- A CSM is a Certified ScrumMaster credentialed by the Scrum Alliance after a 16-hour CST-led course.
- The exam has 50 multiple-choice questions, a 1-hour limit, and requires 37 correct (74%) to pass.
- The test is unproctored, open-book, and taken in Scrum Alliance's own online portal - not Pearson VUE or PSI.
- Two test attempts are bundled into the course fee; extra attempts after 90 days or two fails cost $25 each.
What Is A CSM, Exactly?
CSM stands for Certified ScrumMaster, a credential issued by the Scrum Alliance to individuals who complete an approved course and pass a short knowledge check on Scrum. If you've landed here from a broader search, you may also want the quick-reference explainers What Is CSM?, CSM Meaning, or What Does CSM Stand For? - this article goes deeper into the exam and certification mechanics themselves.
Unlike vendor-neutral project management certifications that test years of accumulated experience, the CSM is designed as an entry point into the Scrum Master role. It confirms that a person understands the Scrum framework, the responsibilities of a Scrum Master, and how that role serves a Scrum Team, a Product Owner, and the wider organization. For a deeper walkthrough of the credential's purpose and structure, see CSM Certification and What Is CSM Certification?.
Who Runs the CSM Program
The Scrum Alliance is the sole governing body for the CSM credential. It does not use third-party testing centers like Pearson VUE, PSI, or Prometric - instead, the exam is delivered through the Scrum Alliance's own online test portal. This distinction matters because it changes how the exam feels: there's no test-center check-in, no live proctor watching through a webcam, and no locked-down browser environment. Candidates take the exam on their own schedule within a 90-day window after finishing their course.
Because the Scrum Alliance controls the course, the trainer, and the exam, the entire pathway is more tightly bundled than most certifications. You cannot register for the exam independently - it's issued as part of enrolling in a Certified ScrumMaster course.
How the CSM Exam Actually Works
The CSM exam is intentionally lightweight compared to many professional certifications, but that doesn't mean it should be taken lightly. Here's what candidates should expect:
- Format: Online, multiple-choice, self-administered through the Scrum Alliance portal.
- Length: 50 questions, all multiple choice.
- Time limit: 1 hour, and the timer cannot be paused once started.
- Passing score: 37 correct answers out of 50, or at least 74%.
- Proctoring: None. The test is unproctored and open-book, meaning you can reference the Scrum Guide or your course notes.
- Scoring breakdown: Scrum Alliance does not publish a scored versus unscored question split, so treat every question as if it counts.
Open-book access sounds like it should make the exam easy, but the 1-hour time limit for 50 questions leaves roughly 72 seconds per question on average - not enough time to look up every answer. Candidates who rely entirely on searching the Scrum Guide during the test often run out of time. For a realistic read on how challenging this actually is in practice, see How Hard Is the CSM Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Open-book does not mean open-time. Know the material well enough that you only need the Scrum Guide to confirm details, not to learn concepts from scratch during the exam.
Because Scrum Alliance does not publish an official pass rate, be wary of any source that cites a specific percentage. If you want a data-grounded discussion of what's known and what isn't, CSM Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows covers this in detail without inventing numbers.
The Three CSM Learning-Objective Domains
The current CSM exam is built around the CSM Learning Objectives, the Scrum Foundations learning objectives, and the Scrum Guide itself. These were last updated in January 2022 and reformatted in February 2024. Scrum Alliance does not publish official weighting percentages for each domain, which means candidates should prepare all three areas thoroughly rather than betting on one being emphasized more than another.
Domain 1: Scrum
This domain covers the Scrum framework itself - its theory, values, roles, events, and artifacts as defined in the Scrum Guide.
- Empiricism and the three pillars: transparency, inspection, adaptation
- The five Scrum values and why they matter to team behavior
- Sprint structure, Sprint Goal, and the purpose of each Scrum event
- Definition of Done and how it relates to the increment
Domain 2: Scrum Master Core Competencies
This domain focuses on the skills and mindset a Scrum Master needs to be effective - facilitation, coaching, conflict resolution, and servant leadership.
- Facilitation techniques for Scrum events
- Coaching versus mentoring versus teaching distinctions
- Recognizing and addressing team dysfunction
- Servant leadership behaviors versus command-and-control habits
Domain 3: Service to the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and Organization
This domain examines how a Scrum Master supports each stakeholder group differently - the development team, the Product Owner, and the broader organization.
- How a Scrum Master removes impediments without taking over the team's work
- Supporting the Product Owner with backlog management and stakeholder communication
- Helping the organization adopt Scrum and manage organizational change
- Protecting the team from outside disruption while staying transparent
For a full breakdown of every topic within each area, review CSM Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 3 Content Areas, or go deeper individually with CSM Domain 1: Scrum, CSM Domain 2: Scrum Master Core Competencies, and CSM Domain 3: Service to the Scrum Team, Product Owner, and Organization.
