Bookkeeper Certification
Everything about earning and managing your BizBooks Pro Certified Bookkeeper credential.
Enrolling
The program is free, but it is gated on holding a partner account. That account is also what pays you commission if you later refer a client, so there is no reason not to have one.
- Create a free partner account at bizbooks.pro/partners.html.
- Sign in to the Partner Portal at partners.kantivo.io.
- Click Certification in the left sidebar.
- Choose which brand to certify under and click enroll.
The brand choice decides what your certificate says and which directory you appear in. Pick the one your own clients recognize. The coursework and the exam are identical either way, and the credential carries the same weight.
Working the modules
There are seven modules containing 28 lessons, about five and a half hours of reading in total. Each module opens as a list of collapsible lessons; open one, read it, and move to the next.
At the bottom of every module is a Mark module complete button. Nothing is checked or timed here — the button is how you tell the system you have read it. The exam stays locked until all seven are marked complete.
Progress is saved on the server, not in your browser, so you can read one module on a laptop and the next on a tablet. There is no deadline once you have enrolled, and stepping away for a few weeks costs you nothing.
Taking the exam
| Questions | 35, drawn from a bank of 56 |
| Format | Multiple choice, one correct answer |
| Coverage | Every module represented |
| Time limit | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | 80% — 28 of 35 |
| Cost | None |
The clock starts the moment you click into the exam and runs on our server, so closing the tab or reloading the page does not pause it or extend it. Answers save as you click them, which means a dropped connection or a closed laptop does not cost you the sitting — reopen the exam and you will be returned to it with your answers intact and the original clock still running.
You can move freely between questions using the numbered grid at the top. Answered questions are shaded, so it is easy to see what you have left. Unanswered questions are marked incorrect, so it is always worth guessing rather than leaving a blank.
Answer options are shuffled independently for every candidate. Two people sitting the same exam see the choices in different orders, which is why "the answer to question 12 is C" is not information anyone can pass along.
Retakes and scoring
You get three attempts, with 24 hours between them. The gap is deliberate — it exists so a retake is a study session rather than immediately guessing again.
After every attempt, passed or failed, you get a full review: each question, the answer you chose, the correct answer, and an explanation of why. If you did not pass, the results screen also lists the modules that cost you the most marks, so you know exactly what to reread.
If you use all three attempts without passing, contact support. We reset attempts on request — the limit is there to encourage preparation, not to lock people out permanently.
Your credential number
Passing issues a credential number immediately, in the form BCB-2026-K7M4QP. It is permanent and unique to you.
Give clients the number, not a screenshot. Anyone can check it at bizbooks.pro/certification/verify.html, which confirms the credential is genuine, names the holder, and shows whether it is still current. Your exam score is deliberately not shown publicly.
You can link directly to a pre-filled verification page — useful on a website or in an email signature — by appending the number: /certification/verify.html?id=BCB-2026-K7M4QP.
Your directory listing
The public directory at bizbooks.pro/certification/directory.html is where business owners look for a certified bookkeeper. Appearing there is opt-in and entirely separate from holding the credential.
To create or edit your listing, open Certification in the Partner Portal and click the directory button on your credential card. You control:
- Headline — one line describing what you do. This is the first thing a prospect reads, so be specific: "Catch-up bookkeeping for trades businesses" beats "Experienced bookkeeper."
- About your practice — a short paragraph.
- Location — city, state or region, and country. Clients filter on these.
- Remote availability — tick this if you take clients outside your area.
- Specialties — up to eight industry tags, also filterable.
- Website and contact email — both shown publicly, so use a work address.
Leave any field blank to keep it private. Untick the opt-in box to disappear from the directory at any time; your credential is unaffected and stays valid.
Renewal and expiry
The credential is valid for 24 months from the date it was issued. Renewal is free.
The expiry exists so the directory reflects people who are actually still working. A lapsed credential shows as "lapsed" on the verification page rather than disappearing, so a client who checks an old number gets an honest answer instead of a dead end.
Troubleshooting
The exam button is greyed out
Every module must be marked complete first. Open the Certification page and look for modules still showing "Start" rather than a green check.
My exam timer ran out while I was away
The attempt is graded on whatever was answered. This uses one of your three attempts. Start the next one when you have a clear hour.
I passed but do not appear in the directory
Passing does not list you automatically. Open the directory editor on your credential card and tick the opt-in box.
A client says my credential does not verify
Check they are entering the whole number including the prefix and year. Case and hyphens do not matter. If it still fails, confirm on your Certification page that the credential has not lapsed, then contact support.
I enrolled under the wrong brand
Contact support before sitting the exam and we will reset the enrollment.