How Can You Earn Experience for CFP^® Certification?

CFP^® certification requires you to have 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of Apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements. But what does this mean for you? How can you earn those crucial hours?

Qualifying experience includes activities involving the delivery of financial planning services to individual clients, rather than to businesses or corporate finance. Whether you engage with clients directly, supervise or support the financial planning process, teach financial planning-related courses, or participate in internships or the FPA Residency Program or Amplified Planning Externship, there are many paths to completing the experience requirement.

Get a quick overview of the pathways to experience by reviewing the Experience Infographic on CFP Board’s website.

You can also see what experience will qualify by entering it in your CFP Board account now! Once you submit your hours, you’ll find out which ones qualify and see how many hours you still need.

Still have questions about how to enter your experience? Check out this webinar that walks you through the process and answers FAQs on this requirement:

If you need any help entering your experience or have any other experience questions, please email experience@cfpboard.org