- CAC training must satisfy at least 25 hours of dementia-care instruction within the previous two years.
- NCBAC's optional Caregiver Course costs $500 and stays accessible for 90 days or until you test.
- Behavior (18-22%) and Communication (15-20%) carry the heaviest exam weight - train there first.
- The exam itself is 100 questions in two hours 30 minutes, scored 300-900, passing at 664.
What "CAC Training" Actually Means
"CAC training" is a broader term than it first appears. For the Certified Alzheimer Caregiver credential issued by the National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care (NCBAC), training refers to two separate but related things: the documented dementia-care instruction hours you need to qualify for the exam, and the exam-preparation work you do to actually pass it. Confusing the two is a common mistake - meeting the eligibility hour count does not automatically mean you are ready to answer 100 multiple-choice questions correctly within two hours 30 minutes.
If you are still unclear on the basics of the credential itself, start with our overview of What Is CAC Certification? or the plain-language explainer What Is A CAC? before diving into training logistics.
Two Paths to Meeting the Training Requirement
NCBAC recognizes two distinct eligibility routes, and your training plan should follow whichever one applies to you.
Standard Route
- Age 18 or older
- Paid or unpaid direct dementia-care experience of at least 15 hours weekly for one full year (reduced to six months for a CNA, LPN, or RN)
- At least 25 hours of dementia-care training completed within the previous two years
Alternative Route
- Age 18 or older
- Participation in a recognized Dementia Training/Apprenticeship Program
Both routes exist because NCBAC accepts training delivered through employers, apprenticeship programs, or independent coursework, as long as the 25-hour threshold (or apprenticeship participation) is documented. For a full breakdown of how licensure (CNA, LPN, RN) shortens the experience timeline, see CAC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Key Takeaway
Before you spend money on prep materials, confirm which eligibility route applies to you. A CNA, LPN, or RN only needs six months of qualifying experience instead of a full year, which changes how soon you can even sit for the exam.
The Optional NCBAC Caregiver Course
Candidates who want a structured training option - rather than assembling 25 hours from various sources - can add NCBAC's optional Caregiver Course during registration. It costs an additional $500 on top of the $175 exam fee, bringing the combined total to $675. Access to the course lasts 90 days or until the exam is taken, whichever comes first, so it is designed as a compressed, exam-adjacent training block rather than an open-ended library.
This course is optional, not mandatory. If you already satisfy the 25-hour training requirement through employer-provided instruction or a prior apprenticeship program, you can register for the exam alone at $175 and skip the added cost. For a complete line-item view of what you might spend depending on which options you choose, read CAC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
| Option | Cost | Access Window |
|---|---|---|
| Exam only | $175 | Single scheduled session |
| Exam + Caregiver Course | $675 | 90 days or until exam is taken |
| Annual renewal | $35 | Requires 6 continuing-education hours |
Training Around the Eight Content Areas
Regardless of which eligibility route you take, your actual exam readiness depends on how well your training maps to NCBAC's eight official content areas. These percentage ranges tell you exactly where to concentrate study time:
Domain 4: Behavior (18-22%)
The single largest content area. Expect scenario-based questions on managing agitation, wandering, sundowning, and responsive behaviors common in dementia care.
- Non-pharmacological de-escalation techniques
- Identifying triggers behind challenging behaviors
Domain 2: Communication (15-20%)
The second-largest area. Questions test verbal and nonverbal strategies for connecting with individuals experiencing progressive cognitive decline.
- Adjusting communication style by disease stage
- Reading nonverbal cues when verbal ability declines
The remaining six areas - Knowledge of Disease (12-16%), Activities (10-14%), Health (5-10%), Patient Rights (5-8%), Safety (4-6%), and Caregiver Needs (2-5%) - round out the exam but carry lighter individual weight. That said, skipping them is risky since they still collectively represent a large share of the 100 scored questions. For a domain-by-domain breakdown with study angles for each, see CAC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 8 Content Areas.
Registration, Fees, and Remote Testing
Once your training hours are documented, registration and testing logistics become the next hurdle. NCBAC currently delivers the exam through a browser-based remote-proctoring process, which means no separate software installation is required. However, the technical requirements are strict:
- Government-issued photo identification
- A working camera for proctoring verification
- Reliable internet connection throughout the full session
- A computer or Chromebook - phones and tablets are not supported
Because the testing environment is unforgiving of technical hiccups, treat your device setup as part of your training, not an afterthought. Test your camera, browser, and internet stability well before your scheduled session. For scheduling windows and how far in advance to register, see CAC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Once certified, maintaining the credential requires annual renewal at $35 along with six continuing-education hours - a relatively light ongoing commitment compared to initial eligibility training.
A Domain-Weighted Prep Schedule
Generic study techniques only help if you apply them against the right material. Here is a four-week structure that allocates more time to the highest-weighted CAC domains rather than splitting effort evenly across all eight.
Behavior and Communication (heaviest weight)
- Review de-escalation and behavior-trigger scenarios
- Practice stage-appropriate communication strategies
Knowledge of Disease and Activities
- Study disease progression stages
- Learn activity planning suited to cognitive ability levels
Health, Patient Rights, and Safety
- Cover medical comorbidities common in dementia patients
- Review resident rights and home/facility safety protocols
Caregiver Needs and full-length review
- Study caregiver stress and support resources
- Take full-length practice sessions under timed conditions
Use spaced repetition on Behavior and Communication flashcards throughout all four weeks since they represent the largest combined percentage of the exam. For a more detailed week-by-week plan with specific resources, see CAC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and to calibrate how much total effort this exam warrants, read How Hard Is the CAC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Do not distribute study time evenly across eight domains. Behavior and Communication alone can represent over a third of the scored questions, so front-load your training there.
Who This Training Actually Serves
CAC training and certification tend to draw direct-care staff in memory care units, assisted living communities, home care agencies, and adult day programs - anywhere frontline caregivers work specifically with individuals experiencing Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. CNAs, LPNs, and RNs already working in these settings often pursue the credential because their existing hands-on experience shortens the eligibility timeline to six months rather than a full year.
If you are weighing whether the training investment translates into better job prospects or pay, our analyses in CAC Jobs, CAC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis, and Is the CAC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 walk through the practical considerations in more depth.
Whichever pathway brought you here, running full-length timed sessions on our practice test platform before exam day is one of the most direct ways to convert training hours into a passing score. Repeated exposure to the multiple-choice format and pacing under a two-hour-30-minute clock builds the kind of familiarity that raw study alone doesn't replicate. You can also revisit the practice test homepage anytime you want a quick knowledge check between study sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is optional. You can meet the 25-hour dementia-care training requirement through other documented sources and register for the $175 exam alone.
Access lasts 90 days from purchase or until you take the exam, whichever happens first.
No. The remote-proctoring process supports computers and Chromebooks only; phones and tablets are not compatible with the browser-based testing system.
Behavior (18-22%) and Communication (15-20%) carry the most weight of the eight content areas, so they offer the highest return on focused study time.
You need a scaled score of 664 or higher on a 300-900 range, not a percentage of correct answers. See CAC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass for more detail.