Goals
The objectives of the prestation Data Protection Officer DPO skills certification :
CNIL certification framework available here.
The certification is aimed at any person whose role is to implement GDPR compliance within the organization (data controller or processor) that designated them, concerning all processing operations implemented.
The DPO certificate also concerns any person with a minimum of 2 years of experience in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions (processing, data protection, awareness-raising, personal data compliance).
The CNIL's Data Protection Officer competency certification framework includes 17 expected competencies and know-how to be certified as a DPO (DPIA, processing procedures, legal framework & GDPR, traceability of actions, etc.).
Validate your professional DPO competencies and attest to your mastery of legal and regulatory provisions concerning personal data protection. The certified DPO is capable of advising, auditing, informing, training, and coordinating internal actions, particularly concerning GDPR compliance. Obtain official recognition of your competencies: the DPO certificate guarantees your professional achievements to employers, clients, or partners. CNIL's DPO certification is an asset in the job market. Harmonize the level of expertise with a common framework established by the CNIL and professionalize the DPO role. Contribute to strengthening the organizations' GDPR compliance thanks to a competent and expert DPO Strengthen trust with your stakeholders with a DPO who is credible to governmental authorities, employees, clients, and third parties.
Find out more about DPO Certification
The certification is aimed at any person whose role is to implement GDPR compliance within the organization (data controller or processor) that designated them, concerning all processing operations implemented.
The DPO certificate also concerns any person with a minimum of 2 years of experience in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions (processing, data protection, awareness-raising, personal data compliance).
The CNIL's Data Protection Officer competency certification framework includes 17 expected competencies and know-how to be certified as a DPO (DPIA, processing procedures, legal framework & GDPR, traceability of actions, etc.).
Getting DPO certified by a CNIL-accredited body allows you to:
Find out more about DPO Certification
Description
o be admissible to the professional DPO certification exam, the candidate must provide evidence of:
Initial DPO certification application: you must have professional experience
of at least 2 years in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions (data protection officer) concerning personal data protection
or
of at least 2 years, as well as training of at least 35 hours in personal data protection received from a training organization
Must have professional experience of at least one year, acquired within the last 3 years, in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions concerning data protection or information security, attested by a third party (employer or client). A sworn statement from the candidate may be accepted in place of the third-party attestation in the following two situations:
• where the candidate is a self-employed professional and the sole employee of their company
The DPO competency certification exam consists of a 120-question MCQ (Multiple Choice Questionnaire) lasting 3 hours.
30% of these questions are written as practical case studies related to data protection; for each, 4 answers will be proposed, of which at least 1 is correct.
The candidate must obtain at least 75% correct answers (minimum 15/20) and at least 50% correct answers for each of the 3 domains: regulation, responsibility, security.
The renewal of the professional DPO certificate is possible before the certificate's due or expiration date, provided the certified person successfully passes a new written test with the same modalities as described above. They must also demonstrate that they have professional experience of at least one year, acquired within the last 3 years, in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions concerning data protection or information security, attested by a third party (employer or client).
Initial DPO Certification Price: 600€ ex. VAT in-person or remote (300€ ex. VAT for the retake if the first session is failed).
Renewal Price: 410€ ex. VAT* and 300€ for the retake exam.
*Preferential rate for candidates already certified by Apave Certification
Find out more about DPO Certification
Registration file to be sent to sihem.belatreche@apave.com
Download the In-person Sessions schedule 2025
Download the In-person Sessions schedule 2026
Download the Candidate E-Surveillance guide
Download the candidate's code of ethics
Download the application file
Download the purchase order
Download the general certification conditions
Initial DPO certification application: you must have professional experience
or
DPO Certification Renewal:
Must have professional experience of at least one year, acquired within the last 3 years, in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions concerning data protection or information security, attested by a third party (employer or client). A sworn statement from the candidate may be accepted in place of the third-party attestation in the following two situations:
• where the candidate is a self-employed professional and the sole employee of their company
Methods for Obtaining the DPO Certificate
The DPO competency certification exam consists of a 120-question MCQ (Multiple Choice Questionnaire) lasting 3 hours.
30% of these questions are written as practical case studies related to data protection; for each, 4 answers will be proposed, of which at least 1 is correct.
The candidate must obtain at least 75% correct answers (minimum 15/20) and at least 50% correct answers for each of the 3 domains: regulation, responsibility, security.
The renewal of the professional DPO certificate is possible before the certificate's due or expiration date, provided the certified person successfully passes a new written test with the same modalities as described above. They must also demonstrate that they have professional experience of at least one year, acquired within the last 3 years, in projects, activities, or tasks related to the DPO's missions concerning data protection or information security, attested by a third party (employer or client).
DPO Certificate Fees:
*Preferential rate for candidates already certified by Apave Certification
Find out more about DPO Certification
Registration file to be sent to sihem.belatreche@apave.com
Download the In-person Sessions schedule 2025
Download the In-person Sessions schedule 2026
Download the Candidate E-Surveillance guide
Download the candidate's code of ethics
Download the application file
Download the purchase order
Download the general certification conditions
Regulatory context
A CNIL-approved organisation for DPO skills certification
Apave Certification is a certification body approved by the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) based on the ISO 17024 standard.
This approval has been valid since November 21, 2019 (Approval No.: 2019-138) for the certification of DPO skills and is accredited by Cofrac (scope No. 4-0521, available on www.cofrac.fr).
As such, Apave Certification submits to CNIL's quality control and undertakes to comply with the referentials it has defined.
Indeed, the CNIL does not handle the skills certification of DPOs for individuals itself: it mandates certification bodies approved by it, such as Apave Certification, to do so.
Apave Certification issues DPO skills certification, compliant with the CNIL certification referential.
Apave Certification partner training organisations preparing candidates for the examination:
Apave
Actecil Formations RGPD
Athena Formation
Impact RGPD
Lamy Liaisons
Legischool
The Neoshields
Ageris
Agence RGPD
Assas Université
Optimex Data
La Robe Numérique
Haas Avocats
Université de Bourgogne
Université Caen Normandie
Vaelia
RGPD Experts
Apave Certification is a certification body approved by the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) based on the ISO 17024 standard.
This approval has been valid since November 21, 2019 (Approval No.: 2019-138) for the certification of DPO skills and is accredited by Cofrac (scope No. 4-0521, available on www.cofrac.fr).
As such, Apave Certification submits to CNIL's quality control and undertakes to comply with the referentials it has defined.
Indeed, the CNIL does not handle the skills certification of DPOs for individuals itself: it mandates certification bodies approved by it, such as Apave Certification, to do so.
Apave Certification issues DPO skills certification, compliant with the CNIL certification referential.
Apave Certification partner training organisations preparing candidates for the examination:
Apave
Actecil Formations RGPD
Athena Formation
Impact RGPD
Lamy Liaisons
Legischool
The Neoshields
Ageris
Agence RGPD
Assas Université
Optimex Data
La Robe Numérique
Haas Avocats
Université de Bourgogne
Université Caen Normandie
Vaelia
RGPD Experts
Periodicity
The DPO skills certification is valid for 3 years, after which you will need to renew your DPO certificate.
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