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About the LCCE Exam

The Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) Exam is a credentialing exam administered by Lamaze International, designed to assess a candidate's knowledge and skills in childbirth education. The certification validates the educator's ability to provide evidence-based, comprehensive, and culturally relevant information to expectant families.

Exam Administration

Lamaze offers two exam administrations per year:

June 2024 Testing Window
June 10 – July 8, 2024
October 2024 Testing Window
October 23 – November 20, 2024

To sit for the LCCE Exam, eligible candidates must first apply during the application window.

LCCE Exam Application

There are two exam application windows per year:

June Testing Window
Applications open: February 7
Applications close: April 17
October Testing Window
Applications open: August 21
Applications close: October 4

Applications must be submitted using your full legal name (as it appears on your government-issued ID). If your account is not currently listed as such, please update your profile before applying. 

Exam Application Fees

The exam application fee for U.S. candidates is $475 USD and includes a 3-year Lamaze International membership upon passing the exam. International fees vary; view international fees.

Application fees are non-refundable, and all policies, fees, and requirements are subject to change without notice.

Applying for the LCCE Exam

To apply for the LCCE exam, follow these steps:

  1. Visit my.lamaze.org and log in to your account or select the ‘Create an account’ button.
  2. Once logged in, review your profile to ensure your account reflects your full, legal name. It must match your government-issued ID.
  3. Begin your application in the Certification Center. A Lamaze staff member will review your application for approval within 2-3 weeks from submission.

Additional Information

Candidates can take the LCCE exam either in person at a testing center or virtually via live online proctoring from their home, office, or any approved location meeting technical requirements.

Live Online Proctoring

Requirements
To test via remote live proctoring, please ensure that your computer system fulfills the following equipment requirements. View equipment requirements. Candidates are recommended to use a personal computer, as an organization or work computer may not allow for the download of the required Guardian Browser.

Scheduling
Once Lamaze approves your exam application, you’ll receive a "Notice to Schedule" email from Meazure Learning, no earlier than one month before the testing period. This will include a scheduling URL, username, and password. When you access the online scheduling system with your username and password, you will be able to choose an exam site, date and time from the list of available sites. Please note that appointment times and site locations are on a first-come, first-served basis, and may vary in availability with each exam window.

After submitting your scheduling request, you’ll receive a confirmation email within three business days.

Technical Support
If you have questions regarding your scheduled exam appointment, please contact Meazure Learning at (855) 772-8678. If you are unable to find a testing appointment, please call (202) 367-1196 and select "Certification" or email testingsupport@meazurelearning.com, and a staff member will assist you.

On exam day or for technical support (available 24/7), use the chat in your ProctorU account (bottom right corner) or call 855-772-8678.

View frequently asked questions.

In-Person Testing

Scheduling
Once Lamaze approves your exam application, you’ll receive a "Notice to Schedule" email from Meazure Learning, no earlier than one month before the testing period. This will include a scheduling URL, username, and password. When you access the online scheduling system with your username and password, you will be able to choose an exam site, date and time from the list of available sites. Please note that appointment times and site locations are on a first-come, first-served basis, and may vary in availability with each exam window.

After submitting your scheduling request, you’ll receive a confirmation email within three business days. Bring this confirmation and a government-issued photo ID with a signature to the test center. If your chosen site or date is unavailable, you'll be notified by email to select a new option.

Support
If you have questions regarding your scheduled exam appointment, please contact Meazure Learning at (855) 772-8678. If you are unable to find a testing site in your area, please call (202) 367-1196 and select "Certification" or email testingsupport@meazurelearning.com, and a staff member will assist you.

 

Lamaze and its testing agency comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 USCG Section 12101, et. seq.), and with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000e, et. seq.). Candidates with physical or cognitive impairments can request special testing accommodations, such as a reader, extended time, or a separate room.

