CEH Certification Cost in 2026: Exam, Training, and Fees

Introduction

If you are exploring a career in cybersecurity, the CEH credential can be a valuable stepping stone. However, the CEH certification cost is not a single fixed amount. Your total spend depends on the path you take, mainly how you meet eligibility and whether you prepare through self study or formal training.

In this guide, we break down the full cost structure from start to finish, including the eligibility application fee, exam voucher pricing, and the annual maintenance fee required after you certify. We also compare typical preparation routes so you can understand what self study versus training looks like in real budget terms. Finally, we cover the often overlooked add ons such as retake fees, voucher extensions, and other administrative charges, so you can plan with fewer surprises and a clearer timeline.

CEH Certification Cost at a Glance

CEH certification usually costs roughly $950 to $3,000+, depending on the path you choose. The exam voucher is usually the biggest fixed item, often $950 to $1,199. On top of that, some candidates pay a $100 eligibility application fee and may add labs, retakes, voucher extensions, or the optional CEH Practical. You will also need to budget for an annual maintenance fee to keep the certification active.

The numbers below are the usual “starting point” costs.

Quick snapshot (USD)

(Source: EC Council Store)

What Most People Actually Spend

• Online proctoring path: about $1,050 upfront ($100 + $950), plus $80 per year after you pass
• Test center path: about $1,299 upfront ($100 + $1,199), plus $80 per year after you pass

Small but easy-to-miss extras: retakes and voucher extensions can increase your total if you need them.

What is CEH Certification?

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a globally recognized cybersecurity certification from EC Council that validates your ability to think like an attacker and spot security gaps before real hackers do. It covers core areas like network and system security, web application security, social engineering, cryptography, and common attack techniques, so you build a well-rounded foundation in ethical hacking.

To earn CEH, you need to pass an exam that tests both concepts and practical awareness, not just memorized definitions. It is especially useful for roles like penetration testing, security analysis, IT audit, and security consulting because it helps you prove you understand how attacks happen and how to reduce risk. 

Since CEH involves exam fees and often training costs, it is worth checking the total price upfront and mapping it to your career goals.

CEH Certification Cost: Scenario-Based Breakdown

Your total CEH cost mostly depends on which path you take. Pick the one that matches how you are planning to qualify and book the exam.

Scenario 1: Self-study or Work Experience Route (Eligibility Path)

You first pay the $100 application fee to get approved. After that, you buy an exam voucher based on how you want to take the test:

• Online proctoring voucher: $950
• Test center voucher (Pearson VUE): $1,199 

This is the “no training bundled” route, but you should still budget for prep resources if you are not already working in security.

Scenario 2: Official Training Route (Training First, Then Exam)

Training costs can vary a lot depending on the format. In general, in-person classroom training tends to cost more than online training because it includes a physical location, fixed schedules, and on-site support. Online training is usually easier to budget because it is packaged as a single program with a clear price.

If you choose online training, Simplilearn offers the CEH Certification - Certified Ethical Hacking Course priced at $2,900. It includes the CEH v13 exam voucher and 6 months of CEH v13 AI Labs with 220+ hands-on exercises, so your main costs are bundled into a single plan rather than spread across training, labs, and the voucher.

Scenario 3: If You Need a Retake

If you do not pass on your first attempt, you will need to buy a retake exam voucher before you can sit again. On EC Council’s official store, the listed retake voucher price is $500 USD for both formats: online (ECC Exam Center, remote proctoring) and test center (Pearson VUE).  The exact retake price can vary by voucher type and where you take the exam (for example, an India ATC retake voucher is listed at $200), so you should not lock in your plan based on a single fixed number.

Become a Certified Ethical Hacker and gain in-demand skills to protect and secure systems. Enroll today and get certified! 🎯

Benefits of Obtaining CEH Certification

Benefits of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification for professionals in the cybersecurity industry include or involve the following:

1. It makes you a leader in ethical hacking and penetration testing, which calls for the technical skills most demanded and the knowledge required within cybersecurity
2. This is because it gives some validity to your knowledge and opens a door to connect with other people in the field of cybersecurity
3. It also gives employers an edge over other candidates, as employers increasingly demand individuals who are experts at identifying and solving potential threats to their systems
4. Thus, CEH shows that you adapt to continuous changes in the field of online safety, being proactive rather than reactive
5. Furthermore, CEH certification can lead to higher salaries as companies can benefit from specialists’ services in different spheres of their activities
6. With this certificate, businesses understand how important it is to have competent hackers on board when they want to repel attacks; hence, this course is worth investing your money in if you are looking forward to career growth opportunities

CEH Certification Requirements

Considering the ANSI-Accredited CEH exam, candidates who possess a CEH certification from versions 1 to 7 can enjoy such privilege without paying any extra fees. Here are the CEH certification requirements: 

• One must have at least two years of work experience in information security and pay $100 as an application fee
• The official EC-Council CEH training program shall be completed by paying $100 as an application fee, although the cost of training is charged separately
• The applicants with the previous versions of CEH certification (versions 1-7) are not required to submit any fee for taking the ANSI-accredited CEH exam

Average Salary for CEH-Aligned Roles

The roles people usually move into after CEH include penetration tester, SOC analyst, security analyst, and ethical hacker. And the more you can do beyond spotting problems, like running real tests, writing clear reports, helping teams fix issues, and building repeatable workflows, the faster your salary tends to grow compared to more general security jobs.

