- Read This First: Which Credential This Sheet Covers
- The Exam in One Glance: Three Parts, Three Standards
- Eligibility and Fee Mechanics
- All 22 Task Headings, Grouped for Fast Recall
- The Prescribed Reading List
- Surviving the Two Practical Parts
- Renewal Rules at a Glance
- A Domain-Driven Study Order
- Quick-Answer FAQ
- Part 1 is a proctored, closed-book written exam: 100 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, 75% to pass.
- Parts 2 and 3 are unproctored practicals requiring 85% each, sharing one 30-day completion window.
- Eligibility needs 1 year of experience and 120 training hours, 96 of them in forensic video.
- Initial, recertification and retest fees are each $300 for IAI members and $400 for nonmembers.
Read This First: Which Credential This Sheet Covers
Several credentials in the video forensics world are abbreviated "CFVT," and mixing them up is the fastest way to study the wrong material. This cheat sheet covers the examiner certification administered by the International Association for Identification (IAI) through its Forensic Video Examiner Certification Board. It does not cover LEVA's Certified Forensic Video Technician or Certified Forensic Video Analyst credentials, which are separate programs from a separate issuer.
One more source caveat: the video-specific alias page on the IAI site returned an older (C26) copy of the manual during research. The requirements here follow the dated C27 text (FCMB-01-2020-C27, revised October 1, 2026). Whenever you follow a link, check the document identifier and revision date before trusting what you read.
The Exam in One Glance: Three Parts, Three Standards
The certification is not a single sitting. You pass a written exam first, and only then do you receive the two practical components. The table below is the part of this cheat sheet worth memorizing.
| Component | Format | Passing Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Proctored, closed-book written exam; 100 multiple-choice questions; 3 hours; Board-approved proctor | 75% |
| Part 2 | Unproctored; 22 questions about supplied video files; resources allowed | 85% |
| Part 3 | Unproctored; examine, compare and/or evaluate four supplied video files; submit processed media and/or expert reports | 85% |
A few details that trip people up:
- The 22 in Part 2 is not part of the timed count. The 3-hour, 100-question description applies to Part 1 only. The 22 practical questions are a separate deliverable about supplied video files.
- Parts 2 and 3 share a 30-day window. Both are issued after you pass Part 1, and the clock covers both, so you cannot treat them as sequential 30-day projects.
- Resources are allowed on the practicals, but the work must be your own. Every response must be your sole original work.
- Applications run through eCert, and the IAI Board administers testing.
For a candid look at how this structure feels in practice, read How Hard Is the CFVT Exam?. For the scoring thresholds specifically, see CFVT Passing Score 2026.
Eligibility and Fee Mechanics
What You Must Bring to the Application
- 1 year of experience
- 120 approved training hours, including 96 specifically in forensic video
- Two recommendation letters
- Two different additional references
- A signed certification agreement
Training acceptance and recency follow sections 7.1.3.2 and 8.9 of the manual, and the chair has discretion over older training. The IAI publishes a list of previously approved forensic video classes (dated August 4, 2026). Use it, but read the restrictions attached to each course: some are limited for initial certification, some for recertification, and some in how many forensic-video hours they count. Do not assume every listed hour is interchangeable. Course approval is also not an endorsement of any provider or product.
Fees
| Application Type | IAI Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Initial certification | $300 | $400 |
| Recertification | $300 | $400 |
| Retest | $300 | $400 |
All 22 Task Headings, Grouped for Fast Recall
The 22 domain lines reproduce the official "Tasks Related to Scope" list. They are unweighted certification-task headings for preparation. The IAI does not publish a 22-domain weighted blueprint, so nobody can honestly tell you which heading carries the most exam weight, and the list does not prove exhaustive exam coverage. Treat all 22 as fair game.
To make them memorable, group them by the stage of the workflow they belong to. For a heading-by-heading breakdown, see CFVT Exam Domains 2026.
Intake and Evidence Control (Domains 1-3, 11)
Everything that happens before you touch the content.
- Domain 1: Acquisition of video files from various recording devices
- Domain 2: File verification and integrity
- Domain 3: Evidence handling and packaging
- Domain 11: Identification of damaged media
Playback, Conversion and Repair (Domains 4, 5, 12, 21)
Getting unfamiliar or broken material into a usable state.
- Domain 4: Playback of various video file formats, including proprietary formats
- Domain 5: Video file format conversion
- Domain 12: Video file repair/reconstruction
- Domain 21: Operation of current and legacy equipment/methods
Processing and Enhancement (Domains 6-10)
Manipulating video and images, and knowing the difference between processing, editing and enhancement.
- Domain 6: Video processing techniques
- Domain 7: Image processing techniques
- Domain 8: Video editing
- Domain 9: Video enhancement/clarification
- Domain 10: Image enhancement/clarification
Analysis and Authentication (Domains 13-16, 19, 22)
The interpretive core of the discipline.
- Domain 13: Photogrammetry
- Domain 14: Comparative analysis
- Domain 15: Content authentication
- Domain 16: Source authentication
- Domain 19: Identification of video/image attributes and compression artifacts
- Domain 22: File format and metadata analysis
Professional Practice (Domains 17, 18, 20)
How an examiner communicates and defends conclusions.
