Revisions to CFP Board’s CE Policies, Effective October 1, 2018

CFP Board periodically reviews and updates the policies associated with the CFP® certification requirements. Following a recent review of CFP Board's Continuing Education (CE) policies, CFP Board has adopted revisions to several provisions of its CE policies, which are summarized below. These revised policies become effective October 1, 2018.

1. Changes to Self-Study Program Assessment Requirement: CFP Board requires self-study CE programs to include an assessment/examination scored by the program provider. The minimum number of questions required for a self-study assessment will be 5 questions per full CE hour (a reduction from the current requirement of 10 questions per full CE credit hour).
    
   Programs accepted for 0.5 CE credit hours will also be required to include a minimum of 5 questions on the assessment.
    
   Ethics CE programs will have a pre-established number of assessment questions, higher than the standard minimum of 5 questions per full CE credit hour, depending on the program’s learning objectives.
    
2. Changes to Calculation of CE Credit Hours for Non-Registered Self-Study Programs: Non-registered self-study CE programs must include at least 5 assessment questions per full CE credit hour (a reduction from the current requirement of 10 questions per full CE credit hour). The final number of CE credit hours accepted will be based on a formula of 5 assessment questions = 1 CE credit hour.
    
3. Changes to CE Audit Procedures: CFP Board conducts random audits of CE credit hours reported to CFP® professionals' accounts for the most recent reporting period, during which determination is made as to whether the reported CE credit hours are accepted or denied. If the audit results in a deficiency for a recently closed CE reporting period and the CFP® professional has recertified, currently, the CFP® professional is given 90 days to report additional credit hours to fix the deficiency. Beginning October 1, 2018, the deficiency can be remedied in three ways:
    
   • CE credit hours in the current reporting period that have been reported by a CE Sponsor will be moved to the recently closed reporting period to satisfy the deficiency.
   • A deficiency of 5 or fewer CE credit hours (not including the required 2 CE credit hours for Ethics CE) will be moved to the current reporting period.
   • Deficiencies of more than 5 CE credit hours will need to be remedied within 15 business days from the date of the denial notification. Program completions must be reported by the CE Sponsor, or a Certificate of Completion for non-registered CE programs produced, if requested.
   
   When the CFP® professional cannot verify completion of an Ethics CE program in the recently closed CE reporting period, a new Ethics CE program must be completed and reported by the CE Sponsor within 15 business days from the date of the denial notification.
    
   When deficiencies resulting from a CE audit are not remedied within the required time period, CFP Board may reverse an individual’s certification status from “Certified” to “CE Audit Relinquished,” and the individual will lose authorization to use the CFP® marks and must reinstate per the reinstatement policy to regain that authorization.
    
   In the case of a CE Audit relinquishment, the individual will be responsible for a nonrefundable $100 Reinstatement Fee assessed at the time reinstatement is requested.

Questions about CFP Board's CE policies can be directed to our dedicated Stakeholder Services team at 800-487-1497 or ce@cfpboard.org.