CFP Exam: How to Study and What to Expect

If you’re pursuing the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation, passing the CFP® exam is a required milestone. The exam consists of 170 multiple-choice questions designed to assess your understanding of comprehensive financial planning concepts. It’s widely regarded as challenging, making preparation essential. Creating a structured study plan and knowing what to expect on exam day can help improve your chances of passing.

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What Is the CFP® Exam?

The CFP® exam is a comprehensive test that gauges your ability to apply financial planning concepts to real-world scenarios. Passing the test is a requirement for obtaining a Certified Financial Planner™ designation. The exam is administered by the CFP® Board three times a year in March, July and November, both in person and through remote testing centers. There is also the option for remote proctoring from home.

To complete the test, you must answer 170 multiple-choice questions. The exam is administered in two three-hour sessions. There is a fee to take the test, which is determined by your registration date. The fee schedule is as follows:

• Early registration: $825
• Standard registration: $925
• Late registration: $1,025

You can register to take the CFP® exam online at the CFP® Board website. To register for the test, you must either complete a CFP® Board registered program or complete equivalent coursework. Submitted coursework is subject to a transcript review by the CFP® Board.

If you opt for the second route, you have to verify your coursework before the exam date. Otherwise, your registration will be withdrawn, and you’ll be charged a $500 postponement fee.

You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to take the CFP® exam. You do, however, need to complete a bachelor’s degree program within five years of passing the exam.

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When Is the CFP® Exam?

The CFP® exam is offered three times each year during designated testing windows, giving candidates multiple chances to take the exam based on their readiness and work schedules. Each testing window runs for one week, allowing candidates to select a specific exam date that best fits their availability.

2026 Exam Dates

• March 2026 testing window: March 17-24
• July 2026 testing window: July 14-21
• November 2026 testing window: October 29-November 5

These dates are subject to change, so it’s essential for candidates to verify the latest schedule on the CFP® Board’s official website.

When Can I Register for the CFP® Exam?

Registration for the March 2026 testing widow opened on October 21, 2025. Education requirements must be verified by February 24, 2026.

Registration for the July 2026 testing window opens on February 18, 2026. Education requirements must be verified by June 23, 2026.

Registration for the November 2026 testing window opens on June 2, 2026. Education requirements must be verified by October 6, 2026.

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What Does the CFP® Exam Cover?

The CFP® exam spans several areas of core knowledge that the CFP® Board deems necessary to work as a Certified Financial Planner™. Those core areas include:

• Professional conduct and regulation
• General principles of financial planning
• Risk management and insurance planning
• Investment planning
• Tax planning
• Retirement saving and income planning
• Estate planning
• Psychology of financial planning

Each section is assigned a different weighting. For example, retirement savings and income planning account for 18% of the exam questions, while the psychology of financial planning is just 7%.

All questions are pass or fail, and count as one point each toward your total score. In terms of the minimum score needed to pass, the CFP® Board does not disclose one. Instead, the Board uses the results of the exam to gauge how competent someone is to carry out the duties of a Certified Financial Planner™.

How Hard Is the CFP® Exam?

If you’re interested in potentially pursing this professional credential, you’re probably wondering, “How hard is the CFP® exam?”

Since the exam was first administered in 1991, the pass rate has been just under 60%, according to CFP® Board data. Most recently, the CFP® exam pass rate was 64% for November 2025 exam. ¹

How to Study for the CFP® Exam

The CFP® exam is designed to test what you know about financial planning and your ability to apply those concepts to situations you might encounter when working as a financial planner. With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips for preparing for the CFP® exam:

• Start early. While it takes just a few hours to complete the CFP® exam, it can take months of study to fully prepare. Depending on how much time you have available, you may want to begin your studies three months, six months or even a year in advance of your anticipated test date.
• Take advantage of CFP® resources. The CFP® Board provides free study resources, including a full-length practice exam, study guides and a mentoring program to help you prepare. Those benefits are all included with your exam registration fee.
• Create a study schedule. Having a set study schedule can help you to get organized and keep an appropriate pace so that you’re able to cover everything before the exam. You can set your schedule to include specific days and times, which can help you stay committed to the plan.
• Consider a course. Taking a CFP® exam prep course might be helpful if you’re more comfortable learning in an instructional environment, rather than just doing a self-paced study. You’ll typically pay a fee for these courses, but it may be worth it if you’re able to glean new knowledge or study skills as a result.

Practice makes perfect. And the more problem-solving activities you’re able to complete, the more prepared you may be by the time exam day rolls around. Again, what’s most important to keep in mind is how you can use the concepts you’re learning practically when working with clients, as that’s what the CFP® Board is most concerned with.

What to Expect When Taking the CFP® Exam

How you prepare for the day of the exam depends largely on whether you registered to take the test remotely or in person. If you’re taking the exam at a testing center, you’ll need to have a valid, government-issued ID to gain entry.

You’ll also need to offer a fingerprint, take a photo and complete a body scan upon entering the test center. A body scan isn’t required for remote testing, but you will need to provide a video of your test-taking workspace. And you will need to demonstrate you’re not concealing any cheat sheets on your person.

Before the exam begins, the test administrator will go over the rules and regulations of the test center. They’ll review your calculator to make sure it’s up to standard and provide you with a whiteboard to use during the exam. Once the preliminaries are over, you’ll be shown to your test seat.

The exam is self-paced, but it’s important to keep the three-hour time limit in mind as you work through each section. You’ll have a five-minute tutorial to complete beforehand, followed by 180 minutes to complete 85 test questions. There’s a 40-minute break period, followed by the second 180-minute block to complete the remaining questions.

You’ll have a chance to take a brief survey once the exam is over to share your feedback. After you complete the CFP® exam, you’ll get your results by email, typically within four weeks.

Is Taking the CFP® Exam Worth It?

Taking the CFP® exam is an essential step if your goal is to become a Certified Financial Planner™. Without passing the exam, you cannot earn the designation.

A career as a CFP® can be especially fulfilling for those who enjoy helping others achieve their financial goals. The exam is designed to prepare you for a broad range of real-world client scenarios and to sharpen the analytical and problem-solving skills required in financial planning.

That said, the CFP® designation is not required for every career path in personal finance. Roles such as certified educator in personal finance (CEPF) or certified credit counselor have their own educational requirements, which are generally less demanding than those required to earn the CFP® designation.

Bottom Line

The CFP® exam can seem a little daunting, and early planning can be critical to your success in achieving a passing grade. Knowing what the exam covers, how to study for it and what happens on the test day can help you to approach it calmly and confidently.

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