Testing site options include:

• PSI: Remote Exam Proctoring Service: Take the exam in the convenience of your own home, office or other approved testing setting that meets the PSI system requrements.  
  • After Lamaze has approved your exam application, you will receive an email from PSI with a link allowing you to book a reservation online via the exam scheduling site. 
  • Once you have scheduled your exam, you will receive a confirmation email detailing your scheduled date and time of your examination in addition to instructions for how to access your exam on your testing date.
  • Within the PSI scheduling site you can also find frequently asked questions and videos to walk you through the Remote Proctoring process. A few of these items are also linked below:
    • Remote Proctoring Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • Remote Proctoring Device System Requirements
    • Device System Compatibility Check
    • Overview of Remote Proctoring Process
• In-Person Testing Center
  • After Lamaze has approved your exam application, you will receive an email from PSI with a link allowing you to book a reservation online via the exam scheduling site.
  • Once you have scheduled your exam, you will receive a confirmation email detailing your scheduled date, time, and testing location of your examination.
  • You must bring a valid government issued ID with you to the testing center in order to verify your identity to take the exam. Please note, the name on your exam application must match the full name on your government issued ID. 

The exam contains 165 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed within three hours. The Exam Blueprint provides a breakdown of the content covered on the exam.

Test Center (Onsite):

• No conversing or any other form of communication among candidates is permitted once you enter the testing area.
• You are prohibited from reproducing, communicating, or transmitting any test content in any form for any purpose. Copying or communicating content is a violation of PSI security policy. Either one may result in the disqualification of test results, may lead to legal action and will be reported to Lamaze.
• Electronic devices and recording devices of any kind (including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, cameras) are NOT permitted in PSI testing centers.
• Calculators are not allowed.
• You are not allowed to take a break while testing.
• NO personal items should be brought to the testing centers. PSI will not be responsible for any personal items and suggests that you leave such items in another safe place of your choosing.
• You must present valid, unexpired and acceptable ID(s) in order to take your test. Military IDs are not accepted.
• PSI requires all employees and test takers to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner at all times. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards a proctor or other candidates will be reported to Lamaze and may result in criminal prosecution.
• You must arrive at the test center 15 minutes prior to your test appointment to allow time for check-in. Candidates will not be permitted to test if they arrive more than 15 minutes past their test start time.
• Persons not booked to take a test are not permitted to wait in the testing center or surrounding common areas.
• You may not exit the building or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the test.

Online Proctored (Live):

• You can book and launch your test right from your home computer. Requirements include a web camera, speakers, microphone, and stable broadband internet connection.
• If you need assistance during your test, you should initiate a chat with the online test administrator using the in test chat tool.
• No conversing or any other form of communication is permitted once your test has been released.
• You are prohibited from reproducing, communicating, or transmitting any test content in any form for any purpose. Copying or communicating content is a violation of PSI security policy. Either one may result in the disqualification of test results, may lead to legal action and will be reported to Lamaze.
• With the exception of your testing machine, electronic devices and recording devices of any kind (including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, and cameras) are NOT permitted in secure PSI testing environments.
• You will be asked to scan the room from which you are testing in prior to launching your test. If there are notes, drinks, a box of tissues or any such items on your desk, you will be asked to remove them prior to releasing the test.
• You must present valid, unexpired and acceptable ID(s) in order to take your test. Military IDs are not accepted.
• PSI requires all employees and test takers to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner at all times. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards a proctor via chat or other candidates will be reported to Lamaze and may result in criminal prosecution.
• You may connect with our Remote Proctors for testing up to 15 minutes prior to your booked start time provided your test is ready to launch. Your launch button will be enabled when your test is fully prepared for delivery.
• You may not exit the camera view or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the test.
• Your hands must be visible to the camera at all times. Talking or mouthing words while testing is prohibited.
• Calculators are not allowed.
• You are not allowed to take a break while testing.

The cost for United States candidates is $395. Find costs for candidates outside the United States.

The fee includes Lamaze International membership for three years, pending successful completion of the exam.

