United States
Hong KongPrometric: booking a seat and what the center is like
The exam is delivered at Prometric test centers. Scheduling is separate from registering with CFP Board, availability is finite within each window, and check-in involves identification, a locker and a security check.
A professional testing center, and six hours is a long time to spend in one. Knowing what it involves removes a source of exam-day friction.
Scheduling
After registering with CFP Board you schedule an appointment with Prometric for a date and time within the window.
Availability is finite. Urban centers in popular windows fill, and candidates who delay find themselves traveling further or taking a less convenient day. Schedule immediately after registering.
Check-in
- Arrive at least thirty minutes early.
- Present government-issued photo identification matching your registration exactly.
- A photograph and often a biometric check.
- Personal items into a locker - everything except identification and the approved calculator.
- A security check before entering the testing room.
- Seating, and a short tutorial that does not count against your time.
The name-matching point is the one that turns candidates away, and it is entirely preventable with a check when you register.
A break is provided between the two three-hour sessions, and the second session begins whether or not you feel ready. Leaving the testing room during a session generally means the clock keeps running.
What the room is like
Individual workstations, often with dividers, and other candidates sitting entirely different exams. Noise-reducing headphones or earplugs are usually available and worth asking for.
Note materials are provided by the center - typically a laminated board and marker, or paper collected at the end. You cannot bring your own.
Practical preparation
- Visit or at least look up the location, parking and entrance beforehand.
- Plan food for the break - six hours on an empty stomach is a self-inflicted handicap.
- Dress in layers; testing rooms are unpredictable.
- Bring a spare calculator and batteries.
- Arrive early enough that the last fifteen minutes are calm.
If something goes wrong
Technical problems, disruptive noise or an administrative error should be raised with the center staff at the time and reported to CFP Board afterwards.
Raising it during the appointment rather than complaining afterwards is what makes a remedy possible, and it is worth knowing before you need it.
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
Where is the CFP exam taken?
At Prometric test centers. Scheduling an appointment is a separate step from registering with CFP Board, and availability within each window is finite.
What happens at check-in?
Photo identification matching your registration, a photograph and often a biometric check, personal items into a locker, a security check, then seating and a short tutorial.
Is there a break?
Yes, a scheduled break between the two three-hour sessions. The second session begins whether or not you feel ready, and leaving during a session generally means the clock keeps running.
Can you bring your own scratch paper?
No. Note materials are provided by the center, typically a laminated board and marker or paper collected at the end.
What if there is a problem during the exam?
Raise it with center staff at the time and report it to CFP Board afterwards. Raising it during the appointment is what makes a remedy possible.