Master Transaction Monitoring
Gain the skills to spot red flags, investigate alerts, and escalate high-risk cases — helping you safeguard your business from financial crime and reputational harm.
Why CTMA?
The Certified Transaction Monitoring Associate (CTMA) Certification builds essential skills for detecting and managing suspicious activity within transaction monitoring programs. It equips professionals with the skills to identify red flags, act decisively, and continuously improve controls to safeguard your organization from financial crime.
This certification is for:
- Early-career professionals working in or seeking to enter transaction monitoring, alert handling, or financial crime operations roles.
- Individuals with 6–12 months of AML/AFC experience who want to build confidence in reviewing, assessing, and escalating transaction monitoring alerts.
- Operational analysts across AML, KYC, onboarding, screening, fraud, compliance, and risk functions who support day-to-day investigations.
- Financial crime support teams aiming to strengthen foundational skills before progressing to more advanced investigative or reporting responsibilities.
CTMA establishes a global benchmark for the knowledge and skills required for alert investigators.
Professionals demonstrate their knowledge through a formal exam, from the creators of CAMS.
The Benefits of CTMA Certification
Download the CTMA factsheet for a quick overview of key benefits – whether you’re advancing your career or showing your organization why CTMA is the right choice.
About the program
The CTMA program equips professionals with the skills to conduct effective transaction monitoring and financial crime investigations. Key learning areas include:
- Understanding the role of transaction monitoring in preventing financial crime
- How transaction monitoring systems generate alerts
- Investigating and resolving alerts efficiently
- Documenting, escalating, and reporting investigation outcomes
Practice exam
The CTMA practice exam reflects the format, question styles, and topic areas of the real certification test. It is offered in two versions—one without answers and one with answers shown immediately—to help you gauge readiness.
Although the practice questions do not appear on the actual exam, they provide a realistic preparation experience.
Visit our FAQs.
Faculty
Meet the faculty members who deliver course content and help guide your path to ACAMS certification.
CTMA has strengthened my professional profileby enhancing my expertise in transaction monitoring and positioned me for advanced opportunities within AML, helping me secure a more senior role.”
Shery Jacob, CTMAIdentity Theft Response AnalystACAMS Member
Request a Consultation
Interested in CTMA for yourself or your team?
Complete the form to schedule a free consultation and see how CTMA can support your transaction monitoring and AML goals.
How to Get CTMA Certified
Our globally certified members are also part of the ACAMS community. Therefore, an active ACAMS membership is required to obtain and maintain any ACAMS certification.
Membership provides access to expert insights, resources, and a global network of AFC professionals to stay current with financial crime developments.
If you’re not yet a member, Join ACAMS!
Choose Your Package
Additional Options
Recertify
Stay current and keep your CTMA designation active
Recertification is required every year for CTMA, to validate that certified members are maintaining their commitment to continuing professional education. This ensures that the designation is current.
To recertify, professionals must:
- Maintain an active ACAMS membership
- Earn at least two recertification credits per year
For more information on the recertification process, download the Candidate Handbook or visit the Recertification Page.
Recertification is free for all active ACAMS members, that have earned at least two (2) recertification credits per year.
FAQs
Am I eligible to take the CTMA Exam?
There are no eligibility requirements for CTMA.
Why is it called Certified Associate instead of Certified Specialist like CAMS and CGSS?
ACAMS associate level certifications are ideal for professionals at an earlier stage in their career than our specialist certifications.
If there are no work or training requirements, why is there an application?
All ACAMS certifications include an exam, and to take the exam you must have completed a test-taker agreement. This is an important component of associate level certification applications.
Will attaining CTMA count toward CAMS and CGSS eligibility or recertification?
Yes! Candidates receive eight (8) ACAMS credits for completing the online training component of the program.
How do I apply?
Apply online — you can find the form here.
Do I need to log in to apply?
Yes. If you already have an ACAMS account (this is free to create – it’s not the same as membership), log in with your registered email and password. If you’re new to ACAMS, create a new account here, then you’ll be able to access the application form.
Can I check the status of my CTMA application after I’ve submitted it?
Yes! Log in to see how your application is progressing.
How long do I have to take the CTMA exam?
Once your application has been approved and you have paid, you will be authorized to take the exam. You have four months from that date to schedule and sit the exam. Schedule your exam via the Pearson VUE scheduling system.
How can I submit my application?
You can submit your CTMA Exam application here. If you’re having any problems, give us a call.
Is there a web form for the CTMA application?
Yes, submit your CTMA exam application here.
Is the CTMA application transferable?
