CFP® certification
CFP® exam pass rate, first-time and repeat
In July 2026, the latest CFP® exam session in CFP Board’s figures, 69.0% of first-time candidates passed and 57.4% of those retaking it. Pick a session to see what its rates mean in sittings, or attempts, and fees.
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CFP® pass rates: first try and retake
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Tries needed to pass, on average
1 to 2 tries
| Average attempts, exact | 1.54 |
| Overall pass rate | 65.9% |
| First-time candidates | 69.0% |
| Repeat candidates | 57.4% |
| Expected exam fees | $1,424 |
3,621 candidates sat in July 2026 (CFP Board statistics).
CFP Board publishes, after each exam window, how many candidates sat and passed, split between first-time and repeat candidates. In July 2026, 3,621 candidates sat the CFP® exam and 65.9% passed: 69.0% of first-time candidates and 57.4% of repeat candidates. Across the eleven windows from March 2023 to July 2026, the pooled rates are 65.0% overall, 68.1% for first-timers and 55.1% for repeaters. The split matters for a budget: a candidate who fails once moves to the lower repeat rate. Combining the two, an average candidate needs about 1.5 sittings at the July 2026 rates. That is fewer than any CFA® level or most CPA sections, and it is the figure the cost calculator on this site uses by default for the exam part of the bill.
Fees read and totals checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Every window since March 2023
| Window | Sat | Overall | First-time | Repeat | Expected sittings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2023 | 3,527 | 65.2% | 68.7% | 52.9% | 1.6 |
| July 2023 | 2,926 | 66.6% | 69.3% | 58.1% | 1.5 |
| November 2023 | 3,386 | 64.1% | 67.6% | 52.2% | 1.6 |
| March 2024 | 3,683 | 67.6% | 71.7% | 54.3% | 1.5 |
| July 2024 | 2,999 | 64.7% | 69.3% | 49.9% | 1.6 |
| November 2024 | 3,755 | 62.2% | 65.8% | 50.1% | 1.7 |
| March 2025 | 3,854 | 64.9% | 68.0% | 55.7% | 1.6 |
| July 2025 | 3,214 | 63.6% | 65.9% | 55.8% | 1.6 |
| November 2025 | 3,970 | 63.7% | 65.4% | 58.0% | 1.6 |
| March 2026 | 4,391 | 66.7% | 68.9% | 59.9% | 1.5 |
| July 2026 | 3,621 | 65.9% | 69.0% | 57.4% | 1.5 |
Overall pass rates sit in the low to high sixties throughout; the repeat rate moves more, because fewer people are in that group. The share of repeat candidates in a window shifts the overall rate even when neither group changes.
How the expected sittings are computed
The first attempt passes with the first-time rate. If it fails, which happens with probability 1 minus that rate, each later attempt passes with the repeat rate, so the number of further attempts averages 1 divided by the repeat rate. In July 2026: 1 + (1 − 69.0%) ÷ 57.4% = 1.5 sittings. At the standard fee of $925, that is $1,424 in expected exam fees.
The rates pool every candidate. A candidate who finishes a review course and passes its practice exams stands well above the pool; one who sits without one, below it. Use the figures to budget for the average case and to see how much a retake adds.
Compared with the other finance exams
The CFP® exam passes about two candidates in three. CFA® Level I passes fewer than half, see the CFA® pass rates. The gap shows up directly in the expected fees: on the comparator, retakes add far less to the CFP® certification bill than to the CFA® Program’s.
For dates and deadlines of the next windows, see CFP® exam dates; for the whole bill, the CFP® certification cost calculator.
Why the pooled figure is useful
Any single window can surprise: a smaller group, a different mix of first-timers and repeaters, a new version of the exam. Pooling every window since March 2023 gives 68.1% for first-time candidates and 55.1% for repeat candidates, over 39,326 sittings in all. With those rates, the expected number of sittings is 1.6, close to the latest window’s figure. When the two disagree by little, as here, either is a sound basis for a budget. The calculator on the cost page lets you switch between them.
What a retake costs beyond the fee
A failed attempt costs the registration fee again, and time: the next window is about four months away, and the education, experience and ethics requirements still have to be met before certification. For someone already working in financial planning, that delay can matter more than the fee. The chance of needing a second sitting, at the latest first-time rate, is 31.0%; the chance of needing a third, after failing as a first-timer and once as a repeater, is 13.2%.