LEED Green Associate (GA) Certification Process: Basic Questions Answered
There are some common questions asked by people having an interest in or prepared to take the LEED GA examination. Here is some basic information about the examination process that addresses many FAQs.

Becoming able to Take the LEED GA Examination
Before taking the examination there are a few necessities that must first be met. An application must be submitted that will get checked.

The Green Building Certification Institute ( GBCI ) audits five to seven percent of all applications.
Candidates who are selected for an audit will be needed to provide further paperwork of their experience in green building.

Candidates must have experience in green building. This may be in the shape of collusion in a LEED building project, work in a green industry, or by taking or already finishing an instructional program that included sustainable building practices. Ultimately, candidates are required to agree to the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy and Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP).

Charges
There are insignificant charges associated with getting a LEED GA certificate. The application fee is $50. The examination fee is $200, with scholars and U.S. Green Building Council ( USGBC ) members getting a $50 discount. Each 2 years a $50 credential renewal fee is also needed.

LEED G A Examination Layout
The examination is given on a PC and is built completely of multiple choice questions. There are one hundred questions and a 2 hour cutoff point for taking the test. The LEED G A Candidate Handbook provides some sample test questions that may be reviewed before the official test.

Passing the LEED GA Certificate Examination
The LEED GA credential examination has up to 200 points. At least 170 points is needed to pass the examination. With each application, applicants can take the examination a total of 3 times. If a candidate fails the test 3 times they can reapply to take the test again one year from the application approval date.

Advancing from a LEED GA
LEED Green Associates with a current recommendation can take the LEED AP portion of the exam at any point if they are able to do so. On passing the LEED AP exam, their LEED GA recommendation will be considered expired and replaced by the LEED AP specialty credential.

Further Information
The GBCI gives a LEED Green Associate Candidate handbook on their web site. This book gives detailed info on the credential policies and process, as well as clarifications of terms related to LEED. Applicants can also contact GBCI staff thru the site for more info about getting a LEED GA credential.