CEH v13 Exam Voucher: Standard, Retake, and ECC Exam Center Options

Pearson VUE or remote proctoring? Standard or retake? And why you can't just buy a voucher and book — a plain-English guide to getting the right CEH v13 voucher without wasting money.

The CEH voucher is where a lot of candidates trip up — not because it's complicated once you know the rules, but because EC-Council's options aren't obvious from the outside. There are two delivery modes, a separate eligibility step you have to clear first, a distinct (and cheaper) retake voucher you can only buy with approval, and a one-year expiry clock that catches people who buy early and study slow.

This guide lays out exactly what each voucher is, what it costs (approximately — prices vary by region and change), and the order you need to do things in. Get this right and the rest of your CEH journey is smooth. (For the big-picture exam overview, see the complete guide to CEH v13 in 2026.)

Step zero: eligibility comes before the voucher

This is the part people miss. With CEH you can't simply buy a voucher and schedule a seat. You first have to be eligible, and there are two ways to get there:

• Take official EC-Council training (instructor-led or official self-paced courseware). This satisfies eligibility automatically — no separate application.
• Apply for eligibility by proving 2+ years of information-security work experience. This route requires an application form, verification, and a non-refundable application fee (~$100 USD).

If you go the self-study route, you must complete the eligibility application before purchasing a voucher. If you go through official courseware, you're cleared to buy. This is one more reason most candidates buy the CEH v13 courseware or the full bundle — it handles eligibility and gives you the labs in one move.

The two standard voucher types

For the CEH (Knowledge) exam (312-50), EC-Council sells the voucher in two flavors based on how you want to sit the exam:

	Pearson VUE voucher	ECC Exam Center / RPS voucher
How you test	In person at a Pearson VUE testing center	Online, remotely proctored by EC-Council's RPS team
Proctor	Physically present at the venue	Remote, via webcam
Approx. price (USD)	~$1,199	~$950 (≈21% cheaper)
Best if	You want a distraction-free room and don't mind travelling	You have a quiet private space and stable internet
Same exam?	Yes — identical 125-question, 4-hour exam	Yes — identical exam

Both vouchers are non-transferable and valid for one year from the date of release. The exam content, difficulty, and scaled passing score are identical either way — the only difference is the testing environment. The remote (RPS/ECC) option is the cheaper default if you have a reliable setup; the Pearson VUE option suits people who'd rather lock themselves in a quiet center for four hours.

👉 Grab the standard CEH v13 Exam Voucher.

The Practical voucher is separate

If you're aiming for CEH Master, the CEH Practical is a different exam (6 hours, 20 hands-on challenges) with its own voucher. Buying the knowledge voucher does not include the Practical. You can pick it up separately:

👉 CEH Practical Exam Voucher — and read CEH Practical vs CEH Master: which path should you take before you decide whether you need it.

The retake voucher: cheaper, but approval-gated

Didn't pass? CEH has a dedicated, lower-cost retake voucher (~$499 USD) — but you can't just buy it freely. Here's how it works:

• You must be approved by EC-Council through their retake application before purchasing.
• A mandatory cooling-off period applies between attempts — you can't re-sit immediately, and you should check the current official retake policy for the exact waiting window and any per-12-month attempt limits.
• Retake vouchers are also non-transferable and valid one year.
• Regional quirk: in some territories (India, Middle East, SAARC, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Egypt) retakes are issued as RPS/online vouchers only, with a small admin fee per voucher. Upgrading a retake from ECC/online to Pearson VUE carries an extra admin fee (~$100).

The takeaway: a retake is more affordable than a fresh attempt, but it's a process, not a one-click purchase. Far better to prepare thoroughly the first time — which is exactly what the iLabs range and quality practice are for.

The one-year clock — don't buy too early

Every CEH voucher expires one year from release. People who buy a bundle "to lock in the price" and then take eight months to start studying can find themselves racing the expiry. Extensions exist but usually carry a fee, so the smart move is to buy your voucher when you're realistically 2–4 months out from sitting the exam, not the day you start studying.

How vouchers get delivered (and why genuine matters)

Legitimate CEH vouchers are tied to your EC-Council account and delivered/managed through the Aspen portal — that's where you'll see your voucher code, expiry, and (for the Practical) your dashboard access. We walk through that system in the EC-Council Aspen portal explained.

This is also why buying from a legitimate, authorized source matters. A "voucher code" from a random reseller can be invalid, region-locked, expired, or already used — and you have no recourse. Genuine vouchers from an authorized EC-Council partner are valid, region-correct, and backed by support. (Same logic as avoiding pirated courseware — see official courseware vs pirated PDFs, and how to buy official EC-Council vouchers.)

Quick decision guide

Your situation	What to buy
New candidate, self-study	Apply for eligibility (~$100) → then a standard voucher
New candidate, want it simple	A bundle (courseware satisfies eligibility + includes voucher)
Want a quiet center, don't mind travel	Pearson VUE voucher
Have a good home setup, want to save	ECC / RPS (online) voucher
Going for CEH Master	Standard voucher + separate Practical voucher
Failed an attempt	Apply for approval → retake voucher (~$499)

After you certify, remember the cert lasts 3 years and renews via ECE credits — details in how to renew your CEH with ECE credits.

FAQ

Can I buy a CEH voucher before I'm eligible? If you've taken official training, yes. If you're self-studying, no — you must complete the eligibility application (and pay its fee) first.

Is the online (RPS) exam easier or different from Pearson VUE? No. It's the identical exam — same questions pool, same time, same scaled score. Only the proctoring environment differs. The online voucher is just cheaper.

How long is a voucher valid? One year from release for both standard and retake vouchers. Extensions may be available for a fee.

How much is a retake? Around $499 USD, but you must be approved through EC-Council's retake process first, and a waiting period applies between attempts.

Does the standard voucher include the CEH Practical? No. The Practical is a separate exam with its own voucher. You need both (and to pass both) for CEH Master.

Why not just buy a cheap code from a marketplace? Because it may be invalid, expired, region-locked, or already redeemed — with no support if it fails. Genuine vouchers from an authorized partner avoid all of that.

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