C3PAO list: authorized CMMC assessors
33 C3PAOs, ranked by official-listing credentials, then all sourced credentials, then name. Each credential links to the page we read it on.
33 firms · 0 with an official-listing check · 33 firm-stated only
Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations: the firms that conduct official CMMC Level 2 certification assessments.
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What a C3PAO does
A C3PAO (CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization) is the outside assessor for CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO). Its assessment team checks the systems that handle your Controlled Unclassified Information against the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. It finds each one Met, Not Met or Not Applicable, and enters the result in the CMMC instance of eMASS, which passes it to SPRS (32 CFR 170.17, 170.24).
Pass every requirement and your status is Final. Score at least 80 percent with only allowed items open, and it is Conditional; you then have 180 days to close those items out with the C3PAO or the status expires (32 CFR 170.21). A status lasts three years, affirmed every year.
How many C3PAOs there are
Secureframe counted 103 authorized C3PAOs in March 2026 (Secureframe). The Cyber AB must keep an up-to-date public list (32 CFR 170.8), the Cyber AB Marketplace. This list has 33 so far: each one links to where its credential came from, and we add firms as we verify them.
How to choose a C3PAO
- Confirm the status on the Cyber AB Marketplace on the day you sign.
- Ask about scope and dates. Assessor capacity is limited, so ask how far out they are booking.
- Check for conflicts. A C3PAO must follow the Cyber AB conflict-of-interest policy and record whom it has consulted for (32 CFR 170.9). If a firm prepared you, ask how it keeps the assessment separate.
- Cloud experience. If CUI lives in the cloud, the service must be FedRAMP Moderate or equivalent (32 CFR 170.17); ask how often they assess that setup.
- Get two quotes for the same scope. DoD puts the assessment for a small business at about $101,752 (CMMC rule); real quotes depend on your scope.
Not ready for an assessment yet? Start with a CMMC consultant (RPO), read how a Level 2 assessment works, or get quotes from up to 3 matching firms.
Questions people ask
What is a C3PAO?
A CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization: a company authorized or accredited by the Cyber AB to conduct CMMC Level 2 certification assessments and issue a Certificate of CMMC Status.
How many C3PAOs are there?
Secureframe counted 103 authorized C3PAOs in March 2026, and the number keeps growing. The Cyber AB Marketplace is the official, live count; this list adds firms as we verify them.
How much does a C3PAO assessment cost?
DoD estimates a small business spends about $101,752 to support a Level 2 certification assessment, or $104,670 over three years with the yearly affirmations. Remediation is extra. Firms quote by scope.
How long does a CMMC Level 2 certification last?
Three years from the status date, with an affirmation of continued compliance every year.
Can a C3PAO also be my consultant?
C3PAOs must follow the Cyber AB conflict-of-interest policy and keep records of companies they have consulted for. Ask any firm that offers both how it keeps consulting and assessment apart.
How do I check that a C3PAO is authorized?
Look the firm up on the Cyber AB Marketplace. Each listing here links to the page its credential came from, and says whether we saw it on an official listing or on the firm’s own site.
Independent directory. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of The Cyber AB, the DoD, or any listed firm. Credential status can change; confirm on the Cyber AB Marketplace.