime compliance audits, whether as part of internal or external Audit teams. It is also suitable for control functions, first-line assurance teams, second-line compliance monitoring teams and for personnel performing independent testing of anti-financial crime controls.
How is this new version of Advanced CAMS-Audit different than the prior version?
The prior version included a 3-day live training program, followed by a required white paper. This version has been built on the same model as CAMS and CGSS. This version can be taken self-study or optionally with a 12-hour instructor-led, virtual classroom program. The assessment for this new version is a proctored exam, taken at a Pearson VUE testing center or via online proctoring. The exam will have 90 multiple choice and multiple select questions and take 3 hours.
Why did ACAMS revise the original Advanced CAMS-Audit program?
We decided to revise the model for this program for several reasons. We heard from many CAMS-certified members interested in becoming CAMS-Audit-certified who could not access the program because of the live 3-day requirement, which involved taking time off work on specific dates. When people couldn’t make the scheduled dates, they had to wait 6 months to a year before the next offering. Additionally, the live training component and oversight of the white paper process required a price point that was often out-of-reach for members, and did not include travel costs, which had to be added to the program price. Finally, the white paper requirements meant we were unable to make the prior version of the program available in languages other than English. Our new version of Advanced CAMS-Audit will maintain the rigor of the learning outcomes while making the program more accessible based on cost and language.
What does it mean that is an advanced/specialist/associate certification?
ACAMS Advanced Certifications require candidates to have previously attained the CAMS designation and are designed for experienced individuals. Although active membership and a passing CAMS score are the only eligibility requirements, we recommend Advanced CAMS-Audit for members with a minimum of 5 years of audit or financial crime prevention experience.
What are the core topic areas of Advanced CAMS-Audit?
- Corporate Governance and the Audit Function
- Planning and Scoping
- Fieldwork and Evaluation
- Reporting, Recommendations, and Follow-up
Who will be eligible to take Advanced CAMS-Audit? Who is the certification for?
ACAMS members with a prior passing score on CAMS are eligible to take Advanced CAMS-Audit. A prior CAMS certification is required. Although direct audit experience is not required, the program does assume knowledge of audit fundamentals, and the exam is designed to test at the level of someone with 5 years of AML auditing experience.
The program is appropriate for those who:
- Work in the internal audit function of an institution and will or may conduct audits for financial crime prevention programs.
- Work as an external auditor either independently or with an established consulting firm
- Work in financial crime compliance and are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the perspective and thinking process of the AML auditor. People who work in compliance in monitoring and testing teams/assurance.
- Supervise individuals whose work may be audited as part of a financial crime prevention audit.
- Aid in the preparation of an institution for a regulatory examination that includes examination of the financial crime prevention functions.
- Conduct bank examinations from a regulatory perspective.
- Work in first line assurance teams
- Work in compliance monitoring testing or quality assurance teams within the second line where an advanced level of knowledge is required
- Perform independent testing as part of special projects such as large-scale remediation across obliged entities
What knowledge will THE CERTIFICATION test?
A. Corporate Governance and the Audit Function
B. Planning and Scoping
C. Fieldwork and Evaluation
D. Reporting, Recommendations, and Follow-up
What will the study materials and virtual classroom be like?
The revised Advanced CAMS-Audit program is built to be similar to the CAMS model. There will be a Study Guide as well as an optional Virtual Classroom, which will consist of six weekly 2-hour sessions.
What is the eligibility criteria?
Candidates must have an active ACAMS membership and a prior passing CAMS score.
Is Advanced CAMS-Audit applicable towards another certification or recertification? (eligibility/credits)
Yes, the training component of the program is worth 6 CAMS credits and the Virtual Classroom earns an additional 12. When the certification is attained, we consider Advanced CAMS-Audit to subsume your CAMS certification, so that you only need to recertify your CAMS-Audit credential.
How does Advanced CAMS-Audit differ from ACAMS’ existing point of reference certifications?
As an advanced certification, Advanced CAMS-Audit is designed for professionals with 5 years or more of financial crime compliance experience. The study materials and exam assume you have retained knowledge from CAMS, and the exam is written at an advanced level, expecting a test-taker to be able to synthesize information and experience to answer complex, case-based questions.
