This is the one-page version of everything you need to know before you sit for the ASHRAE Building Energy Assessment Professional exam. Bookmark it, print it, tape it to your monitor - whatever gets you glancing at these numbers daily during your final review week. For deeper dives into any single fact below, follow the links to the full breakdowns elsewhere on BEAP Exam Prep.
- You need 68 of 100 scored answers correct out of 115 total questions (15 are unscored) in 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Domains 6, 5, and 4 (30%, 25%, 21%) make up 76% of the scored exam - master these first.
- Exam fees are $495 (ASHRAE member), $745 (nonmember), or $295 (eligible Developing Economies member).
- ASHRAE's cumulative pass rate through May 2025 was 72%.
Quick Facts Snapshot
Every candidate should have these core numbers memorized cold before scheduling a testing appointment. If any of them surprise you, stop and read the BEAP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt before going further.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | ASHRAE |
| Delivery | Computer-based, Kryterion test centers, scheduled through Webassessor |
| Question count | 115 total (100 scored, 15 unscored, unlabeled) |
| Time limit | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Passing score | 68 correct out of 100 scored questions |
| Cumulative pass rate | 72% (through May 2025, per ASHRAE) |
| Exam fee | $495 member / $745 nonmember / $295 Developing Economies |
| Materials allowed | Basic non-scientific, non-graphing calculator only; closed book/notes |
| Renewal cycle | 3 years, 50 PDHs, 5 audits, 2 hrs safety CE, ethics compliance |
The 7 Domains at a Glance
ASHRAE structures the BEAP exam around seven domains defined in Appendix A of the candidate guidebook, each weighted by how much scored content it represents. For a full explanation of what each domain actually tests, see the BEAP Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 7 Content Areas. Here's the compressed version.
Domain 1: Communicating With Stakeholders (5%)
Smallest domain, but shows up in scenario questions about reporting findings, managing client expectations, and framing audit scope conversations.
- Low weight - don't over-invest study time here
Domain 2: Developing The Action Plan (7%)
Covers how an auditor scopes and sequences the assessment before ever touching a building system.
- Know audit planning logic, not just terminology
Domain 3: Conducting Pre-Site Visit Data Collection Activities (4%)
Focuses on gathering utility bills, drawings, and building records before the walkthrough.
- Smallest domain by weight - review once, move on
Domain 4: Collecting Data On-Site (21%)
A major scored domain. Expect questions on instrumentation, measurement techniques, and systematic on-site data gathering across building systems.
- Study this alongside Domains 5 and 6 - together they're 76% of the exam
Domain 5: Analyzing Building Performance Data (25%)
The second-largest domain. Candidates must interpret collected data, benchmark performance, and identify inefficiencies from raw numbers.
- Practice reading data sets, not just memorizing formulas
Domain 6: Identifying Opportunities For Improving Building Performance (30%)
The single largest domain on the exam. This is where energy conservation measures, retrofit recommendations, and improvement prioritization live.
- Allocate the most review hours here - nearly a third of scored questions come from this domain
Domain 7: Producing The Deliverable (8%)
Tests how findings get packaged into the final audit report and recommendations document.
- Review report structure and content expectations, not writing style
Key Takeaway
Domains 6, 5, and 4 combine for 76% of scored content. If your study time is limited, weight it toward opportunity identification, data analysis, and on-site data collection before touching the smaller domains.
Fees, Logistics & Test-Day Rules
The BEAP exam is administered as computer-based testing through Kryterion test centers, with appointments booked via Webassessor. Understanding the fee structure and test-day rules avoids scheduling surprises. For a full pricing walkthrough - including renewal costs and the practice exam - check the BEAP Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
- Application/exam fee: $495 for ASHRAE members, $745 for nonmembers, $295 for eligible Developing Economies members.
- Format: 115 multiple-choice questions - 100 scored, 15 unscored (you won't know which is which).
- Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, extended by 30 minutes for approved non-native-English accommodations.
- Passing threshold: 68 correct answers out of the 100 scored questions. Details on how that number is derived are in the BEAP Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
- Materials: Closed book, closed notes. Only a basic non-scientific, non-graphing calculator is permitted.