Prerequisites and the CST Course Requirement
There is no separate professional experience prerequisite published by Scrum Alliance for the CSM. Instead, the single gating requirement is completing a 16-hour approved Certified ScrumMaster course, delivered live - either online or in person - by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST).
This is a meaningful structural difference from many certifications: you can't self-study and register for the exam on your own. The exam access is issued through the course itself, and the two included test attempts only become available once you've completed the training. For guidance on choosing a course and trainer, see CSM Training.
Cost, Registration, and Retakes
CSM pricing is unusual because it's not a flat, universal exam fee. Instead, the exam is bundled inside the course price, and individual Certified Scrum Trainers set their own rates. Publicly listed course pricing on the Scrum Alliance site ranges from roughly $250 to $2,495 USD, and that price includes two test attempts.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Course + exam bundle | ~$250-$2,495 USD (trainer-set pricing) |
| Included test attempts | 2 attempts, included in course fee |
| Attempt window | 90 days after course completion |
| Additional attempts | $25 each (after 2 fails or after 90 days) |
| Renewal fee | $100 every 2 years, plus 20 SEUs |
Because pricing varies so widely by trainer, region, and format, it's worth comparing options before enrolling. A full pricing breakdown, including what drives the variation, is available in CSM Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Validity and Renewal
A CSM credential is valid for 2 years from the date it's earned. To renew, Scrum Alliance's foundational renewal path requires 20 Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and a $100 renewal fee. There is no re-exam required for renewal - the SEU requirement is designed to encourage continued learning rather than re-testing foundational knowledge.
Who Hires People With a CSM
The CSM is most commonly sought by organizations running Scrum-based software development, product teams, and increasingly non-tech departments experimenting with agile ways of working. Typical hiring patterns include:
- Software and product companies hiring dedicated Scrum Masters or agile coaches
- Organizations transitioning from waterfall to Scrum that want internal champions
- Project managers and business analysts adding a CSM to formalize existing informal Scrum Master duties
- Consulting firms placing agile practitioners into client engagements
Because the CSM is often treated as a baseline credential rather than a senior-level distinction, many practitioners pair it with hands-on team experience to stand out. For a look at how the credential translates into job titles and postings, see CSM Jobs, and for compensation context, review CSM Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis. If you're still deciding whether to pursue it at all, Is the CSM Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 weighs the tradeoffs without relying on invented statistics.
A CSM-Specific Study Approach
Because the CSM course itself only covers 16 hours of live instruction, the exam prep window is typically short and concentrated - most candidates study in the days immediately before and after their course rather than over months. A simple way to structure that window:
Pre-Read the Scrum Guide
- Read the Scrum Guide once fully so course concepts aren't brand new
- Note unfamiliar terms related to events, roles, and artifacts
Map Content to Domains
- Tag notes by Domain 1, 2, or 3 as your trainer covers them
- Ask your CST to clarify servant leadership and facilitation scenarios (Domain 2)
Timed Practice
- Run timed practice questions to build speed under the 1-hour limit
- Review Domain 3 scenarios involving Product Owner and organizational support
Generic study techniques like spaced repetition or the Pomodoro method can help here, but only if applied to the specific domains above rather than generic flashcards. For a complete first-attempt strategy tailored to the CSM's format and timing, see CSM Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. To get a feel for question phrasing before test day, work through Best CSM Practice Questions 2026: What to Expect on the Exam and try a full simulation on our practice test platform.
Key Takeaway
Since Scrum Alliance doesn't publish a domain weighting, split your review time roughly evenly across Domain 1 (Scrum), Domain 2 (Core Competencies), and Domain 3 (Service to Team/PO/Organization) rather than guessing which matters most.
Running timed mock exams on a practice test site before your 90-day window closes is one of the few ways to simulate the unproctored, no-pause format ahead of time. It's also useful to revisit practice questions a second time after your course to reinforce the Domain 2 and Domain 3 material, which tends to be more scenario-based than straightforward recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
CSM stands for Certified ScrumMaster, a credential issued by the Scrum Alliance. See What Does CSM Mean? for more context on how the term is used across the industry.
No. The CSM exam is taken online through the Scrum Alliance's own test portal without a live proctor, and it is open-book, though the 1-hour timer cannot be paused.
The exam has 50 multiple-choice questions, and you need 37 correct answers, or at least 74%, to pass.
No. Exam access is bundled with completing a 16-hour Certified ScrumMaster course taught live by a Certified Scrum Trainer; there is no standalone exam registration.
A CSM is valid for 2 years. Renewal requires 20 SEUs and a $100 fee through Scrum Alliance's foundational renewal path.