What Is the NAATI CCL Test? A Beginner's Guide
Updated 7 September 2026 · facts checked against NAATI and Home Affairs pages on that date
Quick answer: CCL stands for Credentialed Community Language. The NAATI CCL test assesses your ability to communicate at a community level between English and another language. It is online only, costs $814, runs in 55 languages, and consists of two pre-recorded dialogues of about 300 words each. Each dialogue is worth 45 marks; you pass with 63 or more out of 90 and at least 29 in each dialogue.
If this is the first page you have read about the CCL, this guide covers the whole thing end to end in plain terms. When you want to see what a dialogue actually feels like, there is a free marked one at /practice.
What the CCL test is
The Credentialed Community Language test is an assessment of your ability to communicate at a community level between two languages — English and another language. It is run by NAATI, the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, and it is available online only.
NAATI states plainly what the test is not: it is not a professional certification, and if you pass the CCL test you are not certified to work as an interpreter or a translator. It is a language credential, and the reason nearly everyone sits it is migration points.
Candidates must be able to exchange simple information from one language to another, without deviating too much from normal pronunciation, standard of expression, style and register, and must demonstrate accurate comprehension and production in both English and the other test language. In other words, the test is about transferring meaning accurately and naturally in both directions — not about literary translation and not about specialist terminology.
There are no training prerequisites to sit this test.
Who sits it, and why
NAATI states the CCL test is generally taken by people who plan to apply for a points-based skilled migration visa in Australia that awards points for Credentialed Community Language holders.
The Department of Home Affairs points table for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) lists, under credentialled community language: "Hold a recognised qualification in a credentialled community language — 5 points." To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or hold a community language credential for interpreting or translating from NAATI.
NAATI also notes there are two ways to gain those points: pass the CCL test, or hold a NAATI certification as a translator or interpreter.
Two cautions come straight from NAATI. It does not provide migration advice, and before applying to sit the test you should confirm with the Department of Home Affairs or your migration agent that the CCL test is accepted to claim the points at the time of your application. The 5 points for PR guide goes through this in detail.
The languages and the level
The CCL test is currently available in 55 languages, and NAATI regularly adds more based on community demand. Tests in each language are run at least 4 times per year, and monthly for high demand languages.
The level required is upper intermediate language skills in both languages — equivalent to B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Not upper intermediate in English with a native command of the other language, or the reverse: both. Marks are deducted for quality of language in either direction, which is why many candidates find the direction they thought was easy is the one that costs them.
Check whether your language is tested and how often at /languages, or read the full language list guide.
What happens in the test
The test requires you to interpret two pre-recorded conversations, known as dialogues, between two people: a native English speaker and a native speaker of the language other than English (LOTE).
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dialogues | Two, each on a different topic |
| Length | Approximately 300 words each, about half in English and half in the LOTE |
| Segments | The dialogues are divided into short segments of 35 words or less |
| Cue | After each segment a chime sounds; you must begin interpreting within five seconds |
| Marks | 45 marks per dialogue, 90 in total |
| Time | Your test performance must be less than 20 minutes |
| Platform | Delivered online on Televic, with ProctorExam online proctoring |
The topics reflect real-life situations in Australian society and may include business, consumer affairs, employment, health, immigration and settlement, legal, community, education, financial, housing, insurance and social services. The domains and topics guide describes what each looks like, and the test format guide covers the mechanics.
How it is marked
The CCL test is marked by trained, impartial examiners, using a mark deduction method. Each test begins with 90 marks, and marks are taken off if you make errors. Each error results in a different number of marks being taken off, depending on how much it impacts the overall communication.
Marks are deducted for three kinds of error:
- Accuracy — how correct the information is, not removing or adding any information, and not more than one repeated segment per dialogue.
- Quality of language — good sentence structure, natural use of the language and pronunciation, the right level of formality, not making many grammatical errors.
- Quality of delivery — no excessive pauses, hesitations or self-corrections.
To pass you need 63 or more in total and at least 29 marks in each dialogue. NAATI's own examples make the floor concrete: 29 plus 35 equals 64 and passes, while 27 plus 36 equals 63 and fails, because one dialogue fell below 29. See the scoring and pass mark guide.
The rules that catch people out
Most of the CCL's difficulty is procedural, and the rules are short enough to learn in an afternoon:
- You can repeat one segment per dialogue without penalty. To repeat, press Finish attempt and then Start again, and the whole segment replays. More repeats than that and marks are deducted.
