What Is the CFP® Code of Ethics?

Agreeing to the CFP® Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct is a requirement to become a Certified Financial Planner™. These standards, developed by the CFP Board, establish the core principles financial planners are expected to follow when serving clients and impose a fiduciary duty standard upon them. The CFP Board’s code of ethics is separate from the code of ethics that investment advisors are required to have when establishing an RIA firm.

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CFP® Code of Ethics for Financial Planners

Compliance with the CFP® Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct is a requirement to obtain certification as a financial planner. The CFP Board established these guidelines to ensure that financial planning professionals serve their clients competently and ethically.

Under the code of ethics, CFP® professionals must agree to do the following. ¹

1. Act with honesty, integrity, competence and diligence.
2. Act in the client’s best interests.
3. Exercise due care.
4. Avoid or disclose and manage conflicts of interest.
5. Maintain the confidentiality and protect the privacy of client information.
6. Act in a manner that reflects positively on the financial planning profession and the CFP® certification.

The Standards of Conduct are more detailed and establish additional compliance rules that financial planners must follow. These standards are organized into the following categories:

• Duties owed to clients
• Financial planning standards
• Practice standards for the financial planning process
• Duties owed to firms and subordinates
• Duties owed to the CFP Board
• Prohibition on circumvention

Between the code of ethics and the standards of conduct, CFP® professionals are held to rigorous requirements governing their behavior. They’re fiduciaries, which means they must act in their clients’ best interests at all times. They must act honestly and transparently while providing services to clients diligently. Any conflicts of interest must be fully disclosed and managed to minimize potential harm to clients.

Financial planners must take appropriate steps to protect client privacy, and they must clearly and accurately represent their fee structures. When recommending technology tools to clients, CFP® professionals must use a reasonable standard of care. They must understand a client’s financial situation and goals before making financial planning recommendations.

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CFP® Code of Ethics and CFP® Certification

CFP® certification is a multi-step process. To get certified, candidates must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university
• Complete CFP Board-approved coursework
• Pass the CFP® exam
• Complete 6,000 hours of professional financial planning experience or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience
• Sign the CFP Board Ethics Declaration and agree to a background check
• Pass the CFP Board’s Fitness Standards

Signing the Ethics Declaration and proving fitness are the final steps. The Fitness Standards are a set of guidelines the CFP Board uses to evaluate the ethical fitness of a CFP® candidate. To be considered “fit,” financial planners must not have any prior history that would otherwise bar them from obtaining certification. For example, an advisor who was previously disciplined for reckless use of client funds involving fraud is absolutely barred from being certified.

Certain types of unethical conduct require financial planners to file a petition for fitness with the CFP Board. The scope is broad; for example, you could still qualify as being fit if you have a prior conduct issue with reckless use of client funds that doesn’t meet the absolute bar standard. It’s even possible to qualify for certification if you have a past felony conviction, if that conviction was not for an act that would result in automatic bar.

Completing the CFP® exam requires preparation and study. You may choose a self-study path, instructor-led learning or a hybrid approach. There are numerous CFP® coursework and exam prep options to choose from that can help you fulfill the education requirement and study for the exam. When comparing prep packages, consider how coursework is delivered, the cost and how long you’ll have access to study materials.

CFP® Code of Ethics Enforcement

The CFP Board monitors CFP® professionals for compliance with the code of ethics and standards of conduct. Enforcement efforts are designed to protect consumers from harm caused by unethical practices, while ensuring the overall integrity of the financial planning profession.

What happens if you’re suspected of violating the CFP® Code of Ethics? The CFP Board’s Enforcement Counsel sends a Notice of Investigation requesting information and documents from you. Once the requested information is received, the Enforcement Counsel reviews it to determine if further investigation is needed.

In situations where a CFP® professional is determined to have violated the code of ethics or standards of conduct, the CFP Board may:

• Send a private letter of censure
• Issue a public letter admonishing the CFP® professional for their conduct
• Temporarily suspend the professional’s ability to use their CFP® marks
• Permanently revoke the professional’s CFP® marks
• Permanently bar a candidate from ever obtaining or applying for certification

This process can be lengthy, and you have the right to appeal administrative orders or suspensions. However, if you consistently follow the code of ethics and standards of conduct, you may never find yourself in a situation where an investigation is required.

CFP® Ethics Continuing Education Requirements

The CFP Board imposes continuing education requirements on CFP® professionals. You must complete 30 hours of CE credits every two years. However, the CFP Board announced in early 2026 that it was increasing the CE requirement to 40 hours starting after the first quarter of 2027. ² The clock begins ticking on your first two-year window immediately after your certification is approved. Of those hours, two hours must be focused on ethics.

You have some flexibility in choosing how to obtain credits, which may include completing online or in-person courses, attending virtual or in-person workshops or participating in online seminars. The only requirement is that any learning completed must be approved by the CFP Board.

The CFP Board offers an online search tool ³ to identify pre-approved CE courses, including CE ethics courses. You can filter by topic and review the format, material covered and cost of any course before you enroll. An internet search can help you find free CE courses if you’re hoping to complete the required credits on a smaller budget.

Some courses may log your credit hours with the CFP Board for you, while others require manual reporting. To manually report, you would log in to your CFP Board account to record the details of completed coursework. Note that if you don’t complete the required CE credits before the end of your two-year cycle, your certification will expire. You can reinstate your certification, but you’ll need to complete all required CE credits, submit to a background check and pay a $100 reinstatement fee.

Bottom Line

The CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct is a vital component of CFP® certification. Holding this professional designation underscores your credibility and commitment to the highest ethical standards, which may help you attract more clients. Understanding the CFP® ethics requirements, as well as the other requirements, can ensure a smoother path to certification.

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