The NAATI CCL (Credentialed Community Language) test costs A$814, and the result reaches you by email within 4–6 weeks of the test day. That A$814 is the whole compulsory cost: NAATI publishes no separate application fee, no booking fee and no charge to reschedule. Everything else on the list below is optional — a marked practice test at A$165, or a review of a failed result at A$187.
The figures on this page come from NAATI's own fee schedule, which states its own validity window: "All fees and charges listed in Australian currency ($AUD) and are valid from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027." So the A$814 is locked in until 30 June 2027 — after that date, check the schedule again before you budget.
Every published fee that touches the CCL path (2026–27)
| Item | Fee (A$) | Compulsory? | What it buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credentialed Community Language (CCL) test | 814 | Yes | One sitting, two dialogues, marked by trained examiners |
| Practice CCL test (marked by an examiner) | 165 | No | Examiner marking on a practice dialogue set before you sit |
| CCL test review (per application) | 187 | No | A second examiner re-marks your test; only if you scored 58 or higher |
| Rescheduling your test date | 0 | — | Free, but only up to 8 days before the test |
| Cancelling at least 1 hour before the start time | −610.50 back | — | 75% of the fee is refunded, so A$203.50 is not returned |
| Not turning up, or cancelling after the start time | 0 back | — | The full A$814 is lost |
The refund rule is worth reading in NAATI's own words, because the deadline is unusually late and the arithmetic is not obvious: "You are eligible for a refund of 75% of your test fee if you cancel your test at least 1 hour prior to the scheduled start time." NAATI adds that the refund "will be processed within 14 days in most cases", and that "You will not receive a refund for non-attendance or cancellations after the scheduled start time." One hour before the test you can still recover A$610.50. One minute after it starts, you cannot recover anything.
How long each stage takes, from application to credential
| Stage | Published timing | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| NAATI processes your application | 2 business days, or a week | The same page gives both figures — see the note below the table |
| Test dates become available | At least 4 times a year | "monthly for high demand languages"; you cannot pick a date until the application is approved |
| Booking closes | 1 week before the test | After that the session disappears from myNAATI |
| Last chance to reschedule | 8 days before the test | Free of charge, done by the candidate in myNAATI |
| Reminder email | 10 days before the test | Sent from noreply@naati.com.au — whitelist it |
| Result | 4–6 weeks after the test | By email; candidates from the same test day can be notified on different days |
| Window to ask for a review | 30 days from the result | Only open to candidates who failed with 58 or more |
| Credential validity | 5 years | Counted from issue; NAATI cannot change an expiry date once issued |
One inconsistency you should plan around. On the same CCL page, the step-by-step list says your application is processed "generally within a week", while the detailed section two tabs down says "NAATI will process your application by checking the information submitted. This is generally within two business days." Both sentences were on the page on 4 October 2026. Plan for the longer figure: if your visa timing is tight, a week of silence is the normal case, not a problem to chase.
Add the stages up and the realistic distance between "I decided to do this" and "I hold the credential" is roughly two to three months, most of it spent waiting: up to a week for approval, however long it takes for a seat on a test date in your language, and then 4–6 weeks of marking. On the result itself, NAATI is explicit: "Results are sent via email within 4-6 weeks from noreply@naati.com.au."
What you are paying to clear
The CCL test is marked out of 90 — two dialogues of 45 marks each, with marks deducted for errors rather than added for successes. There are two thresholds, and missing either one fails the test:
| Measure | Requirement | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| Total score | 63 or more | 90 |
| Each dialogue, separately | 29 or more | 45 |
| Review available after a fail | Score of 58 or higher | 90 |
NAATI's own worked example makes the trap concrete: a candidate scoring 27 and 36 has a total of 63 — at the pass mark — and still fails, because one dialogue came in under 29. A balanced 29 + 35 = 64 passes. In cost terms this matters more than it looks: the second dialogue cannot rescue the first, so a single weak topic costs the whole A$814.
What a second attempt costs
There is no discounted re-sit for the CCL test. The 2026–27 schedule does list a "Certification supplementary test fee (conditions apply) $220", but that line sits under certification tests for translators and interpreters, not under the CCL section. For CCL, the schedule publishes exactly three numbers — 814, 187 and 165 — so a second sitting is the full fee again.
| Scenario | Published fees used | Total (A$) |
|---|---|---|
| Pass at the first attempt | 814 | 814 |
| Marked practice test first, then pass | 165 + 814 | 979 |
| Fail with 58–62, ask for a review | 814 + 187 | 1,001 |
| Fail, then sit the test again | 814 + 814 | 1,628 |
| Fail, review does not change it, sit again | 814 + 187 + 814 | 1,815 |
Note the time cost as well as the money: a review has to be requested within 30 days and a re-sit means waiting for the next date in your language, which may be a month or a quarter away, plus another 4–6 weeks of marking.
