Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Certification for Disability Management Specialist?
A. The CDMS credential has a rich history that spans 30 years. Offering the only independent, nationally accredited program that certifies disability management specialists, the Certification of Disability Management Specialists (CDMS) credential is the industry standard in workplace solutions and has long been recognized for excellence. It promotes competence, high professional standards, and ethical practice in the field.
Q. How many times per year is the CDMS exam administered?
A. There are two exam windows each year. One in March and one in September. Specific dates for each year can be found at www.cdms.org on the homepage under get certified – CDMS certification – becoming certified.
Q. What is the application deadline?
A. The exam application deadline for the March exam is January 31st and for the September exam, the deadline is June 30th. Specific dates for each year can be found at www.cdms.org on the homepage under get certified – CDMS certification – becoming certified.
Q. How do I apply?
A. Applicants for the CDMS certification exam may complete their application online and submit, with the appropriate fees, by the application deadline. The CDMS Guide for Candidate Certification provides step-by-step instructions.
Q. Do I need a Bachelor’s degree in a specific field?
A. Your degree can be in any field, however, the granting college or university must have been accredited at the time the degree was conferred by one of the national or regional accrediting associations accredited by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Q. How do I know if my employment is acceptable?
A. Only paid employment is accepted. Internships and volunteer activities are NOT acceptable forms of employment experience. At the time of application, you must be able to attest that within the past five years, a minimum of 2,080 hours of documented work experience aligns with at least 2 of the 4 Domains/practice areas. Complete details on acceptable work experience can be found in the CDMS Guide for Candidate Certification.
Q. What is the fee for certification? What is the fee for a retake if I fail once?
A. The total fee that will need to be paid at the time of applying is $420, which includes a $225 non-refundable application fee and a $195 exam fee.. The fee to retake the exam for the second time is $195. To qualify for the $195 retake fee, you must sit for the exam within one of the two subsequent exam windows after receiving a non-passing score. There is no limit to the amount of times you can re-apply and re-take the exam. Fees apply.
Q. How do I prepare for the exam?
A. The Commission does not endorse any particular study materials or preparation courses. However, in response to the increased need for educational resources, the Commission has developed the CDMS Core Knowledge Curriculum (CKC) – a unique online learning program within the disability management field. You can access comprehensive knowledge, skills, interactive exercises, and case study examples all in one place. This curriculum is not necessarily intended as an exam preparation course but may be used as a supplement. Also available is the CDMS Practice Exam and CDMS Glossary App.
Q. I have forgotten my username/password.
A. Go to "Log In" and choose “Forgot Password”. Your password will be emailed to the email listed in your CDMS record.
Q. How can I get a copy of my receipt?
A. Please LOG IN. It will change to MY ACCOUNT. There will be a menu where you can select Print Receipts.
Q. How do I receive my CDMS certificate?
A . An email will be sent to you to order your complimentary certificate, with the option to order additional copies and frames to display your certificate. Please be sure to monitor your emails, including your spam folder for an email from the Commission, info@cdms,org. Adding this email to your address book will ensure receipt.
Q. Are there discounts or special offers?
A. Yes, if you are eligible and fall under any of the following:
Active Military and VA Employee discounts
**CCMC will occasionally run promotional campaigns that will be sent via email. This will include promotional codes that will be needed to enter into your application at the time of applying. Please make sure you check your emails to see if there are current promotions running. Your promotion will NOT be applied after you have already submitted an application.
Q. What is the process to become certified?
A. You must meet all eligibility requirements, fill out and submit a complete application, including employer and primary license information, with complete fees. Once your application is approved, you will be notified and assigned a candidate ID number. You may then schedule your exam at a local computer-based testing site. After you take the exam, you will be notified of your test results and mailed a certificate and letter of certification if you have passed.
Q. I am unable to take the exam, can I receive a refund?
A. If you are unable to take the test during the exam cycle for which you are approved, you may request and pay a one-time deferment ($85) to the next consecutive exam cycle. To make this request, you must first contact Pearson VUE to cancel the original appointment. Then contact CDMS at 844-681-8156 or info@cdms.org to set up a deferment. If you do not take the exam, and you do not schedule a deferment, you will have to reapply and pay for a new application and exam. ($420)
Q. My application was denied. What can I do?
A. You can appeal the decision by making a request through your dashboard within 30 days. You will be required to submit additional information. If the denial is upheld, you will receive a refund of the examination fee.
CDMS Recertification FAQs
Q. Do I have options for recertification?
A. Yes. Candidates may choose one of the following options to meet the requirements for recertification:
Option 1: Recertification by Continuing Education
Option 2: Re-examination (Exam windows are offered once in March and once in September)
Q. If I choose the Recertification by Continuing Education Option, how many hours of continuing education are required?
A. 80 clock hours of approved continuing education are required and 4 hours must be in Ethics. All continuing education hours must be completed within the five-year interval before your certification expiration date. For complete details on a breakdown of the continuing education hours required for re-certification make sure you review the Candidate Guide for Re-certification prior to completing your application. NOTE: All continuing education hours must be earned by your expiration date.
Q. What is the fee to recertify?
A. The fees are as follows:
Recertification through Continuing Education: $285*
Recertification through Re-examination: $475*
Late Fee: $175 (add to the applicable rate above if submitting your application during the late period)
Q. How do I report my continuing education activities?
A. It’s easy. You can report your continuing education activities in your dashboard as you complete them or anytime up to the day of submission.
Q. Do I need to send the original certificates when submitting CEs?
A. No, unless requested, do not send any paperwork to the CDMS office. All continuing education activities are recorded online by the candidate for recertification. Certificates of completion should be maintained by the candidate and readily available if they are asked to produce as part of a random recertification audit.
Q. Why might I be audited?
A. Each year the CDMS Commission randomly selects 10% of recertification applications for audit. To obtain more information on recertification audits, review the CDMS Guide for Candidate Recertification.
Q. If a program/activity is not pre-approved can I still receive credit and what do I need to do?
A. Yes, but the program/activity must fall within one of the domains of practice. For complete details, review the CDMS Guide for Candidate Recertification.