PECB Certified Data Protection Officer (GDPR) Training: Step Into the DPO Role
This five-day course prepares you to act as a data protection officer (DPO) as the GDPR defines the role: informing, advising, monitoring compliance and working with the supervisory authority. It also maps the regulation to frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27701, ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST. The final day combines hands-on practice with PECB's GDPR toolkit and the CDPO exam.
The essentials
Publisher : PECB
Certification : PECB Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO)
Duration : 5 days, exam included on day 5 (35 CPD credits)
Level : Advanced
Formats : Live virtual class · In-person in Casablanca · On-site (intra-company)
Languages : French or English
Exam facts : 80 multiple-choice questions · 3 h · open book · 70% to pass
Exam voucher : Official PECB offer: your first exam attempt, one free retake within 12 months, the certification application and the first year's maintenance fee are included.
Understand GDPR concepts and interpret its requirements.
Map the GDPR to other frameworks: ISO/IEC 27701, ISO/IEC 27001, NIST.
Carry out a DPO's day-to-day duties within the organization.
Analyse a compliance programme and advise management.
Monitor compliance and cooperate with the supervisory authority.
Drive continual improvement of the data protection programme.
Program
Day 1 – GDPR concepts and principles
Key notions and scope
Processing principles
Data subject rights
Day 2 – DPO designation and the compliance programme
Designating and positioning the DPO
Analysing the compliance programme
Controller and processor roles
Day 3 – DPO operations
Records and documentation
Data protection impact assessment (DPIA)
Data breaches and notification
Technical and organizational measures
Day 4 – Monitoring and continual improvement
Monitoring compliance
Working with the supervisory authority
Improving the programme
Day 5 – GDPR toolkit and exam
Practice with the PECB toolkit
Certification exam
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of the GDPR.
Solid knowledge of data protection requirements, as PECB specifies.
Target audience
Current and future DPOs, and compliance officers
Managers and consultants supporting a GDPR programme
Information security and incident management team members
Technical experts and personal data security advisers
The exam
The three-hour exam takes place on day five, online with remote proctoring via the PECB Exams app or on paper through a partner. According to the 2026 candidate handbook it has 80 multiple-choice questions across three domains: GDPR concepts and requirements (40 questions), roles and responsibilities (25) and technical and organizational measures (15). It is open book (GDPR text, course materials and notes) and you need 70%. Without experience you become a Provisional Data Protection Officer; the full Certified Data Protection Officer title requires five years' experience, two of them in data protection, and 300 hours of activity. Certification is valid for three years, with CPD and an annual maintenance fee.
Preparation tips
Half the exam covers GDPR concepts and requirements: be able to find the relevant article fast.
Highlight Articles 37 to 39 on the DPO and the articles on personal data breaches.
Practise on cases: lawful basis, whether a DPIA is needed, notification deadlines.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is certification required to be a DPO?
No, the GDPR does not require any certification. It does require expert knowledge of data protection law and practice, and a recognized certification helps you demonstrate it.
Is the course useful outside the European Union?
Yes. The GDPR applies to organizations that target or monitor people in the EU wherever they are based, and it serves as a reference for many national laws.
What does the PECB offer include?
Your first exam attempt, one free retake, the certification application and the first year's maintenance fee, to be used within 12 months.
CDPO or ISO/IEC 27701?
CDPO trains you for the DPO role and the regulation itself. ISO/IEC 27701 covers the management system that organizes privacy protection. The two complement each other.
Can I take the course online or in Casablanca?
Both. We run it as a live online class, in person in Casablanca, or on-site at your organization, taught in French or English depending on the group. For on-site sessions we can adapt examples and case studies to your sector and schedule the exam with you.