AutoCAD Certification: The Complete Study Guide
A practical roadmap to the AutoCAD Certified Professional exam — what it covers, how it's scored, and exactly which AutoCAD Coach lessons prepare you for each objective.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for drafters, engineering students, architecture students, and career-changers who want an industry-recognized credential in AutoCAD. The Certified Professional exam is the advanced tier — it assumes you can already navigate the software and produce accurate 2D drawings.
What the exam covers
The AutoCAD Certified Professional exam is performance-based: you complete real tasks inside a live AutoCAD environment. Autodesk groups the tested skills into six broad areas. The table below maps each objective to the AutoCAD Coach lessons that build the underlying skill.
Drawing Setup & Interface
- Workspaces & ribbon
- Units, limits, and templates
- Navigation: pan, zoom, extents
Drawing Objects
- LINE, POLYLINE, RECTANGLE
- CIRCLE, ARC
- Coordinate entry (absolute & relative)
Modifying Objects
- MOVE, COPY, ROTATE
- TRIM, EXTEND, OFFSET
- MIRROR, FILLET, CHAMFER
Layers, Annotation & Output
- Layer states & properties
- Text, dimensions, hatch
- Layouts, viewports, plotting
3D Modeling
- EXTRUDE, PRESSPULL
- UNION, SUBTRACT, JOIN
- 3D navigation & views
A 4-week study plan
- Week 1 — Foundations. Interface, navigation, units, and basic drawing objects. Finish the first four AutoCAD Coach lessons and reproduce each example twice from scratch.
- Week 2 — Precision & modification. Object snaps, polar tracking, TRIM / EXTEND / OFFSET, MOVE / COPY / MIRROR. Build one of the practice projects end-to-end without looking at the steps.
- Week 3 — Annotation & output. Layers, text, dimensions, hatching, layouts, viewports, and plotting to PDF. Recreate a floor plan from a photo and produce a titled sheet.
- Week 4 — 3D & mock exam. EXTRUDE, PRESSPULL, UNION, SUBTRACT, and JOIN. Sit an official Autodesk practice test under exam conditions (120 minutes, no notes) and re-drill any objective you missed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the exam cost?
Pricing varies by region and testing partner, but the Certified Professional exam is typically around USD $200. Students often qualify for discounted pricing via Autodesk's education program.
Where do I take the exam?
Exams are delivered through Certiport-authorized testing centers and via online proctoring. Register at certiport.pearsonvue.com and pick a delivery mode when you book.
Is the certification worth it?
For drafters, designers, and BIM technicians, yes — it's the most widely recognized proof of AutoCAD proficiency and often shows up as a preferred qualification on job listings for architectural, mechanical, and civil roles.
Ready to start preparing?
Work through the AutoCAD Coach lesson path — each lesson maps to a real exam objective and ends with a hands-on task.