- What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
- The Two-Part Assessment at a Glance
- Eligibility Snapshot: Who Can Apply
- Fees, eCert and Application Mechanics
- The 12 Scope Topics in One Pass
- Reading List and the January 1, 2027 Transition
- Practical Scenario Rules: Where 100% Gets Won or Lost
- Renewal, Retesting and Waiting Periods
- A Domain-Ordered Review Sequence
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The written exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, closed book, with 80% required to pass.
- The separate practical has 3 scenarios, a 60-day window, and a 100% passing criterion backed by objective documentation.
- Initial certification, recertification and retest fees are each $300 for IAI members or $400 for nonmembers.
- Certification lasts up to 5 years; renewal needs 80 professional-development credits and one correct practical scenario.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This page is a one-screen-at-a-time review of the Footwear Certification (CFWE) offered through the International Association for Identification (IAI) Footwear Certification Board, leading to Certified Footwear Examiner status. Several unrelated credentials share a similar acronym, so every fact below is tied to the IAI footwear program and its governing document, the Forensic Certification Management Board Certification Program Operations Manual (FCMB-01-2020-C27), specifically sections 7, 8.3 and 8.9. Requirements here follow that dated text, not older manual copies or secondary summaries.
If you are new to the credential itself, start with What Is CFWE Certification? or What Does CFWE Stand For? and come back here once the basics are settled. For the deeper dive on each topic area, pair this sheet with the CFWE Study Guide.
The Two-Part Assessment at a Glance
The credential is earned through two distinct components, and they test different things. The written assessment tests knowledge recall and application under time pressure. The practical tests whether you can reach correct, documented conclusions on realistic casework without anyone watching over your shoulder.
| Feature | Written Assessment | Practical |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 100 multiple-choice questions | 3 scenarios |
| Time | 2 hours | 60-day completion window |
| Resources | Closed book | Unproctored |
| Supervision | Board-approved proctor | None |
| Passing criterion | 80% required | 100% required; every conclusion correct and supported by objective documentation |
The written exam works out to roughly 72 seconds per question, which is generous for recall items but tight if you linger on scenario-style stems. Because it is closed book, anything you plan to rely on, from terminology to the logic of a conclusion scale, has to live in memory. For a frank look at how demanding this combination is, see How Hard Is the CFWE Exam?, and for the exact threshold math, see CFWE Passing Score.
Eligibility Snapshot: Who Can Apply
Eligibility under the current manual is employment-and-training based. The older degree-plus-experience pathways, fixed-hour summaries and fixed-year summaries you may see in dated write-ups do not apply, and neither does an older manual's employment exemption.
- Employment: You must be employed performing the footwear tasks described in section 8.3.
- Training: You must have successfully completed a documented training program covering that scope. Training records are submitted for review through eCert.
- References: Two recommendation letters, plus two additional references from different people.
- Agreement: A signed certification agreement.
Training acceptance and recency are governed by sections 7.1.3.2 and 8.9, including chair discretion for older training. If your training is not recent, do not assume it will be accepted automatically; plan for the reviewer's discretion and document everything carefully. The full walkthrough lives in CFWE Requirements.
Fees, eCert and Application Mechanics
Applications run through eCert, and the written component is administered by the IAI Board with a Board-approved proctor. Fees are simple but easy to get wrong because of one membership trap.
| Application Type | IAI Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Initial certification | $300 | $400 |
| Recertification | $300 | $400 |
| Retest | $300 | $400 |
Key Takeaway
Division membership alone does not qualify you for the member price. Confirm your IAI membership status before you pay, since the difference is $100 on every application. Fee details are published on the IAI's Application Fees page, and our CFWE Certification Cost breakdown shows how these fees combine with training and materials.
Because training records, reference letters and the signed agreement all feed into the application, assemble them before you start the eCert submission. Missing documents are the most avoidable source of delay. Scheduling specifics and testing logistics are covered in CFWE Exam Dates.
The 12 Scope Topics in One Pass
The official Scope of Certification lists twelve subject terms. They are best treated as unweighted preparation topics: the issuer has not published a weighted 12-domain exam blueprint, so no topic should be assumed to carry more questions than another, and this list does not establish exhaustive exam coverage. The paid IAI course-of-study text was not used to invent sub-topics, so treat the one-line prompts below as orientation, not a syllabus. For a longer treatment of each area, read CFWE Exam Domains: Complete Guide to All 12 Content Areas.
Domains 1-4: Terminology, Detection, Recovery, Photography
The vocabulary and evidence-handling front end of the workflow.
- Terminology: Precise, standard language is what makes reports and testimony defensible.
- Detection: How footwear impressions are located on varied surfaces and substrates.
- Recovery: Methods for collecting impressions without destroying the information in them.
- Photography: Capturing impressions so they can be compared at true scale, with proper scale and lighting.
Domains 5-8: Preservation, Enhancement, Analysis, Comparison
The examination core, where handling decisions turn into conclusions.
- Preservation: Keeping evidence and impressions intact between scene and laboratory.
- Enhancement: Improving visibility of an impression without introducing artifacts.
- Analysis: Evaluating the quality and content of questioned impressions before any comparison.
- Comparison: Weighing class and individual characteristics to reach a supportable conclusion.
Domains 9-12: Manufacturing Processes, Documentation, Reporting, Courtroom Testimony
The knowledge and communication layer that surrounds the examination.
