How many questions are on the CFP and QAFP exams?

The two exams side by side

The QAFP format changed with the October 2026 exam. It’s now all stand-alone multiple choice, and you can pick from two exam days per sitting.

How the CFP questions are marked

Each multiple-choice question has four options and is worth one point. Constructed-response questions range from short answers to longer written responses. Their marks vary and are shown with each question. Marks aren’t taken off for wrong answers.

On written answers, be specific to the client in the case. FP Canada says listing product features without linking them to the client’s needs isn’t enough. If a question asks for three points and you give five, only the first three are marked.

What a score of 500 means

FP Canada uses criterion-referenced scoring. That means you’re measured against a fixed standard, not against other candidates, and there’s no bell curve. A committee of certified planners sets the standard using accepted psychometric methods.

The pass mark for each sitting is then adjusted statistically, so a slightly harder or easier exam doesn’t change your chances. Scores between 490 and 505 are checked again before results are released, so a manual re-score rarely changes anything.

What about the pass rate?

FP Canada doesn’t publish pass rates on its exam pages, so we don’t quote one. Numbers from forums or prep companies aren’t official.

Because the exam is scored against a standard, other people’s results don’t affect yours. What matters is whether you can apply the material to a client’s situation.

What gets tested

Both exams follow FP Canada’s competency profiles. The areas are financial management, investment planning, insurance and risk management, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning and law. On top of that come professional skills: conduct, critical thinking, interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills. On the CFP exam, professional skills are built into at least 25% of questions. The CFP exam leans toward complex situations, with 45-55% of content at the highest complexity level.