To request accommodations, submit the following to Lamaze as part of your exam application:

  • Description of the disability or need
  • Requested accommodations
  • Documentation from a physician or relevant authority (e.g., psychologist, vocational specialist, etc.) concerning the disability or special needs

Approved accommodations will be sent to Meazure with your authorization. Lamaze aims to assist with accommodations unless it significantly impacts the exam or imposes an undue burden on the testing center. No additional charge applies for accommodations.

The exam contains 165 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed within three hours. 

In-Person Testing Resources

Live Online Proctoring Resources

Live Online Proctoring

Take the necessary steps to ensure the room in which you will take the exam via Live Online Proctoring meets the proper requirements.

Candidates are prohibited from having the following items in the testing room:

  • Headphones or earbuds
  • Watches of any kind
  • Cameras, cell phones, optical readers, or other electronic devices that include the ability to photograph, photocopy, or otherwise copy test materials,
  • Additional computers, monitors, PDAs, iPods, mp3 players, pagers, or other electronic devices with one or more memories
  • Book bags, luggage, purses, or handbags,
  • Coats and jackets (sweaters and sweatshirts without pockets or hoods are permitted)
  • Hats, hoods, or other headwear unless required for religious purposes. All items are subject to inspection by the proctor if suspicious behavior is detected.
  • Any person, including friends, relatives, pets, and children

The following items are prohibited unless expressly permitted in the exam-specific information section below:

  • Calculators
  • Scratch paper/Whiteboard
  • Notes, books, dictionaries, or language dictionaries
  • Personal writing utensils (i.e., pencils, pens, and highlighters)
  • Food

In-Person Testing

Arrival:
You must arrive at the test center 15 minutes before 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.
You must present valid, unexpired, and acceptable ID(s) to take your test. Military IDs are not accepted.

Persons not booked to take a test are not permitted to wait in the testing center or surrounding common areas.

During/After Testing:

  • No conversing, distracting, or disrupting other test takers during the testing session.
  • No giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on the exam.
  • You may not exit the building or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the test.
  • You are not allowed to take a break while testing.
  • Do not remove items such as dry-erase board and/or scratch paper from the testing center.

Prohibited Items

  • Personal items should be brought to the testing centers, including writing utensils. Meazure will not be responsible for any personal items and suggests that you leave such items in another safe place of your choosing.
  • Electronic devices and recording devices of any kind (including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, cameras, calculators).
  • If the proctor determines that you have brought any prohibited items to the test site, those items may be demanded and held by Meazure Learning testing staff. Meazure Learning reserves the right to review the memory of any electronic device to determine whether any of the test materials have been photographed or otherwise copied.

General
Meazure requires all employees and test takers to always conduct themselves professionally and courteously. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards a proctor or other candidates will be reported to Lamaze and may result in criminal prosecution.

Exam Retake

Candidates who do not pass may retake the exam in any language or format (CBT or PBT) the next time it's offered. There is no waiting period or limit on retakes. The fee is $170 USD for Lamaze members and $270 USD for non-members.

Exam Deferral

Candidates wishing to cancel or transfer their exam must submit a request at least two weeks before the exam. Applications can be deferred for up to two exam periods with a $75 USD fee per deferral. Exam payments are non-refundable, and cancellations or transfers are reviewed individually.

Questions

The exam questions reflect essential knowledge for childbirth educators. Lamaze educators worldwide help develop the questions, with the Certification Council making the final selection. Items requiring analysis are considered more difficult than simple recall questions.

Difficulty Rating

Questions with more challenging distractors, requiring higher-level knowledge, are rated as more difficult. At least 30% of the exam consists of application-based questions requiring analysis.

Passing Score

The passing score varies with each exam. After the exam, a psychometrician reviews question performance, and poorly performing questions are excluded. The difficulty of the remaining items determines the passing score.

Score Standard

Candidates are compared to a set standard based on question difficulty, not to each other. Passing scores typically range from 70% to 79%. Detailed scoring is provided in the candidate's score report.

Need Assistance?

Contact certification@lamaze.org for more information or help updating your profile.