CFP exam day: what to bring and check

Put the actual ID and calculator together, rather than merely adding them to a mental checklist. Practise with the same calculator you intend to use and inspect its battery and settings. Confirm the exact model on CFP Board’s current list.

The checked policy permits a clear water bottle with labels removed and prohibits food in the exam room. Medical needs may require approved accommodations. Use the official policy and your individual approval when arrangements differ.

CFP Board lists approved TI BA II Plus models, selected HP models and Sharp models in its calculator policy. Verify the exact model against that list. You must clear memory before each session and restore your preferred settings yourself. Remove or cover printed formulas and pull-out material as instructed.

Practise resetting and checking payment timing, compounding frequency and display settings before the exam. The policy allows loose spare batteries without packaging. A familiar calculator can still produce a wrong result if its settings change.

The test center verifies identity and follows security procedures. Read your appointment confirmation for required arrival timing and site-specific directions. Resolve an ID-name mismatch before the appointment, not at the front desk.

The published format includes a scheduled 40-minute break between sessions. Account for leaving and re-entering the testing area when planning that break. Rehearse your calculator and pacing routine so the day is not the first time you use them together.

Report an immediate technical or testing problem to the test-center staff as it occurs. Report issues requiring investigation to CFP Board no later than 10 business days after the testing window closes, using the contact on its scoring-and-results page. Keep a factual record and report promptly; the deadline runs from the close of the window, not from your individual appointment.

Compare the name on your appointment with your identification and check that the identification is valid under the current instructions. Read the confirmation for the correct location, arrival requirements and appointment time. Do not rely on a previous sitting’s location or assume every test center uses the same entrance.

Check your calculator model against the approved list and rehearse restoring the settings you need after a memory reset. A familiar calculator with an unexpected payment-frequency setting can produce a plausible but wrong result. Use the model’s instructions rather than attempting a new sequence during the exam.

Plan transport, food and the between-session break within the permitted rules. Leave restricted personal items where the center instructs. These checks support execution; they do not replace reading the current instructions and any individual accommodation confirmation.

Raise a delivery problem with the test-center staff when it occurs and follow their instructions. Keep a factual record of the issue and its timing without retaining exam content. A result concern and a delivery incident are different matters; describe the actual interruption rather than assuming its effect on scoring.

CFP Board asks candidates to identify exam-day issues within 10 business days after the testing window closes. The preliminary result does not replace the official email result. Keep the relevant appointment and reporting records while waiting for that official communication.