CTFA Exam Application

For full details on taking the exam and scoring, please read the Certification Exam FAQs.

Test Sites - Candidates select a date and time within the identified date range, subject to testing center availability. Find Test Site locations by City/State.

Please note, the February exam will only cover laws and regulations in effect through 12/31 of the prior year. All other exams will cover current laws and regulations.

The Reference Guides to Wealth Management and Trust are updated annually and released in the spring. If you are taking the exam during the February exam window, the Reference Guide released the prior year will suffice. If you are taking the exam at any other time in the year, the Reference Guide released in the spring is recommended. The Reference Guides are available for pre-order beginning in January.

Exam Cancellation or Rescheduling

Should you need to cancel or reschedule your exam after application, please review the procedures and fee schedule on the Exam Cancellation/Rescheduling page.

All change and cancellation requests must be emailed to ABA Certifications.

Exam Retakes

• There must be a minimum of 3 months between the start date of your most recent window and the start date of your retake window before you are permitted to sit for the exam again. The 3 months waiting time is based on the start dates of the exam windows and not the actual dates of your attempts.
  (Example: The exam is taken during a window that starts on February 1. The earliest retake permitted is during a window that starts on or after May 1.)
• You must pass the exam within a 3-year period from the date of your first exam attempt or a new application and full fee is required.
• There is no limit to the number of times you can take the exam.
• Please apply to retake the exam by logging in to the Certification Manager. You must log in using the same user id and password that you used to register for your previous exam attempt(s).
• Upon login, the retake options and pricing will display if you have previously taken this exam. After completing your purchase, please complete the retake application and submit by the application due date for the desired exam date.