- The CHAE at a Glance
- Fees, Enrollment Window, and Attempt Rules
- Eligibility: The 100-Point Rule and Documentation
- How the Proctorio Exams Work
- Section 1: Financial Accounting
- Section 2: Managerial Accounting
- Section 3: Ethics, Fraud, & Internal Controls
- Section 4: General & CHAE
- Maintenance: Credits, Fees, and Deadlines
- A Domain-Ordered Study Sequence
- Who Values This Credential
- Frequently Asked Questions
- CHAE means Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive, awarded through Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and delivered via HFTP Academy.
- You must score at least 70% in each of the four separately scored sections; strong results in one section do not offset a weak one.
- The listed four-course bundle costs US$1,075 and includes 2 examination attempts per section, with 365 days of program access.
- Eligibility requires 100 qualification points, with institution-submitted transcripts and a Certificate of Experience for each listed employer.
The CHAE at a Glance
This page condenses the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive credential into one scannable review. It is built for candidates who already know what the certification is and want the operational facts in one place: what it costs, how it is scored, what each section tests, and what keeps it active afterward. If you need the basics first, start with our explainer on what CHAE certification is, then return here.
| Item | Must-Know Fact |
|---|---|
| Credential name | Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) |
| Awarding organization | Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) |
| Delivery platform | HFTP Academy, with automated Proctorio remote proctoring |
| Number of scored sections | 4, each scored separately |
| Minimum score | At least 70% in each section |
| Listed bundle price | US$1,075 for the four-course bundle |
| Attempts included | 2 per section |
| Program access | 365 days after enrollment |
| Eligibility threshold | 100 qualification points under HFTP's calculator and application review |
| Maintenance cycle | 2 years, 60 continuing-education credits (at least 4 in ethics) |
Fees, Enrollment Window, and Attempt Rules
The publicly listed price for the four-course certification bundle is US$1,075. That bundle covers the four examination sections, the preparation materials, and 2 examination attempts per section. For a deeper line-by-line view, see the CHAE certification cost breakdown.
The 365-day clock
Program completion access lasts 365 days after enrollment. Treat this as an enrollment window, not as seat time on any single exam. It is the outer boundary for finishing the coursework and sitting your section examinations, so your plan should work backward from that date.
Application approval gates the exams
Enrolling does not by itself open the section examinations. Application approval is required to unlock them. Because transcripts and employer documentation take time to arrive, submit your application early so that the approval step does not eat into your 365 days.
Eligibility: The 100-Point Rule and Documentation
CHAE eligibility is points-based. Candidates need 100 qualification points as calculated by HFTP's calculator and confirmed during application review. Education and experience both contribute, and both must be documented. The full walkthrough is in our CHAE requirements guide; the essentials are below.
Documentation Checklist
Paperwork errors are among the most avoidable delays in the process.
- Academic transcripts must be submitted by the institution itself, not forwarded by the candidate.
- A Certificate of Experience is required for each employer listed on your application.
- Run HFTP's qualification calculator before you pay, so you know whether you reach 100 points.
- Only list employers you can obtain a signed certificate from; every entry creates a documentation obligation.
A practical consequence: the more employers you list to build points, the more Certificates of Experience you must chase. Candidates with long, multi-employer histories should start collecting these documents before they enroll.
How the Proctorio Exams Work
The current program is delivered through HFTP Academy with automated Proctorio remote proctoring, so you test from your own location rather than a physical test center. Because the proctoring is automated, preparation should include the environment, not only the content.
- Confirm that your computer, browser, webcam, and internet connection meet the platform's requirements before exam day.
- Choose a quiet, controlled space where you can complete a section without interruption.
- Read the Academy's current exam rules in advance so that nothing about the proctoring setup surprises you.
- Remember that each section is scored independently against the 70% minimum. See the CHAE passing score guide for how that standard applies.
For scheduling mechanics and how the 365-day window interacts with when you test, read the CHAE exam dates guide.
Section 1: Financial Accounting
The first Academy section is Financial Accounting. In a hospitality context, this means reading and preparing financial statements for operations such as hotels, restaurants, and related businesses, and understanding how operational activity flows into reported results.
Financial Accounting: What to Master
Build fluency with the statements and the reasoning behind them.
- Income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement structure and relationships
- Revenue recognition as it applies to lodging, food and beverage, and ancillary revenue streams
- Accruals, deferrals, and period-end adjustments
- How hospitality-specific items such as deposits, gift cards, and loyalty obligations appear in the books
- Reading statements critically, not just preparing them
Use the current Academy section materials to confirm exact coverage, since they are the authoritative guide to what is tested. Our domains guide maps each content area in more detail.
Section 2: Managerial Accounting
Managerial Accounting is where hospitality accounting shifts from reporting history to guiding decisions. Expect scenario-style thinking: given a set of numbers, what should management do, and what do the variances say?
Managerial Accounting: What to Master
These topics map directly to the practice coverage a CHAE candidate should build.
