Earning the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification is like getting your black belt in financial planning. Those marks show the world that you’re a financial planning force to be reckoned with, bearing the knowledge and experience to help your clients achieve their financial goals. But first, you have to pass the CFP® Exam.
And if your goal is to become a CFP® professional this year, we're sharing the 2026 CFP® Exam dates, plus the requirements to sit for the exam, the registration deadlines, costs, and more.
What Are the 2026 CFP® Exam Requirements?
Before you can take the exam, first you need to complete your required CFP® Education coursework. This isn't just busy work—you’ll learn everything from investment planning to estate planning to make sure you have the foundation you need to succeed in this field. Also, if you haven’t already, make sure you choose a CFP Board-registered program.
The good news: you can register for the exam while you're working through your coursework. Just remember, you'll need to prove you completed the coursework, including the Capstone, by the education verification deadline for your 2026 CFP® Exam window. If you miss the window, you’ll have to pay a $500 postponement fee to move your exam to a future date.
When Are the 2026 CFP® Exam Windows and Deadlines
CFP Board offers the CFP® Exam three times a year during eight-day testing windows in March, July, and November.
March 2026 Exam Window
- Testing Window: March 17 – 24, 2026
- Registration Opens: October 21, 2025
- Education Verification Deadline: February 24, 2026
July 2026 Exam Window
- Testing Window: July 14 – 21, 2026
- Registration Opens: February 18, 2026
- Education Verification Deadline: June 23, 2026
Before you schedule your exam, remember, appointments with Prometric are first-come, first-serve and they fill up fast. If you know you’ll have your required coursework completed, go ahead and register. CFP Board recommends registering at least 60 days ahead of time, so you are more likely to snag your preferred date and location. You don’t want to be stuck taking the 2026 CFP Exam at 7 a.m. on a Monday, when you’re more of a Thursday afternoon person.
How Much Does the 2026 CFP® Exam Cost?
CFP Board uses a tiered pricing structure that rewards people who register early.
Here's how the pricing breaks down:
- Early Bird Registration ($825): This pricing is available from the day registration opens until six weeks before the final registration deadline.
- Standard Registration ($925): This kicks in after the early bird period ends but before the final week of registration.
- Late Registration ($1,025): Registering during the last open week is going to cost you, but it still beats having to wait another four months to take the exam.
How to Schedule Your CFP® Exam
First, you need to register and pay the fees.- Create a CFP Board account (if you haven’t already).
- In your dashboard’s Exam section, click Select Your Test Dates and complete the form.
- Pay the registration fee.
After you pay the fee, you’ll get an email confirming you’re good to go. This email includes a link to the Prometric website where you'll pick your actual exam day and time
Taking the CFP® Exam Remotely
If you prefer, you can take the 2026 CFP® Exam remotely rather than going to a Prometric test center. The security process and check-in procedures are similar to what you’ll experience at the test center, and live proctors do monitor testing sessions through audio and video tools as you take the exam. One thing to consider when choosing the remote option is understanding your tech and connection limitations. The last thing you want to happen is to be halfway through the exam and have your internet glitch or experience lagging. If you have any doubts, it’s best to take the exam at a center.
BIF Pro Tip: We strongly recommend taking the exam in person at a Prometric Center and only testing remotely as a last resort. The anti-cheating standards for remote testing are significantly stricter, leading to many students having their exams cancelled over simple, innocent mistakes that get flagged as suspicion of cheating.
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