Here is a simple snapshot of the average pay for these roles, based on recent listings and reported salary data.

Conclusion

If CEH is part of your cybersecurity plan, it's best to budget for the CEH certification cost properly rather than guessing a single number. Start by picking your path. Once you do, the core costs become clear: eligibility fee (if applicable), the exam voucher, and a yearly maintenance fee after you pass. Then you decide how you want to prep. Self-study is cheaper upfront, while training usually costs more but can save you from last-minute expenses like retakes or extra prep tools.

If you are choosing the training route, you can also consider a bundled option like Simplilearn’s CEH Certification - Certified Ethical Hacking Course, which includes the CEH v13 exam voucher and 6 months of CEH v13 AI Labs with 220+ hands-on exercises. That kind of package can make the total cost easier to plan because you are not buying training, labs, and the voucher separately.

Key Takeaways

• The CEH certification cost mainly comes down to two decisions: how you qualify (eligibility or training) and where you take the exam (online or at a test center)
• For most people, the “must pay” costs are the eligibility application fee and the exam voucher, and then the annual maintenance fee kicks in after you pass to keep the certification active
• Self-study is usually the cheapest upfront, but you might still end up spending on practice tests, lab access, or other prep tools to feel exam-ready
• Training routes are typically easier to plan as a single bundled cost, especially when the voucher and lab access are included
• Retakes and voucher extensions are the most common “budget drift” factors, so it helps to keep a buffer
• CEH aligns with roles like penetration tester, SOC analyst, security analyst, and ethical hacker, and pay rises faster when you can show hands-on impact through testing and reporting

FAQs

1. What is the CEH certification cost in India in 2026?

Pricing can show up in INR via local authorized sellers and can differ from USD list prices. One India storefront listing shows CEHv13 AI voucher at Rs. 26,500 and the CEH Practical voucher at Rs. 24,999.
Note: Your final INR total still depends on whether you also pay the separate $100 eligibility fee and your chosen exam delivery mode.

2. How much does the CEH Practical exam cost?

The CEH (Practical) exam is listed at $550 on EC Council’s store. It also notes the dashboard code validity and scheduling window rules (valid for 1 year).

3. Is CEH training mandatory, or can I self-study?

Training is not strictly mandatory. You can self-study if you meet the eligibility route (typically via required experience and the eligibility process), or you can take official training as the other route.

4. What is the CEH eligibility/application fee for self-study candidates?

The eligibility application fee is $100 and is described as non-refundable in the EC Council eligibility process.

5. How much does it cost to retake the CEH exam?

A CEH retake voucher for the RPS online route is listed at $500.
Retake rules and availability may vary by policy, so treat this as the “listed retake voucher price,” not a guaranteed all-cases fee.

6. Are there rescheduling/cancellation fees for the CEH exam?

For RPS (remote proctoring), EC Council has an exam rescheduling fee policy: the first reschedule is free if done more than 7 days before the exam date; inside 7 days, reschedule fees step up ($49 for the first, $99 for the second, $149 from the third onward).

7. How long is a CEH exam voucher valid?

Both the RPS voucher and the Pearson VUE voucher pages state that the voucher is valid for 1 year from the date of release. EC Council’s voucher policy also states that vouchers are valid for up to 1 year from purchase.

8. How much does CEH renewal/recertification cost?

EC Council lists an annual continuing education (CE) fee of $80 for CEH (and CEH Practical), and shows the 3-year total as $240.
Renewal is tied to the ECE cycle requirements plus payment of the CE fee.

9. Is CEH worth the cost compared to Security+ or eJPT?

It depends on your goal:

• If you want a broader entry-level security foundation, Security+ is often positioned that way, with a commonly cited exam price of about $425
• If you want an entry-level, hands-on pentesting pathway, eJPT is generally cheaper. INE has introduced bundles such as “eJPT + 3 months of Fundamentals” priced at $249.
• If you want a widely recognized ethical hacking credential with both theory and an established exam ecosystem (plus an optional practical), CEH can make sense. Still, your costs will be higher once you add training, labs, and the ongoing annual fee.