- Budgeting and how budgets are constructed for revenue and cost centers
- Forecasts and how they are revised as actual results come in
- Variance analysis: identifying, calculating, and explaining the causes of differences between budget and actual
- Revenue management concepts and how pricing and demand decisions affect results
- Cost behavior and the decisions that depend on it
Section 3: Ethics, Fraud, & Internal Controls
This section is the one candidates most often underweight, and it carries the same 70% requirement as the others. Hospitality is a cash-intensive, high-transaction environment, which is why controls and fraud prevention receive dedicated attention.
Ethics, Fraud, & Internal Controls: What to Master
Focus on prevention, detection, and professional judgment.
- Fraud prevention concepts and the conditions that make fraud more likely
- Internal control design, including segregation of duties, authorization, and reconciliation
- Controls around cash handling, point-of-sale activity, purchasing, and payroll
- Ethical decision-making and professional responsibility for accounting executives
- Recognizing a control weakness in a described scenario and recommending a fix
Ethics also carries forward past the exam: the maintenance cycle requires at least 4 of your 60 continuing-education credits to be in ethics. See the next sections for how that works.
Section 4: General & CHAE
The fourth section, General & CHAE, includes credential policies and procedures. Candidates sometimes treat this as the "easy" section and skip focused review, but a policy question missed is as costly as any other under a per-section 70% standard.
- Read the credential policies and procedures presented in the current Academy materials closely.
- Pay attention to maintenance requirements, since they are part of how the credential operates.
- Do not rely on outdated forum posts or older descriptions of the program; the Academy materials define current scope.
Key Takeaway
Because every section is scored separately at 70%, your weakest section determines your timeline. Plan your review time against your weak areas, not against the sections you already enjoy.
Maintenance: Credits, Fees, and Deadlines
Earning the credential is only the first cycle. Certification maintenance follows a 2-year cycle requiring 60 continuing-education credits, including at least 4 in ethics.
| Maintenance Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cycle length | 2 years |
| Continuing-education credits | 60 total |
| Ethics minimum within the 60 | At least 4 |
| Fee for HFTP members | US$150 |
| Fee for nonmembers | US$300 |
| Late fee | US$60 |
| Fee tier determined by | Membership status at August 1 billing |
Track continuing-education credits as you earn them rather than reconstructing them at the end of the cycle, and make sure your ethics credits are accounted for specifically.
A Domain-Ordered Study Sequence
Rather than a generic schedule, order your preparation by how the sections build on one another. Financial Accounting provides the vocabulary that Managerial Accounting uses; controls and ethics then apply that vocabulary to risk. The sequence below is one reasonable arrangement. For the fuller plan, see the CHAE study guide.
Financial Accounting first
- Work through statements and revenue recognition for hospitality operations
- Do this first because later sections assume statement fluency
Managerial Accounting
- Practice budgets, forecasts, and variance explanations
- Add revenue management scenarios once the mechanics feel comfortable
Ethics, Fraud, & Internal Controls
- Study control design and fraud scenarios in cash-heavy operations
- Give this section real time rather than leaving it for the end
General & CHAE and mixed review
- Read credential policies and procedures carefully
- Revisit your weakest section using timed practice questions
Adjust the pacing to fit your 365-day window and your professional schedule; the point is the ordering logic, not the exact number of weeks. If you want to gauge readiness before booking an attempt, a CHAE practice test built around the four Academy sections helps you find gaps while you still have a second attempt available.
Who Values This Credential
The CHAE targets accounting and finance professionals working in hospitality: hotel and resort finance teams, restaurant and food service groups, club operations, and management companies that need accountants who understand lodging and food-and-beverage economics. Roles where the credential tends to be relevant include property controllers, financial managers, and senior accounting staff who bridge operations and reporting. Our CHAE jobs overview explores these paths further.
On compensation, outcomes vary widely by property type, market, and seniority, so treat any single figure with caution. The CHAE salary guide discusses earnings qualitatively, and the ROI analysis helps you weigh the investment against your own career stage. For context on how selective the exam is, see the CHAE pass rate discussion.
Key Takeaway
The credential's value comes from pairing general accounting competence with hospitality-specific judgment. Employers in this industry recognize that pairing, which is what the four sections are designed to demonstrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
CHAE stands for Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive. It is awarded through Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and delivered via HFTP Academy. See what CHAE stands for for more background.
You must score at least 70% in each of the four separately scored sections: Financial Accounting; Managerial Accounting; Ethics, Fraud, & Internal Controls; and General & CHAE. Strength in one section does not compensate for a shortfall in another.
The publicly listed four-course certification bundle is US$1,075. It covers the four examination sections, preparation materials, and 2 examination attempts per section, with 365 days of program access after enrollment.
The current program uses automated Proctorio remote proctoring through HFTP Academy. Application approval is required before the section examinations unlock, so submit your application and documentation early.
Maintenance runs on a 2-year cycle requiring 60 continuing-education credits, including at least 4 in ethics. The fee is US$150 for HFTP members or US$300 for nonmembers, with a US$60 late fee, and membership status at August 1 billing sets the tier.
Keep this cheat sheet handy as a quick reference, and pair it with the CHAE certification overview and the detailed domain breakdowns as you move from planning to testing.