- What the Sixteen Domains Actually Are
- Two Components, Two Different Assessments
- Advanced Intrusion Systems: Electronics, Controls and Power
- Advanced Intrusion Systems: I/O, Communication and Advanced Devices
- Advanced Intrusion Systems: Commissioning, Projects and Sensors
- Fundamentals of Networking: Domains 10 to 16
- Exam Format, Fees and Windows
- Eligibility and Where Domains Fit
- Sequencing the Sixteen Domains
- Who Uses This Knowledge
- Frequently Asked Questions
- CIT Level II is coursework plus experience; the sixteen domains are required-course topics, not a standalone weighted exam blueprint.
- Nine domains come from Advanced Intrusion Systems (AIS); seven come from Fundamentals of Networking.
- Only the AIS exam is confirmed as 50 multiple-choice questions, two hours, open manual, 70% to pass.
- No official domain weights exist, so never trust a source claiming a "largest domain."
What the Sixteen Domains Actually Are
Search for "CIT exam domains" and you may expect a tidy blueprint with percentage weights, like many IT certifications publish. The Certified Intrusion Technician Level II credential from the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and National Training School works differently. It is a coursework-and-experience certification, and the sixteen domains on this site are an organizing structure for the published topics of its two required additional courses.
Specifically, the sixteen headings map to nine topics listed for Advanced Intrusion Systems and seven subjects listed for Fundamentals of Networking. The prefixes we attach ("Advanced Intrusion Systems:" and "Fundamentals of Networking:") are editorial labels; the underlying topic wording comes from the issuer. That means this is unweighted required-course preparation scope. It is not an official weighted or exhaustive examination blueprint, and it is not a published sixteen-domain CIT examination specification.
For a broader introduction to the credential itself, see What Is CIT Certification? and the plain-language explainer What Does CIT Stand For?.
Two Components, Two Different Assessments
The most common mistake candidates make is blending the two required courses into one imagined exam. They are separate, and their assessments are not interchangeable.
| Feature | Advanced Intrusion Systems (Domains 1-9) | Fundamentals of Networking (Domains 10-16) |
|---|---|---|
| Published topics | Nine | Seven |
| Assessment | Proctored multiple-choice exam | Short terminal quiz |
| Questions | 50 | Not verified |
| Time limit | 2 hours | Not verified |
| Passing score | 70% | 70% or higher |
| Open book | Yes, course manual | Not verified |
| Course length | 14 hours online (current live course listed at 16) | 4 hours |
Note the careful wording on the networking side. The four-hour figure is course instruction time, not a quiz timer. Do not assume the networking quiz has 50 questions, is open book, or is proctored just because AIS is. Likewise, the AIS course's short completion quiz is not the same thing as the separately required proctored certification exam. Our CIT passing score guide goes deeper on the 70% thresholds.
Advanced Intrusion Systems: Electronics, Controls and Power
The first three domains form the electrical foundation of the AIS course. They reward candidates who think like technicians rather than memorizers, because the questions behind them are about applying principles to installed systems.
Domain 1: Practical Application of Electronics
This is where intrusion work meets circuit fundamentals. Expect to reason about how components behave in the kind of low-voltage security circuits you wire in the field.
- Relate Ohm's law concepts to real zone and device circuits
- Understand how component behavior affects supervision and device operation
- Be comfortable reading and reasoning about schematics and meter readings
Domain 2: Practical Application of Controls
Controls cover how panels and control devices make decisions and operate connected equipment.
- Understand how control logic responds to device states
- Connect control behavior to programming and configuration choices
- Think through what a control does when inputs change
Domain 3: System Power
Power is a reliable source of both exam content and real service calls. A system that cannot sustain its power fails exactly when it is needed.
- Understand primary and standby power relationships
- Reason about loads, supply capacity and battery behavior
- Diagnose power-related symptoms methodically
Advanced Intrusion Systems: I/O, Communication and Advanced Devices
Domain 4: Input and Output
Inputs bring information into the system and outputs act on it. This domain ties sensors, switches and signaling devices to panel behavior.
- Distinguish input types from output types and how each connects
- Understand how outputs are triggered and what they drive
- Practice thinking in terms of cause (input) and effect (output)
Domain 5: Networking and Communication
Within AIS, this domain addresses how intrusion systems communicate with other equipment and with monitoring. It overlaps in spirit with the standalone networking course, but keep the two separate when you study: AIS wording and framing come from the intrusion course manual.
- Understand how panels communicate with devices and monitoring paths
- Recognize how communication choices affect reliability
Domain 6: Advanced Systems and Devices
This is the broadest AIS heading. It rewards familiarity with the more sophisticated equipment and configurations a Level II technician handles beyond Level I basics.
- Know what distinguishes advanced devices from entry-level ones
- Understand integration with other security subsystems at a conceptual level
Advanced Intrusion Systems: Commissioning, Projects and Sensors
Domain 7: Testing and Commissioning
This domain covers proving that an installed system works. It is highly practical and favors candidates with real field time.
- Understand the logic of systematic test procedures
- Know what commissioning verifies before a system goes live
- Connect test results back to troubleshooting steps
Domain 8: Project Management
Level II technicians often lead installations rather than merely perform them. This domain reflects that responsibility.
- Understand how installation projects are planned and organized
- Recognize the coordination between customer needs, scope and execution
Domain 9: Residential and Commercial Sensor Application
Choosing the right sensor for the right environment is a daily technician decision, and this domain tests that judgment.
