They finally did it – the CMMC final rule is upon us. CMMC certification will be required for orgs that handle FCI and CUI starting in 2025.
If your business sells to a member of the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and then you need to know how much it will cost to get CMMC certified in 2025.
Below you’ll find cost breakdowns and current price ranges so you can be prepared for the CMMC certification process and keep those precious contracts that will include a DFARS 252.204-7012 clause.
CMMC certification costs range widely. Expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 - $300,000+.
Yes, that range is stupid big. So we’ll break the costs down below to help you get a better idea what it will cost your business.
Basically though, how much you’ll actually spend depends on your organization’s required CMMC level and how closely your current cybersecurity posture already matches requirements.
The scope of your controlled unclassified information (CUI) will also affect your costs. CUI scope is affected by how many people in your organization handle CUI and the different locations, systems, databases, applications, and networks in your system that store, process or transmit CUI.
The CMMC final rule is new, so we’re still learning exact costs. We will continually update this article as we learn more.
Here is what we know as of November, 2024:
CMMC level 1 is for organizations that only need to meet basic safeguarding requirements for Federal Contract Information (FCI). There are only 15 requirements for level 1.
Many small contractors may be able to do a self-assessment at this level – which can reduce costs significantly.
If you handle CUI, this is likely where you land. Most organizations requiring CMMC certification will be at this level.
Level 2 has 110 requirements that align with NIST SP 800-171. More requirements = higher implementation, documentation and assessment costs.
Expect to pay:
Level 3 is for the few organizations that handle highly sensitive information that requires the highest level of cybersecurity.
There are 134 requirements for level 3. You’ll see the same 110 requirements from level 2 plus 24 more from NIST SP 800-172.
Costs increase from what you saw in level 2 based on the increased preparation, assessment, and remediation your business requires.
FYI: Less than 1% of orgs needing CMMC certification will be required to meet this standard.
You may opt for an internal or third-party readiness assessment before the formal certification.
This usually costs between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on your organization’s size and current cybersecurity posture.
Paramify provides a CMMC gap assessment and roadmap for just $2,000. After a quick, 30-60 minute meeting with our team you’ll be able to generate a living gap assessment with real-time SPRS score and implementation roadmap. If you purchase Paramify's software the gap assessment is included at no added costs.
→ Request a Free Paramify Demo
Manual documentation: Documentation templates and guides cost between $500 and $1,500. Writing your documentation by hand takes between 50 to 200 hours to complete using templates, so expect to spend between $2,500 and $10,000 in personnel costs.
Automated documentation with Paramify: For a low yearly fee you can automatically generate accurate compliance documentation in hours. This is the most efficient way to create your SSP and manage POA&Ms. Your documentation will be easy to update/manage and can move through audit faster.
→Learn more about the benefits of automated compliance documentation
Expect to pay within these ranges for CMMC documentation built with a consultant:
In-House:
With Consultant:
Many top CMMC consultants, like 38 North and Summit 7, use Paramify's software for their clients. You'll still get all the long-term benefits and cost savings of Paramify if your consultants generates your documentations with our software.
Once gaps are identified, the cost to implement the necessary controls (e.g., firewalls, encryption, identity management, monitoring tools) varies based on your infrastructure and current security measures.
Small businesses might need to budget an additional $10,000 to $50,000, while larger or more complex organizations may face remediation costs between $50,000 and $100,000+.
Organizations usually spend between $20k - $60k to implement controls for level 2.
You’ll likely spend an additional $10k - $40k if you use an MSP or MSSP like Summit 7 or 38 North to manage implementation. While it could cost extra upfront, their services may prevent unnecessary mistakes and save you money long term.
Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) fees are based on your organization’s size, complexity, and required certification level:
Maintaining CMMC certification requires continuous compliance. This may involve ongoing monitoring, periodic internal audits, and annual self-assessments, especially at Level 1 and some Level 2 organizations.
Costs, including staffing and software, range from $5,000 to $30,000 annually.
Recertification every three years would involve similar assessment costs to the initial certification.
With Paramify’s automation software, you’ll continue to pay the flat annual fee and can automatically generate accurate, up-to-date documentation at any time.
→ Request a video demo of Paramify
Training staff on CMMC practices can add up, with costs ranging from $500 to $5,000 per employee depending on the training depth.
Now that you know how much CMMC costs you can get started on your certification.
You can make certification smoother by starting with a gap assessment and automated documentation from Paramify. If our method sounds like a good fit for your organization, feel free to sign up for a free demo or request a demo video below:
→ Reach out with any questions – our team loves to help.
