Authorization to Use the CFP® Marks

The marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and are owned by CFP Board in the U.S. and are protected by trademark law. Only those individuals who have fully satisfied CFP Board's requirements are authorized to use the CFP® certification marks. CFP Board carefully monitors usage of the marks to ensure their integrity, and unauthorized use of the marks is viewed as a serious matter. For example, it is incorrect to use the term "CFP® candidate." Up until the point of achieving CFP® certification, individuals who have applied for the CFP® Certification Examination can say they are "working towards obtaining CFP® certification" or that they are a "candidate for CFP® certification." Remember, if you use the CFP® marks prematurely, or in some other prohibited manner, you could jeopardize your ultimate right to use them.

Application for CFP® Certification
When you have completed the education, examination and work experience requirements, you can login to complete the remaining certification requirements. This includes a CFP® Certification Application, a non-refundable application fee, and a non-refundable certification fee for your initial certification period. These requirements must be completed within six months of fulfilling the work experience requirement. The fees must be paid and the application completed and reviewed by CFP Board before any certification can be issued.

Updates to Declaration Page of CFP® Certification Application

CFP Board has revised the Declaration Page of the Initial and Renewal Applications for CFP® Certification. The purpose of the revisions is to clarify the information sought regarding involvement in criminal and civil proceedings, inquiries and investigations. In addition, a few new questions have been added to the Declaration Page that inquire about bankruptcy filings, internal reviews and customer complaints. CFP Board requires all candidates for CFP® certification, and all CFP® professionals who must renew their certification, to answer the Declaration Page questions so CFP Board can determine, based on the responses, whether the matter disclosed needs to be investigated.

In early 2009, CFP Board formed a working group to address concerns raised that the questions were ambiguous, sometimes causing the candidate or CFP® professional to answer in a way that was not intended. To address this problem, the working group recommended replacing the compound questions with clear, straightforward questions, and adding a page on which certain words and terms are defined. The revised Declaration Page will be effective for all candidates or CFP® professionals whose certification period begins on or after July 1, 2011.

Initial Fee and Continuing Education (CE) Reporting
An initial certification cycle will be defined for each individual after completing the education, examination and work experience requirements. CFP Board establishes this initial certification cycle using the date of initial CFP® certification to the end of your birth month in an odd or even year, based on your birth date. The initial annual certification fee and the amount of CE credits due at the end of your initial CE reporting cycle will be prorated. A non-refundable application fee of $100 and the non-refundable initial annual certification fee (prorated amount of the standard $325 annual certification fee) can be paid when you complete the CFP® Certification Application.

After this initial prorated cycle is completed, you will begin paying the $325 certification fee on an annual basis and reporting CE on a two-year cycle.

International Reciprocity

Seeking Dual Certification to the U.S.
If you are a resident of one of the territories affiliated with Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB) and are currently authorized to use the CFP marks in that territory, you can apply for CFP® certification in the United States by (1) providing proof of current CFP certification from the FPSB Affiliate in your territory, (2) providing documentation that you have completed a financial planning capstone course at a CFP Board-Registered Program, (3) passing CFP Board's CFP® Certification Examination and (4) fulfilling all remaining initial certification requirements in place at the time you apply for CFP Board's CFP® Certification Examination.

Once CFP Board grants you the right to use the CFP® marks in the U.S., you will be subject to CFP Board's renewal requirements. If you wish to retain dual certification in the U.S. and your resident territory, you will be required to complete the renewal requirements of both CFP Board and your FPSB affiliate.