- Manufacturing processes: How footwear and outsoles are made, and why that matters for class characteristics and variation.
- Documentation: Notes and records objective enough that another examiner could follow your reasoning.
- Reporting: Stating conclusions clearly within recognized conclusion terminology.
- Courtroom testimony: Presenting findings accurately and within the limits of the evidence.
Notice how the practical's emphasis on objective documentation echoes Domain 10, and how Domain 11 connects to the conclusion scale in the reading list below. The topics interlock more than a bullet list suggests.
Reading List and the January 1, 2027 Transition
This is the section most likely to trip up candidates who read an outdated summary. The reading list changes on a specific date, so what you study depends on when you prepare.
Preparing before January 1, 2027
Use the current references:
- William J. Bodziak, Forensic Footwear Evidence, first edition, 2017
- The IAI Recommended Course of Study for Footwear and Tire Track Examiners, 2006
- The designated SWGTREAD documents
Effective January 1, 2027
The announced list adds the following ANSI/ASB standards: 021 (2019), 049 (2020), 050 (2021), 052 (2022), 126 (2020) and 095 (2020). These replace designated older guides and the IAI course of study, while Bodziak 2017 and the SWGTREAD 2013 Range of Conclusions standard are retained.
Either way, the retained items, Bodziak and the SWGTREAD Range of Conclusions standard, are the safest long-term investments. Our CFWE Training page covers how formal coursework fits alongside self-study.
Practical Scenario Rules: Where 100% Gets Won or Lost
A 100% criterion changes how you work. On the written exam you can miss up to 20 questions and still pass. On the practical, one wrong or unsupported conclusion fails the component. Treat these as the working rules:
- Every conclusion must be correct. There is no partial credit for a mostly right answer.
- Every conclusion must be supported by objective documentation. A correct answer you cannot substantiate on paper does not meet the standard.
- Use the full 60-day window sensibly. The scenarios are unproctored, which rewards methodical work, not rushing.
- Stay inside the conclusion framework. Overstating what the evidence supports is as damaging as missing it.
Key Takeaway
Practice writing the documentation trail as you go, not afterward. Examiners who reconstruct their reasoning after reaching a conclusion tend to leave gaps that a reviewer will notice.
Because the practical and the written exam reward different skills, candidates often discover that strength in one does not guarantee the other. For perspective on outcomes, see CFWE Pass Rate, which explains why no invented figures should be trusted here.
Renewal, Retesting and Waiting Periods
Certification is valid for up to 5 years. Renewal is not a paperwork formality; it has its own evidence requirement.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Certification validity | Up to 5 years |
| Professional-development credits | 80, earned within the preceding 5 years |
| Application and fee | Required ($300 member / $400 nonmember) |
| Renewal practical | One unproctored scenario, completed within 30 days of postmark; correct, objectively supported conclusion; 100% required |
| Initial retest wait | 6 months |
| Recertification retest wait | 3 months |
Approved training courses can help fill the 80-credit requirement, but the approved list limits those courses to 75% of the required recertification credits. That means at least a quarter of your credits must come from other qualifying activity, so plan your professional development across the full five years instead of cramming in the last one. Whether this ongoing commitment pays off is the subject of Is the CFWE Certification Worth It?
A Domain-Ordered Review Sequence
Since the twelve topics are unweighted, a sensible sequence follows the logical order of casework, so that each domain gives context to the next. This is a suggested ordering, not an issuer-declared blueprint.
Terminology and Manufacturing Processes
- Lock down vocabulary first; every later domain depends on it.
- Learn how outsoles are made so class characteristics make sense.
Detection, Recovery, Photography
- Work through how impressions are found and collected.
- Review scale, lighting and capture principles.
Preservation, Enhancement, Analysis
- Focus on what protects or degrades evidential value.
- Practice assessing impression quality before comparing.
Comparison, Documentation, Reporting, Testimony
- Drill the conclusion framework and its limits.
- Rehearse objective documentation and defensible wording.
Stretch or compress this to fit your timeline, and add timed question blocks once you have covered each domain. Closed-book recall under a two-hour clock is a skill of its own, so rehearse it with the CFWE practice tests well before exam day. Salary and career context, including who hires certified footwear examiners, is covered in our CFWE Salary Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
The written assessment has 100 multiple-choice questions, a 2-hour limit, and is closed book. You need 80% to pass. The practical is a separate component with its own 100% criterion.
No. The practical consists of 3 unproctored scenarios with a 60-day completion window. Every conclusion must be correct and supported by objective documentation. Only the written component uses a Board-approved proctor.
Initial certification, recertification and retest applications are each $300 for IAI members and $400 for nonmembers. Division membership alone does not qualify for the member rate, so verify your IAI membership before paying.
Certification is valid for up to 5 years. Renewal requires 80 professional-development credits earned within the preceding 5 years, an application and fee, and one unproctored practical scenario completed within 30 days of postmark with a correct, objectively supported conclusion.
Before January 1, 2027, use Bodziak's Forensic Footwear Evidence (2017), the IAI Recommended Course of Study (2006) and the designated SWGTREAD documents. From that date, the announced list adds several ANSI/ASB standards and keeps Bodziak 2017 and the SWGTREAD 2013 Range of Conclusions standard. Always confirm the current list on the IAI's Footwear Certification page, and see our CFWE Certification overview for the broader picture.