Exam application fees are non-refundable. All Lamaze International Childbirth Educator Certification policies, fees and requirements are subject to change without notice.

If a candidate does not successfully pass the exam, they are eligible to retake it in any language and in any form (CBT and PBT) as early as the next time the selected language is offered. There is no required waiting period and no limit on the amount of times a candidate can retake the exam. The retake fee is $170 for Lamaze Members and $270 for Non-Members.

If a candidate needs to cancel or transfer their application to the next exam date, they must submit a request  within the Certification Center at least two weeks prior to the exam date. Candidates may defer or transfer their exam application and fee for up to two exam periods. Each exam deferral will incur a $75 fee due prior to the next exam. There are no refunds for Certificate Exam payments. Exam cancellations and transfers are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Questions: Questions reflect essential information that a childbirth educator should know. Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators from around the world work together to develop the test questions (items). The Certification Council makes the final selection of questions for an item bank. The level of difficulty of the item is identified at the time it is written. In general, the items that require some level of analysis, rather than simple recall of information, are considered more difficult.

Difficulty Rating: Distracters for each question are rated. A question that has more “sophisticated” distracters that require a higher level of knowledge is rated as more difficult. At least 30 percent of the questions on the certification exam are application questions that require analysis, rather than simple recall of information.

Passing Score: The passing score for the certification exam is different each time the exam is given. After each administration, a psychometrician completes a statistical analysis. The committee reviews the statistics for each test question and if a particular question does not “perform” well, it is eliminated from the scoring. The level of difficulty of the remaining items determines the passing score.

Score Standard: An important feature of this exam is that those who take the exam are not compared to each other. Rather, individuals are compared to a standard, which is based on the level of difficulty of each test item. The passing score on the exam has ranged from 70 percent to 79 percent. More detailed information regarding scoring is provided on the score report that each candidate receives following the test administration.

Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear mechanism for review and appeal when an individual questions a decision of the Lamaze International Certification Council.

Procedure for examination challenges: This procedure applies to questions regarding a test question on the Lamaze Certification Examination, test procedure, and test scores.

1. Should a candidate who took a paper/ pencil version of the exam question his/her score on the examination, he/she may submit a written request for his/her exam to be hand-scored. Such a request must be made within 30 days of the date on which the score report was sent to the individual. The written appeal must be accompanied by a copy of the original score report and all appropriate fees. The determination of the appeal will be hand-scored and results will be sent to the individual within 30 days of the original date of the request. Hand-scoring is not available for candidates who took the examination in the computer-based testing format. Computer-based testing candidates can appeal their score. Upon receiving the appeal, the Psychometrician and staff will ensure no irregularities in the computer program and/or the original test submission.

2. Candidates may comment about the test itself by completing the comment form at the end of every examination. Alternatively, candidates are encouraged to submit comments in writing (email accepted) to the administrative staff no later than fourteen (14) days after taking the examination.

• Comments regarding the examination will be reviewed by the administrative staff, exam review committee and testing company personnel, when applicable. Any action items will be sent to the certification council to determine how to handle the comment/issue. Whether remedial action is necessary will be determined by the Certification Council based upon the nature and severity of the situation. The decision of the Certification Council is final. The Certification Council Chair will respond to the individual submitting the comment within thirty (30) days of receipt.
• The potential changes resulting from a challenge to a test question are generally limited to amending or eliminating the question.
• Regarding test administration complaints, the Certification Council will consider remedial action generally only if a negative effect upon group scores is found. The potential recourse available to affected candidates is limited to a waiver or reduction of fees for a re-take of the examination.
• In the event of an examination irregularity on the part of a candidate, the Certification Council may withhold an examination score pending resolution of the matter. It may cancel an examination score if there is adequate reason to question its validity because of misconduct or other circumstances. Misconduct may also be grounds for further action in accordance with the Disciplinary Action policy.

3. For security reasons, examination materials (scored answer sheets, test books, computer applications, etc.) are not open to public inspection or review by a candidate.