No – every individual must submit their own application. However, the exam fee may be transferable to someone else if you no longer wish to sit for CTMA. Please contact us to discuss.
What languages is CTMA available in?
ACAMS offers CTMA in English, Dutch, German, French, Japanese, Spanish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
How do I register to take the exam?
Once your application is approved and you have paid the fee, you’ll be emailed instructions on how to schedule your exam at your nearest Pearson VUE test center.
When can I register to take the exam?
Candidates can register for the exam as soon as they receive their exam authorization.
Where are the Pearson VUE test centers located?
Find a test center near you. ACAMS also offers online proctoring via Pearson VUE.
Is it possible to take the exam during a conference?
No. The CTMA exam is only available via Pearson VUE test centers – they offer a global network of 5000+ locations – or through the Pearson VUE online proctoring system. Find a test center near you.
How do I access the CTMA study materials?
We’ll email you a link to the online study materials on our learning management system.
Can I view the study guide on a Kindle?
Yes, the CTMA study guide PDF is viewable on most e-readers.
Is the program structured the same as CAMS and CGSS (Study Guide, flash cards, virtual classroom, etc.)?
CTMA in English has an online eLearning course, a study guide, and digital flashcards. Other languages may vary. There is currently no virtual classroom program for CTMA.
How long is my CTMA certification valid?
The CTMA Certification is valid for one year, and graduates can recertify (free of charge) each year by maintaining active ACAMS membership and earning two recertification credits (continuing professional education) each year.
These two recertification credits can be earned with free ACAMS webinars.
Do credits earned the same year I became CTMA certified count toward my recertification?
Yes, as long as the credits were earned after you passed the CTMA Examination.
Why should I take a practice exam?
We designed our practice exams to set you up for success. Developed to the same quality standard as the certification exam, the practice exam will give you the best chance of getting certified by:
- Exposing you to samples of certification exam questions
- Building confidence in readiness for the certification exam
- Helping you study in an interactive e-learning environment
- Covering the topic areas included in the actual exam
What is the difference between a practice exam and the certification exam?
The practice exam questions match the question types and topics included in the actual certification exam.*
The practice exam questions follow the same format as the certification exam. There are two versions of the practice exam:
- Practice exam (no answers): one version without answers revealed
- Practice exam (show answers): the same version with answers immediately available
None of the practice exam questions will appear on the certification exam.
*Please note the practice exam is hosted in the ACAMS Learning Management System (LMS), which differs from the environment where the actual certification exam is administered – through our partnership with Pearson VUE.
What is the difference between a post-assessment and a practice exam?
Some Study Materials include post-assessments. Post-assessments are a set of review questions designed to help you assess your knowledge after studying the training materials.
Practice exams enable you to practice real-type exam questions, in order to prepare for your certification examination.
Where can I find my practice exam?
Practice exams are part of your Study Materials. Once you’re registered for your certification program, log into the LMS, find and click on your course, under “My Courses” section. Scroll down the path and choose the practice exam of your choice to begin.
You can access it at any time during your certification program enrolment period.
How many times can I take the practice exam?
You can retake both versions of the practice exam as many times as you wish, even if you score 100% .
‘’All examinations and the exam materials are the copyright of ACAMS and may not be published, shared, reproduced, or otherwise distributed or disseminated without the express written consent of ACAMS. You will maintain the confidentiality of, and not distribute, share, or disclose any exam materials. You agree not to discuss the content of an examination with anyone, and that you will not record, copy, or disclose any examination question or answers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in any form or by any means whatsoever. Additionally, you represent that you have not received Examination questions or answers from others.
Disclosing exam materials or information about exam materials may result in a lawsuit that may result in paying monetary damages or in you being subject to other court-enforced penalties, criminal penalties, cancellation of your test scores, revocation, or suspension of any of your current certifications, and/or revocation or suspension of your ACAMS memberships.
ACAMS is the final authority that determines in its sole discretion whether you have the privilege of maintaining your membership or any certification, sitting for an examination, and whether any score you receive is satisfactory. Initial receipt of a satisfactory score or certificate does not waive ACAMS’ right and discretion to deem a score non-satisfactory in the event ACAMS determines there were test taking irregularities or that the score may have been obtained by way of unfair advantage (e.g., evidence of cheating). In such an event, your memberships and certificate(s) may be suspended or revoked. In the event ACAMS determines that a certification or examination result was obtained by way of irregularities or unfair advantage, no refunds for examination or membership fees will be provided.’’
For Singapore citizens or permanent residents, CTMA is eligible for funding under the IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS). Visit "IBF-STS & IBF Level 2 Certification Requirement" to find out more.