How will the exam be more complex than another point of reference certification? Won’t it just be a multiple-choice exam?
Although the exam will have multiple choice and multiple select questions (with more than one correct option), it will also include case scenario questions, with several questions related to a single case example. Additionally, Advanced CAMS-Audit will incorporate tables and other artifacts into the questions to require the test-taker to demonstrate the ability to interpret data and findings.
Is there an application?
As active membership and a prior passing CAMS score are the only eligibility requirements, the application will consist only of the test-taker agreement.
How do I find all available exam dates and locations?
Once enrolled, you will be able to access a scheduling tool to enable you to take your exam at a Pearson VUE center or via online proctoring.
How long do I have to take the certification exam from the day I pay?
6 months.
How long is the exam?
The exam is 90 questions and 3 hours long.
What is the structure of the exam?
The exam will have multiple choice and multiple select questions. It will be different and more challenging than CAMS because of case scenario questions – which involve a case study with several questions related to it.
Are the test results disclosed to third parties? Are the test results public?
Candidates receive their exam results immediately (pass or fail) at the conclusion of the test. Results will not be given over the phone, by facsimile, or electronic mail. When an organization pays for an individual’s examination, the organization may request ACAMS to release the result to the organization. If a candidate does not want this information to be released to the organization, then the candidate must notify ACAMS in writing.
How long is my certification valid?
3 years.
What are the recertification requirements?
The recertification requirements for this new version of CAMS-Audit will be to maintain your ACAMS membership and to earn 45 hours of continuing education credits. A minimum of 15 of these credits must be earned from ACAMS training events.
Do credits earned the same year I became certified count towards my recertification?
Yes, as long as the credits were earned after passing the Advanced CAMS-Audit Examination.
Disability Service Accommodations
Requests for Disability Service Accommodations:
ACAMS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities as defined by local, applicable law. Our intent is to ensure that everyone who makes a request for accommodations is advised of the accommodation process as promptly as possible. If you have a disability as defined under local, applicable law, please contact the Accommodation Coordinator for a request form and information.
Process
The first step in the accommodation process is to contact our Disability Services.
Disability Services Accommodation Coordinator
Phone:+1 786 871 3062
E-mail: accommodations@acams.org
Fax:+1 866 494 0040
After you initiate contact, the Accommodation Coordinator will ask you to complete the accommodation request form specifying your impairment and the requested accommodation. In addition to the form, you must provide recent (generally no more than five years old) certification and/or documentation from a qualified medical or educational professional that (a) provides a specific diagnosis; and (b) recommends specific accommodations that might be helpful to the applicable setting and request based on the diagnosis.
When completing the form, add your application number (e.g., CAMS099887766), and submit it to accommodations@acams.org to ensure ACAMS properly receives your accommodation request. The Accommodation Coordinator will contact you with further information.
The Accommodation Coordinator will evaluate your request and supporting documentation and request or obtain any additional input, including supporting documentation as appropriate to determine whether your request can reasonably be granted. If your request is granted,the Accommodation Coordinator will work with you to implement the request. If your request is denied or deemed unreasonable, the Accommodation Coordinator will engage in a dialog with you to explore any alternative reasonable accommodation options, if appropriate.
Once accommodations have been implemented, you should continue to work with Disability Services on any accommodation-related needs. If you experience difficulty in implementing or obtaining approved accommodations, you must notify the Accommodation Coordinator immediately upon identification of concern for assistance in rectifying the situation as appropriate.
Requests are reviewed on an individual and rolling basis. Please note, the time for approval could potentially affect the timeframe for testing with approved accommodation.
If you have a complaint, please contact accommodations@acams.org. If you believe you have been discriminated against due to a disability you should contact accommodations@acams.org to address the immediate situation. You will be contacted by the Certification Manager.
Learn more about the upcoming exam-based program for Advanced CAMS-Audit
ACAMS is working on adapting the Advanced CAMS-Audit program into a different model, that will enable it to be offered online and that will include a formalized certification exam. Request more information by completing the form, and an Account Manager will be in touch soon.