- You may take notes with a pen and loose sheets of paper. Typing notes is not permitted, and you cannot bring existing notes.
- No electronic resources — no dictionaries, web browsing, live caption or transcription features.
- No headsets, headphones or earphones, and only one screen.
- You cannot pause the test, leave the room or disconnect your cameras until the test is complete.
- Speak in the first person. Indirect or third-person style is not acceptable in interpreting.
Full detail is in the rules, repeats, notes and pauses guide.
Cost, applying and validity
The test fee is $814. NAATI's 2026-2027 fees are in Australian dollars, include GST where applicable, and are valid from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027. A CCL test review costs $187 per application, and a practice CCL test marked by an examiner costs $165.
To apply, you create an account in myNAATI and submit an application, providing your full name, date of birth, gender, country of birth, address, email, phone number, a photo of your face similar to a passport photo, and a scan of an identity document such as a valid passport or Australian driver's licence. NAATI will reject your application if you do not upload a scan of an identity document, and you cannot select a test date until your application is approved. Once approved, you select a date and pay the fee. Bookings close 1 week prior to the test date; rescheduling is allowed up to 8 days before at no cost; cancelling at least 1 hour before the start time gives a 75% refund.
If you pass, you receive the Credentialed Community Language credential letter. All new credentials issued from 9 August 2022 have a five-year validity period, while results issued before 9 August 2022 are valid for three years, and NAATI cannot amend an expiry date once issued.
How to start preparing
NAATI's own advice is to keep practising your languages and skills: record passages from radio and television and repeat them in the same language, then transfer the meaning into your other language; get someone to read sentences to you off the cuff to build speed; immerse yourself in the language you are least confident in; pick up brochures and read newspapers in both languages to build terminology; and have someone read short passages of about 20 to 40 words for you to reproduce in the other language without taking notes.
Beyond that, build the Australian vocabulary the topics demand — Medicare, Centrelink, a rental bond, superannuation, a tax file number — at /terms/. Then rehearse under the real constraints. Our practice library has 2,241 dialogues written to the same specification as the test, and the AI marking shows segment by segment what was retained, omitted or distorted, so you can see where meaning is leaking. The score is our model's estimate, not a NAATI result. A structured approach is in the preparation and study plan guide.
Try one free dialogue today at /practice — one full dialogue a day, marked, with no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
What does CCL stand for?
CCL stands for Credentialed Community Language. The NAATI CCL test is an assessment of your ability to communicate at a community level between two languages, English and another language.
Who takes the NAATI CCL test?
NAATI states the CCL test is generally taken by people who plan to apply for a points-based skilled migration visa in Australia that awards points for Credentialed Community Language holders. There are no training prerequisites to sit it.
Does passing the CCL make me an interpreter?
No. NAATI states this test is not a professional certification, and that if you pass the CCL test you are not certified to work as an interpreter or a translator.
How much does the NAATI CCL test cost?
The CCL test fee is $814. NAATI's 2026-2027 fees are listed in Australian dollars, include GST where applicable, and are valid from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027.
What is the pass mark for the NAATI CCL test?
Each dialogue is worth 45 marks, for a total of 90. To pass you must achieve a score of 63 or more, and at least 29 marks in each dialogue.
How long is a CCL credential valid?
All new credentials issued from 9 August 2022 have a five-year validity period. Results issued before 9 August 2022 are valid for three years. NAATI is not able to amend the expiry date of a credential that has already been issued.
What language level do I need?
The CCL test requires upper intermediate language skills in both languages, which NAATI states is equivalent to B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Where is the CCL test held?
The test is available online only. All CCL tests are delivered on a testing platform called Televic, with online proctoring by ProctorExam, and sessions are scheduled and listed in Sydney/Melbourne time.
Sources
- https://www.naati.com.au/migration-assessments/ccl/
- https://www.naati.com.au/resources/candidate-instructions-ccl/
- https://www.naati.com.au/fees/
- https://www.naati.com.au/test-date/
- https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skilled-independent-189/points-table
Facts checked against NAATI and Home Affairs pages on 7 September 2026.
One full CCL dialogue a day, marked segment by segment, free and without an account — in 50 languages.
Practise a dialogue now →More CCL guides
naaticcl.com is an independent practice site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NAATI. The AI score is this site's estimate, not a NAATI result.