CDP cost in 2026: what disclosure actually costs
Companies searching for CDP pricing usually want one number, and CDP publishes it: for a UK-headquartered company the 2026 admin fee is £2,450 on the Foundation tier or £5,985 on Enhanced.
But the fee is only the visible part of the cost.
This page sets out the full 2026 fee table, who is exempt, what each tier buys — and the internal costs that dwarf the invoice.
The 2026 CDP admin fee, by region
CDP is a not-for-profit and charges disclosing companies an annual administrative fee to maintain the CDP Portal[3]. The fee depends on where the organisation is headquartered and which tier it chooses[1].
For UK-headquartered companies there are two options in 2026: the Foundation fee of £2,450 and the Enhanced fee of £5,985, both exclusive of any applicable taxes[1]. The cheaper Essential tier is not available in the UK, North America, Europe, Japan and several other regions — it is aimed at SMEs in other markets[1].
| Headquarters | Enhanced | Foundation | Essential |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £5,985 | £2,450 | n/a |
| Europe (incl. Türkiye) | €7,200 | €2,975 | n/a |
| North America | US$7,650 | US$3,250 | n/a |
| Japan | ¥775,000 | ¥325,000 | n/a |
| India | US$7,050 | US$2,850 | US$1,175 |
| Latin America (excl. Brazil) | US$2,575 | US$1,840 | US$1,175 |
| Other countries | US$7,650 | US$3,250 | US$1,175 |
CDP reviews pricing annually. Fees rose by approximately 5% globally in 2026 after being held flat in 2025; before 2023, global disclosure prices had not changed since 2016[1][2].
Who pays — and who discloses free
Not every discloser pays. The fee primarily applies to companies requested to disclose by CDP’s Capital Markets Signatories, to Self-Selected Companies that volunteer to disclose, and to Public Authorities[2].
Organisations requested only by Supply Chain Members, banks, Private Markets requesters or the RE100 initiative are generally exempt[2]. Cities, states and regions never pay the admin fee[4].
The fee — or the exemption — must be settled in the CDP Portal before a response can be submitted[4]. Exempt organisations see a single “No fee payable” option[2].
One nuance catches companies out: an organisation that previously disclosed free under a supply-chain request may become fee-paying in a later year if CDP’s investor signatories add it to the Letter to the Board request list[1].
What each tier actually buys
Both tiers buy the same core thing: the ability to submit a response and receive a CDP score. The Enhanced tier adds improved data access, priority registration for CDP regional events, and a tailored analysis report comparing the company’s disclosure against ten peers[1].
Whether that is worth roughly £3,500 more depends on how the company uses CDP.
For a business that treats its score as a procurement credential, Foundation does the job.
For one that benchmarks itself against competitors or feeds CDP data into investor relations, the Enhanced peer comparison is the cheapest competitive intelligence in the sector.
| If your goal is… | Tier | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfy a customer or investor request | Foundation | Score and disclosure record at the lowest fee |
| Benchmark against sector peers | Enhanced | Tailored 10-peer comparison report |
| Build an ESG data function | Enhanced | Improved data access supports internal analytics |
| First-time trial disclosure | Foundation | Prove the process before paying for extras |
The real cost of a credible response
The questionnaire asks for activity data across the prior year — emissions, energy, targets, governance and risk processes — much of it owned by finance rather than the sustainability team.
Assembling that inside the disclosure window is the most common cause of weak scores.
The efficient route is reuse. The Scope 1 and 2 figures a UK company already prepares for SECR flow directly into CDP, energy audits under ESOS generate the underlying data, and preparation for UK SRS covers most of the governance, strategy and metrics content — CDP’s questionnaire is aligned with IFRS S2, which UK SRS S2 endorses.
For the calendar the fee sits inside — including the 16 September 2026 scoring deadline — see our CDP reporting timeline. For how scores are calculated, see CDP scores explained.
CDP cost: frequently asked questions
How much does CDP cost in 2026?
For a company headquartered in the UK, the 2026 CDP admin fee is £2,450 for the Foundation tier or £5,985 for the Enhanced tier, exclusive of any applicable taxes. The Essential (lower-cost) tier is not available to UK-headquartered organisations. Fees vary by headquarters region — for example, €2,975 / €7,200 in Europe and US$3,250 / US$7,650 in North America. CDP publishes the full regional table on its FAQs page.
Did CDP fees increase in 2026?
Yes. CDP states that admin fees increased by approximately 5% globally in 2026, citing inflationary pressures and rising operational costs. CDP held prices unchanged in 2025, and before 2023 global disclosure prices had remained the same since 2016.
Does every company have to pay the CDP admin fee?
No. Companies disclosing in response to requests from CDP’s Capital Markets Signatories, Self-Selected Companies (voluntary disclosers), and Public Authorities generally pay the fee. Organisations requested only by Supply Chain Members, banks, Private Markets requesters, or the RE100 initiative are generally exempt, as are cities, states and regions. If exempt, the CDP Portal shows a single "No fee payable" option.
What is the difference between the Foundation and Enhanced fee tiers?
Both tiers let a company disclose and be scored. The Enhanced tier adds benefits including improved data access, priority registration for CDP regional events, and a tailored analysis report comparing the company’s disclosure against ten peers. CDP encourages companies to consider Enhanced, but Foundation is sufficient for disclosure and scoring.
When does the admin fee have to be paid?
Before submission. CDP requires disclosing companies — including SMEs — to choose and pay the admin fee (or apply an exemption) in the CDP Portal before their questionnaire response can be submitted. With the 2026 scoring deadline on 16 September, the fee should be settled well before then.
Is the admin fee the whole cost of CDP disclosure?
No — for most companies the fee is the smallest component. The larger costs are internal: gathering Scope 1, 2 and 3 data, drafting the response, governance sign-off, and any external consultancy or software support. These costs depend on data maturity, and they overlap heavily with what SECR, ESOS and UK SRS reporting already require — so companies reporting under those regimes can reuse much of the work.
- FAQs — Disclosure admin fee — CDP Worldwide · 2026 fee table (UK: Enhanced £5,985, Foundation £2,450), tier benefits and exemptions
- How to pay your CDP admin fee as a Discloser — CDP Help Center · ~5% global fee increase in 2026; who pays; payment process
- Terms of Disclosure — CDP Worldwide · Fee definition and exceptions; Scoring Deadline 16 September 2026
- CDP Disclosure 2026 — CDP Worldwide · Fee payable before submission; 2026 cycle overview