The other route to the same 5 points — and what it costs
The reason most people sit the CCL test is a single line in the Department of Home Affairs points table: "Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language" — worth 5 points. The department describes two ways to satisfy it: "you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters." NAATI puts the same thing more plainly: pass the CCL test, or hold a NAATI certification.
| Route to 5 points | NAATI fees, 2026–27 (A$) | What else is involved |
|---|---|---|
| CCL test | 814 | No training prerequisites; online only; credential valid 5 years |
| Certified Provisional Interpreter | 660, plus Ethical Competency test 242 and Intercultural Competency test 242 | A professional credential with its own prerequisites, so the fee is the smaller part |
| Certified Translator (each direction) | 605 per direction, plus the two competency tests at 242 each | Same: a working qualification, not a migration shortcut |
If the 5 points are all you need, the CCL test is both the cheapest and the shortest route — and NAATI says so in the bluntest possible way: "This test is not a professional certification. If you pass the CCL test, you are not certified to work as an interpreter or a translator." That sentence is a feature for a migration candidate and a hard limit for anyone hoping the credential will also open interpreting work.
What this means for you
Budget A$814, not "about a thousand". Unless you choose the marked practice test or end up asking for a review, no other NAATI fee applies on this path. The number holds until 30 June 2027.
Work backwards from your lodgement date, not forwards from today. The credential has to exist when you claim the points. Between application approval, waiting for a seat, and 4–6 weeks of marking, two to three months is the realistic planning figure — and that is before any re-sit.
The 8-day line is the one that costs people money. Rescheduling is free up to 8 days before the test and impossible after that. Inside those 8 days your only options are to sit the test or cancel for a 75% refund — and after the start time, nothing at all.
Check the test-date calendar before you pay. Tests in each language run at least four times a year, monthly only for high-demand languages, and sessions shown as available may already be taken by the time you reach the booking screen. If your language has one date a quarter, the calendar — not the fee — is what decides your timeline.
Confirm the points claim for your own case. NAATI states it directly: "NAATI does not provide any migration advice." The same applies here — this page sets out published rules and published fees only. Whether the CCL credential is accepted for the points you intend to claim, at the time you intend to claim them, is a question for the Department of Home Affairs or your own registered migration agent.
How this fits the rest of the exam budget
The CCL fee does not exist in isolation — most people sitting it are also paying for an English test in the same year. We keep the current figures for IELTS, PTE, OET, CELPIP and NAATI CCL side by side in English test fees in Australia in 2026, and the question of which test to sit at all in the best English tests in 2026. If you are not sure your language is on the CCL list, the full set is in which languages you can take NAATI CCL in, and the visa-level score tables for the English side are in the 5 English levels for an Australian visa.
FAQ
How much does the NAATI CCL test cost in 2026?
A$814, including GST where applicable, under the fee schedule valid from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027. There is no separate application or booking fee.
How long does it take to get NAATI CCL results?
Four to six weeks after the test, by email. NAATI issues results individually as they are finalised, so two people who sat on the same day can hear back on different days.
Can I get my money back if I cancel the CCL test?
You get 75% of the fee back — A$610.50 — if you cancel at least one hour before the scheduled start time, normally processed within 14 days. There is no refund for non-attendance or for cancelling after the start time.
Is rescheduling the CCL test free?
Yes, and you do it yourself in myNAATI, but only up to 8 days before the test. Inside 8 days rescheduling is not possible at all.
Is a NAATI CCL re-sit cheaper than the first attempt?
No. The 2026–27 schedule publishes no reduced re-sit fee for CCL; the A$220 supplementary test fee applies to certification tests, not to the CCL test. A second sitting is A$814 again.
I failed by two marks. Is a review worth A$187?
A review is only available if your result was 58 or higher, and it has to be requested within 30 days. It costs A$187 against A$814 for a fresh sitting, and a second examiner re-marks the same recording, so it is the cheaper option if the gap is genuinely small. No one can tell you in advance what the re-mark will produce.
How long is the CCL credential valid?
Five years. NAATI states that "All new credentials issued from 9 August 2022 have a five-year validity period", that results issued before that date are valid for three years, and that an expiry date cannot be amended once the credential has been issued.
Do I have to pay for a course to sit the test?
No. NAATI publishes no training prerequisite for the CCL test, and it offers unmarked practice tests at no cost, with examiner-marked practice at A$165. Preparation is a choice about how you use the one A$814 attempt, not a requirement for booking it.
About our NAATI CCL course
Green School, an online school in Australia (formerly Green English), has been teaching since 2018 and has worked with more than 3,500 students across all the major English exams. The NAATI CCL Russian course is taught from materials written by Tatiana Green, director of Green School and author of the NAATI CCL course. For that course we report a 95% pass rate, measured on results students report back to us.
Sources
- NAATI — Fees 2026-2027 (CCL test, CCL review, practice CCL, certification and competency test fees), checked 4 October 2026
- NAATI — Credentialed Community Language (CCL) Test: test details, assessment, results, applying, rescheduling and cancelling, checked 4 October 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Points table for Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), Credentialled community language, checked 4 October 2026