Exam basics and logistics

Windows, registration, format, fees and how results arrive.

CFP exam dates and how registration actually worksThe CFP exam is offered in three testing windows a year - March, July and November - administered by Prometric. You register through CFP Board, and th…
What the CFP exam costs, and the bill nobody adds upRegistration is USD 825 early bird, 925 standard and 1,025 in the final week. That is the exam alone. The coursework you must complete before sitting …
The CFP exam format, session by sessionTwo three-hour sessions of 85 questions each, computer-based at a Prometric center, closed book, with a scheduled break between them. The mix is stand…
The calculator: which ones are permitted and how to prepareCFP Board permits specified financial calculator models. Anything with alphanumeric storage, printing or communication capability is prohibited, and t…
March, July or November: choosing a windowThree windows a year - March, July and November. None is easier. Choose on the preparation runway available, your working calendar, and how a failure …
Registration deadlines and the three fee tiersRegistration opens well before each window with three fee tiers: early at USD 825, standard at 925, and a final period at 1,025. Coursework must be co…
Prometric: booking a seat and what the center is likeThe exam is delivered at Prometric test centers. Scheduling is separate from registering with CFP Board, availability is finite within each window, an…
Exam day: six hours, two sessions, one breakArrive thirty minutes early, check in, then two three-hour sessions of 85 questions with a scheduled break between. Most of the difficulty is stamina,…
Scoring: pass or fail, and no published pass markResults are pass or fail with no score released. CFP Board publishes the pass rate - the share of candidates who passed - and does not publish a pass …
When results arrive, and why it takes that longPass or fail by secure email within four weeks of the testing window closing - measured from the end of the window rather than from your sitting date,…
Rescheduling or withdrawing, and what it costsRescheduling a Prometric appointment within the same window, deferring to a later window, and withdrawing entirely are three different actions with di…
Testing accommodations for the CFP examCFP Board provides accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including additional time, a separate testing room, additional breaks and…
What to bring, and what stays in the lockerGovernment-issued photo identification with a name matching your registration exactly, an approved financial calculator, and food and drink for the br…
When the blueprint changes, and what it means for your materialCFP Board periodically updates the Principal Knowledge Topics and domain weightings following a job analysis of practicing CFP professionals. The Psyc…
Registering for a retake: cost, limits and timingA retake is a fresh registration at the standard fee tiers. CFP Board limits attempts - commonly cited as three in any twelve-month period and five in…