United States
Hong KongWhat to bring, and what stays in the locker
Government-issued photo identification with a name matching your registration exactly, an approved financial calculator, and food and drink for the break. Everything else goes into a locker before you enter the testing room.
A short list, and one item on it accounts for most of the people turned away.
Into the testing room
- Government-issued photo identification, unexpired.
- An approved financial calculator, with memory cleared.
- Nothing else.
Note materials are provided by the center. You cannot bring your own paper, pens or reference cards.
The name must match exactly
This is the one. If your registration says Michael and your license says Mike, or a name has changed since you registered, you can be refused entry.
Identity verification is a requirement of the process and the proctor has no discretion. Check it when you register and fix any mismatch with CFP Board well before the day.
Into the locker
Phone, smart watch, bag, coat, notes, books, food, drink, wallet - everything.
You can access the locker during the scheduled break, which is when the food and drink become relevant.
Six hours of concentration needs fuel. Something to eat, water, and anything you need to take with medication. Deciding this the night before is better than looking for a vending machine in a fifteen-minute window.
The calculator
An approved model from CFP Board's current list, with memory cleared. Bring a spare and fresh batteries.
Calculator manuals and reference cards are not permitted, so anything you need to know about your own calculator needs to be in your head before you arrive.
What to wear
Layers. Testing rooms are unpredictable and you are sitting still for three hours at a stretch.
Bear in mind that outer layers may need to be removed and stored, so a jacket you can add and take off inside the room is more useful than a coat.
The night before checklist
- Identification out, unexpired, name confirmed against the registration.
- Calculator and spare, both working, memory cleared.
- Route and parking checked.
- Food and water packed.
- Alarm set with margin.
Five items, ten minutes, and each one is a way the morning goes wrong if it is left.
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
What can you bring into the CFP exam room?
Government-issued photo identification and an approved financial calculator with memory cleared. Note materials are provided by the center and nothing else is permitted.
What if your name does not match your ID?
You can be refused entry. Identity verification is a process requirement with no proctor discretion, so check at registration and fix any mismatch with CFP Board well beforehand.
Can you bring food?
Into the locker, yes, and you can access it during the scheduled break. Six hours of concentration needs fuel, and planning it beforehand beats hunting for a vending machine.
Can you bring a calculator manual?
No. Manuals and reference cards are prohibited, so anything you need to know about your calculator has to be in your head before you arrive.
What should you wear?
Layers you can add and remove inside the room, since testing rooms are unpredictable and you are sitting still for three hours at a time.