About the Exams

Certified Member (CCSP)

The “CCSP” designation is the highest credential in the cost segregation industry. Specialists with this designation have met ASCSP’s strict level of standards for required work experience and have passed ASCSP exam for Certified members.


Only Certified Members with the CCSP designation can stamp a cost segregation report with the ASCSP seal and use the ASCSP designation in correspondence and credentials.

Requirements for Certified designation include the following:

  1. Minimum 7 years direct experience performing cost segregation studies.
  2. Submittal of application package and experience log to document at least 7,000 hours of direct cost segregation experience
  3. Submittal of sample cost segregation report
  4. Recommendation of two Certified members
  5. Telephone interview of applicant (as determined by Testing Committee)
  6. Obtain passing grade on the Certified exam

Both Member and Certified exams will consist of two parts:

The following questions are representative of the 100 multiple choice questions that will be included in Part I of the exam:

A computer system used to control the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of an office building is classified as:

  1. A structural component of a building with a 39 year recovery period
  2. Information Systems with a 5 year recovery period since it is computer equipment
  3. Office Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment
  4. Section 179 property
  5. None of the above


A project has an electrical panel with 42 circuit breakers, each rated at 20A/1P. Through your detailed analysis you have identified 28 circuit breakers directly associated with assets deemed to be personal property in nature. What percentage of the panelboard, if any, would you classify as personal property?

  1. The entire panelboard since over 50 percent of the usage of the panel is for personal property assets
  2. None of the panelboard since the panelboards are always structural components of a building
  3. 66.7 percent of the panelboard
  4. 33.3 percent of the panelboard


Bulletin F, otherwise known as IRS Publication Number 173, was issued for what purpose?

  1. To identify Section 38 property for the Investment Tax Credit
  2. To provide a useful life guide for various types of property
  3. To provide standards for cost segregation studies
  4. To provide standards for tenant finishes and tenant standard allowances in commercial office buildings
  5. To clarify the allocation of indirect costs in General Contractor payment requests


The project you are working on is a manufacturing facility with an extensive overhead crane system which is supported by the columns and beams which also support the structure. How would you estimate the value of the structural steel directly attributable to the crane system?

  1. Take 50% of the structural steel costs since it provides a dual use
  2. Not take any of the steel costs, since structural steel is always a structural component of a building
  3. Take the weight of the crane as a ratio of the total weight of the steel as the proper percentage
  4. Do a complete structural analysis of all the structural steel members and use the loads imposed by the crane and its capacity as compared to the building live/dead loads to determine the ratio of KIPS imposed on each structural steel member
  5. Use an engineering estimating or valuation manual to determine an overall cost per square foot for the steel used by the crane


A one-line diagram can best be described as:

  1. A graphic representation of the entire plumbing system
  2. A diagram of the primary electrical components
  3. A plot plan included in a report showing basic building layouts
  4. A rendering of the building
  5. None of the above


Site improvements are generally considered to be 15-year recovery period property. What is the MACRS class for site improvements?

  1. 00.11
  2. 00.3
  3. 57.0
  4. 00.13
  5. 26.1


In Whiteco Industries, Inc. v. Commissioner, 65 T.C. 664, 672-673 (1975), the Tax Court established how many questions to ascertain whether a particular asset qualifies as tangible personal property?

  1. 5 questions
  2. 6 questions
  3. 7 questions
  4. 4 questions
  5. It did not develop any questions, since the issue in the case was the classification of elevators in a commercial office building


The following questions are representative of the essay portion of the exam.

Question 1:

  • You have been assigned to perform a cost segregation study on a used property. Describe in detail the work steps you would perform, the information you would request from the client, and any mitigating circumstances which could affect the results.


Question 2:

  • The client (an owner of multiple office buildings) for which you performing a cost segregation study has indicated that, they believe the roof top HVAC units are 7 Year property rather than 39 Year property. The rationale is that the HAVC units are “equipment” and as such are not structural elements of a building. In addition, the client states that the Service has always allowed this classification in previous audits. The client asks you to classify the HVAC units as 7 Year property in the final cost segregation report. Present your rationale either for or against this classification, and how you would present your findings in your final report.