- Match sensor technologies to residential versus commercial conditions
- Consider coverage, environment and false-alarm risk in selection
If you want a condensed recap of these nine areas before an exam sitting, the CIT cheat sheet is built for last-minute review.
Fundamentals of Networking: Domains 10 to 16
The networking course is shorter, at four hours of instruction, and its seven subjects are foundational rather than vendor-specific. Many security technicians come from electrical or alarm backgrounds, so this component is where IT vocabulary becomes essential. Because modern intrusion systems increasingly ride on IP networks, these topics are directly relevant to daily work.
Domain 10: What a Network Is and Its Components
Start here. Define a network, then identify the building blocks that make one function.
- Name and describe common network components
- Understand each component's role in moving data
Domain 11: Common Network Topologies
Topology describes how devices are arranged and connected.
- Recognize common topologies and how they differ
- Understand strengths and weaknesses of each layout
Domain 12: How Networks Communicate and Share Data
This domain covers the mechanics of data exchange between networked devices.
- Understand the basic principles of how devices exchange information
- Connect these principles to the behavior of security devices on a network
Domain 13: Storage Types Used in Networked Systems
Storage matters for recorded data and system retention, especially as security systems generate stored information.
- Distinguish the storage types used in networked environments
- Understand where each fits in a system design
Domain 14: Composition of a Network Cable
A physical-layer topic that is very close to a technician's hands-on work.
- Know what makes up a network cable
- Relate cable construction to performance and installation practice
Domain 15: How a LAN and WAN Function and How They Differ
Expect to compare local and wide area networks in scope, function and typical use.
- Define LAN and WAN clearly
- Explain the differences in coverage and purpose
Domain 16: Steps of Troubleshooting Network Problems
A process domain. Memorize the logical sequence of troubleshooting, not just isolated facts.
- Learn the ordered steps for isolating a network problem
- Apply the process to a security-device connectivity scenario
Exam Format, Fees and Windows
Required course exams are administered by ESA using Honorlock or Absorb online proctoring, or through approved in-person arrangements. Here is what the public record supports:
| Item | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Full online bundle | $644.40 member / $1,020 nonmember |
| Existing-prerequisite route | AIS $308 member / $440 nonmember, plus networking $100 / $140; calculated total $408 / $580 |
| Certification request | Free |
| Retake fee (ESA FAQ) | $135 |
| Testing window | Six months to complete the exam process |
| Validity | 24 months |
| Renewal | 24 CEU hours per two years, plus application and fee (current renewal fee not verified) |
For a full pricing walkthrough, read our CIT certification cost breakdown. Scheduling mechanics are covered in the CIT exam dates guide, including how live AIS course sessions fit into the six-month window.
Eligibility and Where Domains Fit
The sixteen domains are only one part of the pathway. To qualify, candidates need:
- An active ESA Certified Alarm Technician Level 1 or higher certificate (or an accredited equivalent as the program describes)
- 24 months of verified industry work, or at least 24 months holding the qualifying Level 1 credential
- Advanced Intrusion Systems (with its proctored multiple-choice exam) and Fundamentals of Networking completed within the previous five years
- A certification request with supporting documentation
The Level 1 prerequisite is distinct from the two additional courses covered by these sixteen domains. A full discussion lives in the CIT requirements guide. Experience and administrative periods such as 24 months of work history or the five-year course window are eligibility rules, not exam durations.
Sequencing the Sixteen Domains
You do not need an elaborate method. A sensible CIT-specific order follows how the topics build on each other: electronics and power first, because controls, inputs and outputs depend on them; networking concepts before AIS communication, because the vocabulary carries over.
Electrical foundation (Domains 1-3)
- Electronics, controls and system power
- Work circuit and power-load problems by hand
Signals and devices (Domains 4-6)
- Inputs and outputs, communication, advanced devices
Field practice (Domains 7-9)
- Testing, commissioning, project management, sensor application
Networking course (Domains 10-16)
- Components through troubleshooting steps
- Then a full mixed review of the AIS manual for the open-book exam
Key Takeaway
Index your course manual by domain heading before exam day. Because the AIS exam is open book, quick navigation to Domains 1 through 9 saves minutes on a two-hour clock. Full study planning is in the CIT study guide, and you can pressure-test your recall with the practice tests on our main site.
Who Uses This Knowledge
The domains reflect what employers expect of a senior alarm technician: someone who can power, wire, configure, test and document an intrusion system, and who understands the network it increasingly depends on. Alarm dealers, integrators and commercial security contractors are the natural employers. See the CIT jobs overview for role types, and weigh the credential's value in our ROI analysis. Compensation specifics are addressed qualitatively in the salary guide.
For a first look at the training pathway itself, the CIT training page explains how the two courses fit together, and you can test yourself on topic recall anytime at the main practice site.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no standalone CIT exam. The sixteen domains organize the topics of two required courses: nine from Advanced Intrusion Systems and seven from Fundamentals of Networking. Each course has its own assessment.
None can be identified. ESA has not published item percentages, scoring weights or a ranked largest domain, so all sixteen should be treated as in scope.
The Advanced Intrusion Systems certification exam is 50 multiple-choice questions in two hours, with the course manual allowed, a 70% passing score and a verified proctor. These specs apply to AIS only, not to the networking quiz.
The networking course is four hours of instruction and ends with a short quiz requiring 70% or higher. The quiz's question count, format and timer are not verified in public listings, so do not assume they match AIS.
The ESA FAQ lists a $135 retake fee and a six-month window to complete the exam process. Confirm current terms with ESA before scheduling, since fees and policies can change.