NICET certification cost calculator

Pick your track, the level you hold and the level you want. You get an itemized total for application fees, Express Evaluation, retakes and renewal, level by level, with a copy and CSV export.

Your path to NICET certification

Retakes and renewal

NICET publishes no price for a retake, so that box starts at zero: enter the amount your NICET account shows. Books, travel and other costs start at zero too.

Your own costs

Your totals

Total for your plan

$560

To get certified
$560
Renewals
$0
Your own costs
$0
NICET fees alone
$560

Level by level

  • FAS Level I: application $235$235
  • FAS Level II: application $325$325
  • Certification subtotal$560

Studying for NICET FA I? Take the free 10-question check to see exactly which topics to fix first, then close the gaps with the Alarm Ladder course.

Or read a full free lesson first (no signup).

How the calculator works

  • NICET charges per level, not per certification. You pay for every level from the one above your current level up to your target, because each level needs the exams below it.
  • Each application fee covers one test session, an experience review and one supplemental review. The calculator adds $115 for each extra supplemental review you choose.
  • Express Evaluation is $305 per paid level, so choosing it at every level multiplies it.
  • On the ITFAS track, FAS Level II credits ITFAS Level I, and FAS Level III or IV credits ITFAS Levels I and II. Covered levels carry no application fee, and the calculator adds the $165 credit review instead. NICET's own pages show $160 in one place, so the figure on your payment form decides.
  • Retakes are your number. The handbooks allow at most three attempts in any 12 months, so the calculator offers up to 2 retakes per level.
  • Renewal is every three years: $220 for one certification plus $60 for each additional one. All your certifications share one expiration date.

The fee schedule behind the numbers

LevelFAS applicationTotal to reach it (FAS)ITFAS application
Level I$235$235$235
Level II$325$560$325
Level III$380$940Not offered
Level IV$435$1,375Not offered

Fees as listed by NICET, effective 1 August 2026. The NICET exam fees guide explains rescheduling, refunds and the places where NICET's pages disagree, and the renewal guide covers CPD points and deadlines.

Two worked examples

CandidateWhat is countedTotal
A technician with no certification who goes for FAS Level II, passes both exams first time and renews onceLevel I $235, Level II $325, renewal $220$780
A Level II FAS holder who uses that credit for ITFAS Level I and tests for ITFAS Level IILevel I covered by credit, Level II $325, credit review $165$490

Both use fees alone, with books, travel and retakes at zero. Add Express Evaluation at both FAS levels and the first example grows by $610, to $1,390.

What is not priced

  • Code books and study materials. You buy the references you plan to use, and prices vary by provider.
  • Travel and time off. Enter your own figure.
  • Retakes, late reschedules and reinstatement. NICET sets no fixed amount we can cite, so check your NICET account. A late reschedule is half the original testing fee, and a refund carries a processing fee.

Questions candidates ask

How much does NICET certification cost?

NICET charges an application fee for each level you test at: $235 for Level I, $325 for Level II, $380 for Fire Alarm Systems Level III and $435 for Level IV. Each level needs the exams below it, so Level II costs $560 in applications before books and travel.

How much is a NICET retake?

NICET lists no separate retake price in its fee schedule or the candidate handbooks. The handbooks say you can retest after 30 days, with at most three attempts in any 12-month span. Enter the amount your NICET account shows and the calculator adds it for each retake.

How much does it cost to renew my NICET certification?

The fee schedule shows $220 every three years, which includes one certification, plus $60 for each additional one. Returning an expired certification to Active Status adds a $125 late fee on top.

Next steps

Know which level you can document? The NICET level checker shows which Fire Alarm Systems level is next, and how to get NICET certified walks through the steps. Every retake is another fee, so find your weak topics before you book.

Fees come from NICET's fee schedule and candidate handbooks, effective 1 August 2026. You enter retake prices, books and travel yourself, because NICET sets no retake price. A planning aid; NICET sets the fees and can change them.

Try one free question

Try one question

Question 1 of the free 10-question check on NICET FA I. No signup.

Question 1 of 10 · free checkUntimed

Installation

A supplied module drawing labels COM, NO and NC. The door interface needs a switched contact that is open while the relay is at rest and closes when the relay operates. Which pair matches that instruction?

Press A–D or 1–4 to choose an answer while this question is on screen.

Choose an answer to begin

Email me the free NICET FA I exam-day kit

What to bring, arriving and the testing room, plus the booking steps, from the exam body's own candidate guide. Sent to your inbox.

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See what's on the NICET FA I exam, test yourself with 5 quick questions, or find the plan that fits you.

Sources

From the blog

Know which level to pay for? Take the free check.

Every extra attempt is another fee and another wait. The free 10-question check scores you by topic in minutes, no signup, so you see where you stand before you book. The Alarm Ladder course then drills your weak spots and explains every answer.

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