CIGE Overview
The Certified Identity Governance Expert (CIGE)® professional certification is designed to validate expertise in Identity and Access Governance (IAG).
The CIGE certification is intended for leaders who set strategic direction and ensure accountability in digital identity management. They set policies and oversee risk management to comply with regulations, manage digital identities and access, protect data, ensure privacy, and secure systems.
The CIGE® certification is a registered mark of the Identity Management Institute (IMI), a global organization focusing on identity management and security certifications.
Apply for CIGE certification to receive a comprehensive study guide and take the online exam to get certified.
Identity Governance Framework
An Identity Governance Framework is a structured approach for managing digital identities, access controls, and compliance within an organization. It defines policies, procedures, and technologies that ensure the right individuals have appropriate access to the right resources at the right time. The framework typically encompasses role-based access control, least privilege, and segregation of duties, helping organizations align identity management practices with regulatory and security requirements. By centralizing identity governance, the framework enables better oversight, reduces risks of unauthorized access, and ensures that all access and identity activities are auditable and compliant. This structured approach supports operational efficiency, enhances security, and mitigates the risk of data breaches.
Identity Governance Overview
Identity governance is an organization’s overarching set of rules which proposes a management decision-making process and accountability for achieving business goals while managing identity risks.
Conceptually, identity governance can be defined as the rule of the rulers. In the business world, governance is the process by which authority is conferred on management, by which they make the rules, and, those rules are enforced and modified. Thus, understanding governance requires an identification of both the rulers and the rules, as well as the various processes by which they are selected, defined, and linked together within an organization.
Good governance is in general participatory, transparent and accountable. It is also effective and equitable and promotes the rule of law. Good governance ensures that priorities are based on broad consensus within the enterprise to meet the needs of all parties including consumers, customers, regulators, shareholders, and auditors fairly, effectively, and efficiently.
CIGE Certification Process
Interested and qualified candidates may become CIGE® by applying for IMI membership and submitting a CIGE application to receive a comprehensive study guide and schedule the online exam.
All candidates must pass the CIGE exam to get certified.
Governance Objectives
Good governance is concerned with the highest level of structure for decision-making, control, and accountability. It directs and controls management actions to ensure everyone in the organization follows a standard and transparent decision-making process in the interest of all parties involved. Identity governance supports the security objectives of the organization and the privacy rights of users.
The following is a list of governance objectives:
- Improve decision-making to achieve business goals
- Streamline processes (automate, centralize, etc.)
- Standardize (efficiency, consistency, error reduction)
- Reduce cost
- Identify and mitigate risks
- Increase enterprise value
- Meet internal and external requirements
- Empower management and staff
- Ensure security, privacy, and compliance
- Maintain identity data integrity
CIGE Certification Authority
The Certified Identity Governance Expert (CIGE)® certification is the highest-level identity and access governance credential. CIGE® is a registered mark of the Identity Management Institute and the first governance certification designed to promote a lifecycle framework for the authority of the identity management field and related functions.
CIGE Benefits
CIGE professionals are capable of defining and effectively communicating why identity governance is critical for their organizations. They understand good governance benefits and can see the big picture as well as the evolving identity risk landscape. They are also capable of proposing and implementing an identity governance lifecycle framework which helps their organizations meet the established identity management objectives.
CIGE Critical Risk Domains™
The following Critical Risk Domains (CRDs) define the specific knowledge areas and skills that CIGE professionals need to become certified:
- Identity and Access Governance
- Principles of Identity and Access Management
- Strategy, Roadmap, Framework, and Planning
- Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountability
- Program, Policies, and Procedures
- Risk Management and Internal Controls
- Funding, Resource Allocation, and ROI
- Audit, Monitoring, and, Performance Measurement
- Compliance
- Technology
Who should become a CIGE
Executives and corporate officers who set the rules for identity and access management within organizations where identity data is collected, maintained, processed, and shared can benefit by becoming a Certified Identity Governance Expert®. The CIGE designation is a registered program which demonstrate the knowledge and skills of the IMI members who hold the designation. It is awarded to experienced and educated professionals who set the rules at the highest levels of their organizations to guide and support management for addressing the growing societal and organizational concerns regarding identity data including privacy, security, regulatory and contractual compliance, customer expectations, identification and authentication, as well as efficient IT and access management processes.
CIGE Examination
All candidates must pass the online examination to become a CIGE professional.
The CIGE examination consists of 100 multiple-choice questions with a 90-minute time limit, requiring at least a 70% score to pass and get certified.
Take the CIGE quiz to become familiar with the final examination.
Application Cost
The CIGE application fee is $395 for current IMI members. To become a member, please visit the membership page for more information.
Payment Processing
IMI uses PayPal and other third party credit card processors to request and receive international credit card payments after applications are received. Alternatively, candidates may mail a cashier’s or company check.
Certificate Maintenance
Certified professionals must earn continuing education, adhere to the IMI code of ethics, and be active members.
SUBSCRIBE TO IMI NEWSLETTER
Identity Management Journal (IMJ) is a FREE newsletter which delivers dynamic, integrated, and innovative content for identity risk management.
Latest Articles
Improving Identity Management With Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)August 28, 2026 - 10:00 am
IAM Certifications Explained and ComparedJuly 7, 2026 - 3:12 pm
Provenance Driven Identity Trust ArchitectureJune 9, 2026 - 2:48 pm
AI Privacy in Modern IAMMay 12, 2026 - 3:26 pm