4. A passing score is required for certification in all instances. Failure to pass the examination may not be appealed.

Procedure for other grievances: The following procedure is established for handling grievances which may occur related to certification (other than examination challenges):

1. To initiate the review process, an individual must submit a written notice describing the situation to the Certification Council Chair within sixty (60) days of the date on which the decision of the Lamaze International Certification Council is sent to the individual.

2. The Chair of the Certification Council will review the written notice of a grievance and respond to the individual submitting the grievance within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written notice.

3. In the event that the individual wishes to appeal the decision of the Chair of the Certification Council, she must submit the reason for the appeal in writing within ten (10) days of notification regarding the decision to the Chair.

4. The Chair will refer all such complaints raised in a timely manner to an Ad Hoc Review Committee. Upon referral to the Ad Hoc Review Committee, the grieving individual will be notified in writing and will have thirty (30) days to submit a written statement or other material for review by the Committee.

5. The Ad Hoc Review Committee will be composed of three (3) individuals; an LCCE member of the Certification Council who will serve as Chair, the public member of the Certification Council, and one LCCE educator at-large chosen from a list submitted by the grieving individual. The grieving individual shall be notified of the name of the proposed Chair of the Ad Hoc Review Committee and shall have seven (7) days from such notice to strike such person from serving as Chair if such person competes in the same geographic area with the grieving individual. If the grieving individual exercises this right to strike, the Chair of the Certification Council shall appoint another LCCE member of the Certification Council to serve as Chair of the Ad Hoc Review Committee who does not compete in the same geographic area as the grieving individual.

6. The Ad Hoc Review Committee shall review all written statements or other information submitted by the grieving individual.

7. When notified of the referral of the grievance to the Ad Hoc Review Committee, the grieving individual shall also be given notice of the right within seven (7) days to request an informal evidentiary hearing before the Chair of the Ad Hoc Review Committee (or at the option of the Chair by an LCCE educator appointed by such Chair), at which the grieving individual shall have the right to counsel. Such notices shall also include the name of the LCCE educator who will conduct a hearing if one is requested by the grieving LCCE educator. If the grieving LCCE educator exercises the option to request such a hearing, and the LCCE educator designated to conduct the hearing competes in the same geographic area as does the grieving individual, the grieving individual may within such seven (7) day period strike such LCCE educator, in which event the Chair of the Ad Hoc Review Committee shall appoint an LCCE educator who does not compete in the geographic area of the grieving individual, but who resides as close as is reasonably feasible to such area. The LCCE educator so chosen shall within six (6) weeks conduct the hearing and submit a written report to the Ad Hoc Review Committee for its review.

8. The Ad Hoc Review Committee shall issue its opinion either as: (1) that reasonable evidence exists to support the contention of the individual submitting the grievance or, (2) that reasonable evidence does not exist to support a grievance.

9. In the event the Ad Hoc Review Committee determines that reasonable evidence does not exist to support the grievance, this decision shall be final.

10. In the event that the Ad Hoc Review Committee finds that reasonable evidence does exist to support a grievance, this finding and all evidence shall be submitted to the Governing Body of the Certification Council who shall then consider all the background, and make a final decision. The Ad Hoc Review Committee will recommend an appropriate response to the grievance.

11. Any determination of the Governing Body of the Certification Council shall be final. A final decision on the issue raised by the individual submitting the complaint shall be made within ninety (90) days from the date on which the grievance review process is initiated, and communicated to the grieving individual.

• The Lamaze Exam Blueprint contains valuable information on the competencies assessed on the exam as well as their respective weights. El modelo del examen también está disponible en español.​
• Learning Guide
• Online Education
• Practice Test: Includes 50 practice questions to prepare test-takers for the official LCCE exam. In this course, learners will have the opportunity to interact with LCCE certification exam questions and test their knowledge of the Lamaze competencies. Question rationales, corresponding competencies, and references are available for each test item. 
• Exam Preparation Toolkit: Provides guidance on how to study, what to study, how the exam is scored, exam logistics, and a test blueprint. 
• Recommended Readings

Still have questions? Our certification team is here to help! Email us at certification@lamaze.org.