- Domain 17: Documentation/authorship of reports
- Domain 18: Expert testimony in legal proceedings
- Domain 20: Mitigation of sources of error, uncertainty, and bias
Notice the pairings the exam tends to reward understanding of: Domain 15 (content authentication) versus Domain 16 (source authentication) ask different questions, and Domains 19 and 22 are the evidence you lean on to answer both. Likewise, Domains 9 and 10 (enhancement/clarification) sit next to Domain 20, because defensible enhancement means being able to explain what your process can and cannot claim.
The Prescribed Reading List
The manual prescribes specific editions and chapters. Study those versions, not whatever newer publication happens to be on your desk. Do not silently swap in newer technical publications for the exam-prescribed reference versions.
| Reference | What to Read |
|---|---|
| How Video Works (second edition) | Entire text |
| Proposed Framework for Digital Video Authentication | All |
| A Proposed Framework for Forensic Image Enhancement | Chapters 1-4 |
| MPEG-4 Video Authentication Using File Structure and Metadata | Chapters 1 and 4-6 |
| Designated SWGDE references | Acquisition, processing, formats/compression, comparison, FFmpeg, photogrammetry, content/time-based analysis, glossary, and error mitigation |
Key Takeaway
Map each reference to a domain cluster. The authentication frameworks and the MPEG-4 file structure paper feed Domains 15, 16, 19 and 22; the image enhancement framework feeds Domains 9 and 10; the SWGDE error-mitigation reference feeds Domain 20. Studying by cluster beats reading front to back. Some of these references are paid materials, so confirm you hold the correct edition before you begin.
Surviving the Two Practical Parts
Most candidates prepare hard for Part 1 and underestimate Parts 2 and 3. Both practicals carry an 85% standard, which is ten points higher than the written exam, and both must be completed inside one shared 30-day window.
Part 2: 22 Questions About Supplied Video Files
These are questions about actual files you are given, not recall questions. Expect to open the files, inspect structure and metadata, identify attributes and compression artifacts, and answer from what you observe. Resources are permitted, so the skill being tested is correct interpretation, not memorization.
Part 3: Four Files, Processed Media and/or Reports
Here you examine, compare and/or evaluate four supplied video files and submit processed media and/or expert reports. This is where Domains 14, 17 and 20 become concrete: a comparison is only as good as the report that documents it and the way you state uncertainty.
Renewal Rules at a Glance
- Validity: up to 5 years.
- Credits: 80 professional-development credits earned within the preceding 5 years.
- Application and fee: required ($300 member / $400 nonmember).
- Renewal exam: unproctored, 10 multiple-choice questions, completed within 14 days, 80% to pass.
- Mandatory since: applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026.
- Filing window: no earlier than 12 months before expiration.
Longer-term value questions are covered in Is the CFVT Certification Worth It? and CFVT Salary Guide 2026. For scheduling and deadline mechanics, see CFVT Exam Dates 2026.
A Domain-Driven Study Order
Rather than generic weekly templates, sequence by dependency: you cannot judge authenticity without understanding file structure, and you cannot defend enhancement without understanding error. A sample eight-week order for a candidate with the experience requirement already met:
Foundations and Intake
- How Video Works (entire text)
- Domains 1-3, 11: acquisition, integrity, packaging, damaged media
Formats, Playback and Repair
- Domains 4, 5, 12, 21, plus the SWGDE formats/compression and FFmpeg references
- Domains 19 and 22: artifacts, attributes, metadata
Authentication and Analysis
- Authentication framework and MPEG-4 file structure paper
- Domains 13-16: photogrammetry, comparison, content and source authentication
Processing and Enhancement
- Image enhancement framework chapters 1-4
- Domains 6-10
Practice and Professional Practice
- Domains 17, 18, 20: reports, testimony, error and bias
- Timed Part 1 practice under closed-book conditions
For a fuller plan, see the CFVT Study Guide 2026. When you are ready to test recall under time pressure, run questions through the CFVT practice test site; closed-book, timed repetition is the closest rehearsal for Part 1. You can also review how scoring and difficulty are discussed in CFVT Pass Rate 2026 before setting expectations.
Quick-Answer FAQ
No. This sheet covers the IAI's forensic video examiner certification. LEVA's Certified Forensic Video Technician and Certified Forensic Video Analyst credentials are separate programs from a different issuer with their own requirements.
Part 1 has 100 multiple-choice questions, a 3-hour limit, a closed-book format, and a Board-approved proctor. You need 75% to pass. The 22 practical questions in Part 2 are not added to this count.
Both Part 2 (22 questions about supplied video files) and Part 3 (four supplied files with processed media and/or expert reports) require 85%. They share a single 30-day completion window.
Yes, resources may be used, but every response must be your sole original work. The written Part 1 remains closed-book.
Initial certification, recertification and retest applications are each $300 for IAI members and $400 for nonmembers. Division-only membership does not qualify for member pricing.
Certification lasts up to 5 years. Renewal requires 80 professional-development credits from the preceding 5 years, an application and fee, and an unproctored 10-question multiple-choice exam completed within 14 days at 80%. You may apply no earlier than 12 months before expiration.
If you are still deciding whether this path fits your career, the overview in CFVT Certification and the hiring picture in CFVT Jobs are good next reads.