- Official practice exam: A 30-question practice exam is sold separately for $49 through ASHRAE.
Eligibility Pathways in Brief
Before you can even register, ASHRAE requires you to meet one of several combined education/licensure-plus-experience pathways, along with audit experience, safety CE, and an ethics agreement. The full eligibility matrix - including which pathway fits which background - is covered in the BEAP Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. The condensed list:
- Licensed engineer or architect + 2 years of energy-auditing experience
- Bachelor's in engineering or architecture + 3 years
- Qualifying four-year STEM or architecture degree + 4 years
- Qualifying two-year technical degree, engineering technology vocational certificate, or equivalent military training + 4 years
- Four-year non-STEM degree + 5 years
- High-school diploma/equivalent + 7 years
On top of the education/experience pathway, every applicant must document 5 commercial energy audits covering at least 2 building-use types within the preceding 3 years, complete 2 hours of safety continuing education, and sign an ethics agreement. Skipping any of these pieces will delay your application regardless of how strong your exam prep is.
Key Takeaway
Gather your audit documentation and safety CE proof before scheduling your exam date - eligibility verification can take longer than exam prep itself if paperwork is incomplete.
Last-Week Review Plan
If you're reading this cheat sheet in your final stretch before test day, don't restart a full study plan - triage by domain weight instead. For a complete multi-week plan, see the BEAP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt; here's the compressed last-week version tied specifically to BEAP's domain weights.
Domain 6 Deep Review (30%)
- Run through every opportunity-identification scenario you can find
- Drill energy conservation measure prioritization logic
Domain 5 Deep Review (25%)
- Practice interpreting benchmarking data sets
- Re-check calculation methods used in performance analysis
Domain 4 Review (21%)
- Review on-site instrumentation and measurement procedures
- Confirm you know data-collection sequencing across systems
Domains 2, 7, 1, 3 (7%, 8%, 5%, 4%)
- Light review - these four domains combine for roughly a quarter of scored content
Logistics & Rest
- Confirm Kryterion test center location and Webassessor appointment
- Review calculator rules and what's allowed at the testing center
This weighting isn't generic exam advice - it's built directly off the fact that Domains 6, 5, and 4 make up 76% of the scored exam. Spending equal time across all seven domains wastes hours you could put toward the highest-yield material. If you're still unsure how difficult this exam actually feels in practice, the How Hard Is the BEAP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 breaks down where most candidates lose points.
Renewal & Recertification Cheat Sheet
Passing the exam isn't the end of the obligation - BEAP certification runs on a 3-year renewal cycle. Keep these numbers on hand well before your renewal window opens:
- 50 professional development hours over the 3-year cycle
- 5 commercial energy audits completed within the cycle
- 2 hours of safety continuing education
- Ongoing ethics compliance
- Renewal fee: $245 member / $375 nonmember / $145 Developing Economies member
If you're still deciding whether the credential fits your career goals before committing to the fees and renewal cycle above, the Is the BEAP Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and BEAP Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis cover what typically justifies the investment, and BEAP Jobs outlines the kinds of roles that value this credential. New candidates who want the foundational context should start with What Is BEAP Certification? before working through this cheat sheet in detail.
For hands-on practice that mirrors the real question style and timing constraints described above, run through timed sets on BEAP Exam Prep before your scheduled Webassessor appointment - repetition under the real 2 hour 30 minute clock is the single best way to confirm this cheat sheet's numbers are actually second nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
115 total multiple-choice questions - 100 scored and 15 unscored - administered in 2 hours 30 minutes. Approved non-native-English candidates receive an additional 30 minutes.
You need 68 correct answers out of the 100 scored questions. The 15 unscored questions don't count toward or against your result.
Domain 6 (Identifying Opportunities For Improving Building Performance, 30%), Domain 5 (Analyzing Building Performance Data, 25%), and Domain 4 (Collecting Data On-Site, 21%) together represent 76% of scored content - study these first.
$495 for ASHRAE members, $745 for nonmembers, or $295 for eligible Developing Economies members. A separate $49 official 30-question practice exam is also available.
Yes, but only a basic non-scientific, non-graphing calculator. The exam is otherwise closed book and closed notes.