CELPIP Test Cost in Canada (2026): Fees & Refunds

The CELPIP-General test costs $295 plus applicable tax in Canada. The shorter CELPIP-General LS test, used for citizenship, costs $199 plus tax.

That fee covers one sitting and one official score report. It doesn't cover a transfer if you need to move your date, and it definitely doesn't cover a second attempt. Fees have crept up over the past couple of years, so check the current figure on celpip.ca before you book.

Here's the full cost picture: what you actually pay, and the extra charges most people don't see coming.

How Much Does the CELPIP Test Cost?

The price depends on which version of the test you need to take.

CELPIP-General is the test for permanent residence, professional designation, and most other purposes. It costs $295 plus tax. CELPIP-General LS is only for Canadian citizenship, runs about an hour, and costs $199 plus tax.

Tax is added on top, and the rate depends on your province, so your final total shifts a little depending on where you test. These are the Canadian prices. If you take the test in another country, the fee is set in local currency and works out differently.

What you're paying for	Cost in Canada
CELPIP-General test	$295 + tax
CELPIP-General LS (citizenship)	$199 + tax
First transfer to a new date	Free (7+ days before)
Each later transfer	$50 + tax
Cancellation, 7+ days before	50% refund
Cancellation, under 7 days	No refund
Re-evaluation (per component)	Fee applies, refunded if your level rises
Retaking the test	Full fee again

What the $295 Fee Includes

The base fee covers the test itself and one official record of your scores.

You're paying for one full sitting of all four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking) on a computer at a test centre. There's no at-home version of CELPIP, so you book a seat at a centre and take it there in a single session.

You also get one digital CELPIP Official Score Report. That report is what you download and send to IRCC or any institution that asks for it. Scores reach your account within 2 to 4 business days, so the wait after you pay is short.

Extra Costs (and How to Avoid Them)

The sticker price isn't always the final price. Most of the extra cost is avoidable.

Most of the avoidable cost sits in changes and second attempts. So where does the extra money go?

Moving your date

You can transfer to another sitting of the same test type. The first transfer is free if you request it at least seven days before your test. After that, each transfer is $50 plus tax. Inside the seven-day window, you have to contact customer service, and a change isn't guaranteed.

Cancelling

Cancel at least seven days before your test and you get half your fee back. Cancel later than that and you get nothing. There's also no refund for missing your test or arriving too late to check in.

Re-evaluation

Asking for a score review costs a separate fee, charged when you apply. If your Speaking or Writing level rises after the review, that fee comes back to you. You have six months from your test date to ask for one.

The expensive one: retaking

A retake isn't a discount or a top-up. It's the full $295 again. That's the single biggest reason to walk in ready the first time and hit the CELPIP level your program needs on the first attempt.

The costliest line item is a retake

A second attempt is another full $295 plus tax, not a reduced re-sit rate. Two rushed attempts cost more than $590. One prepared attempt costs $295. The math makes a strong case for putting money into practice before the test, not after a low score.

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Verified sources

Sources & further reading

The fees, transfer rules, and refund policy above come from the official CELPIP pages below.

Independently verifiable · opens on the official site

CELPIP Cost: Common Questions

Quick answers on CELPIP fees, refunds, and what changes a date costs you.

The CELPIP-General test is $295 plus applicable tax. The shorter CELPIP-General LS test for citizenship is $199 plus tax. Tax depends on your province, so your final total runs a little above the sticker price.

The two tests are priced close to each other in Canada, usually within a small margin. Cost is rarely the deciding factor between them. Whether the computer-based CELPIP format suits you matters far more than the price gap. Check the current IELTS fee on the official IELTS website, since both tests adjust prices over time.

Partly, if you act early. Cancel at least seven days before your test date and you get 50% of your fee back. Cancel within seven days, or miss the test, and there's no refund.

Your first transfer to a new date is free, as long as you request it at least seven days ahead. Each transfer after that costs $50 plus tax. Changes inside the seven-day window go through customer service and aren't guaranteed.

A retake is the full fee again, $295 plus tax for CELPIP-General. There's no reduced re-sit rate, which is why it pays to prepare thoroughly before your first attempt.