United States
Hong KongMarch, July or November: choosing a window
Three windows a year - March, July and November. None is easier. Choose on the preparation runway available, your working calendar, and how a failure would interact with the next window.
Three chances a year, roughly four months apart. The choice matters more than people expect, and not for the reason they assume.
No window is easier
Pass rates vary between windows and the variation is not evidence of difficulty. It reflects who sat, and the exam is scaled to a consistent standard whichever form you meet. Noise, not signal.
A window with a higher published pass rate does not mean an easier paper, and choosing on that basis is choosing on noise.
What actually decides it
| Factor | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Preparation runway | Do you have 250 to 300 hours available before the window? |
| Coursework completion | The CFP Board Registered Program must be finished before you sit |
| Work calendar | Is the fortnight before the window your busiest period? |
| Personal calendar | Holidays, family commitments, anything immovable |
| The next window | If this one goes wrong, when could you realistically resit? |
The window-by-window practicalities
A March sitting means studying through the winter holidays and, for anyone in tax or accounting, into the start of the busy season. That combination defeats a lot of plans. Busy season collides.
July means studying through spring into early summer, with holidays to work around and generally the most comfortable preparation runway.
November means studying through late summer and autumn, ending before the year-end period. It also leaves the shortest gap before the March window if a resit is needed.
The early registration rate is USD 825 against USD 925 standard and 1,025 in the final week. Registering at the early rate saves USD 100 and also commits you, which is worth more than the money.
Working backwards
Take the window date. Count back sixteen weeks for the main preparation block, and another two for full-length mocks and review.
If that eighteen-week block runs through a period you know will not work, choose the next window. Sitting underprepared costs USD 925 and four months.
The resit calculation
A failed November sitting can be resat in March, about four months later, with the material still reasonably fresh. Count the windows.
A failed July sitting waits until November. Anyone with a deadline - a firm requirement, a promotion, a certification target date - should count the windows available before it, and not assume one attempt.
CFP® is a registered mark of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, CFP Board. Confirm exam details against cfp.net before your sitting.
Common questions
How many CFP testing windows are there?
Three a year - March, July and November, roughly four months apart.
Is one window easier than the others?
No. Published pass rates vary between windows because of who sat, not because of difficulty. The exam is scaled to a consistent standard.
How far in advance should you plan?
About eighteen weeks - sixteen for the main preparation block and two for full-length mocks and review. If that period runs through an impossible stretch, take the next window.
How much does registering early save?
USD 100 - the early rate is 825 against 925 standard, and 1,025 in the final week. It also commits you, which is worth more than the saving.
What if you fail?
A November failure can be resat in March with the material still fresh. A July failure waits until November. Anyone with a deadline should count the windows available before it.