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United Kingdom · Qualification

The CeMAP qualification

CeMAP, the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice, is the London Institute of Banking & Finance’s (LIBF’s) Level 3 qualification for mortgage advisers in the UK. You study three modules and pass five unit exams, all multiple choice and taken online with remote invigilation whenever you’re ready. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lists the CeMAP qualification as fully meeting its qualification rule for advising on regulated mortgages, but your firm still has to supervise you and assess you as competent.

  • 3Modules, made up of five units
  • 70%Needed to pass each unit exam
  • Level 3On Ofqual’s register, with 25 credits
  • £735Fee for the full CeMAP qualification
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated October 2026 · Written from the LIBF CeMAP qualification specification and course pages

Key facts

At a glance

Awarded by
LIBF, part of Walbrook Institute London
Exams
Five online multiple-choice exams, one for each unit
FCA status
Listed as fully meeting the qualification rule for mortgage advice
Study time
250 hours, LIBF’s total qualification time
Language
English only, with no Welsh version

How it works

How the CeMAP qualification works: three modules, five exams

First regulation unit · 28 to pass
Second regulation unit · 28 to pass
First mortgage unit · 35 to pass
Second mortgage unit · 28 to pass
Case-study exam · 42 to pass
To pass you need 28 of 40 on the first regulation unit, 28 of 40 on the second regulation unit, 35 of 50 on the first mortgage unit, 28 of 40 on the second mortgage unit, and 42 of 60 on the case-study exam.
  1. CeMAP 1 is Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics (FSRE), CeMAP 2 is Mortgages (MORT), and CeMAP 3 is the Assessment of Mortgage Advice Knowledge (ASEW/ASSC).
  2. CeMAP 1 and CeMAP 2 each have two units, with a one-hour exam for each unit. CeMAP 3 is one two-hour exam built on six case studies.
  3. Every exam is multiple choice and taken online on LIBF’s Brightspace platform with remote invigilation. You don’t book: you start each exam when you’re ready, within your registration period.
  4. The meter above shows the pass mark for each unit: the regulation units are CeMAP 1, the mortgage units CeMAP 2. The CeMAP 2 and CeMAP 3 pages give the merit and distinction marks.

Topics

What’s on the test

01

FRE1: Industry, Regulation and Key Parties

The first unit of CeMAP 1, Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics (FSRE): how the UK financial services industry works and how it is regulated.

Key points (4)
  • FRE1 covers the environment of the financial services industry, the principles of the regulatory framework and what they mean for the financial advice process (LIBF FSRE page).
  • It also covers the concept of risk and how risks relate to institutions and individuals (LIBF FSRE page).
  • The FRE1 exam lasts one hour: 25 standalone multiple-choice questions plus three case studies with five linked questions each, 40 marks in all (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification, April 2026).
  • You need at least 28 of 40 (70%) to pass (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification).
02

FRE2: Skills, Principles and Ethical Behaviours

The second CeMAP 1 unit: the parts of the financial system, the legal concepts behind advice, and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) view of ethical behaviour.

Key points (4)
  • FRE2 covers the key components of the financial system and how they relate to each other (LIBF FSRE page).
  • It covers legal concepts and the interplay between regulation and legislation (LIBF FSRE page).
  • It covers the FCA’s approach to ethical and unethical behaviour, and the Code of Ethics (LIBF FSRE page).
  • Its exam has the same shape as FRE1: one hour, 40 marks, 28 to pass (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification).
03

MRT1: Mortgage Law, Practice and Application

The first CeMAP 2 unit: mortgage regulation, types of borrower, the adviser’s role, fees, property defects, valuations and surveys.

Key points (4)
  • MRT1 starts from the regulatory definitions of mortgages in the Mortgages and Home Finance: Conduct of Business (MCOB) rules and the definition of a regulated second charge loan (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification, MRT1 learning outcome 1).
  • It covers affordability, suitability, risk, the mortgage term and how to verify what customers tell you (MRT1 learning outcome 6).
  • It lists the fees involved in buying a property, arranging a mortgage and getting advice, such as Land Registry, valuation and broker fees (MRT1 learning outcome 8).
  • The exam is one hour with 50 standalone multiple-choice questions; 35 is a pass, 40 a merit and 45 a distinction (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification).
04

MRT2: Mortgage Products and Post Completion

The second CeMAP 2 unit: raising more money, moving and changing mortgages, arrears and default, and the main mortgage products.

Key points (4)
  • MRT2 covers further advances, remortgages, second charge loans, bridging finance and further drawdown on lifetime mortgages (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification, MRT2 learning outcome 1).
  • It covers arrears, mortgage warnings, legal remedies on default and the MCOB rules on using them (MRT2 learning outcomes 4 and 5).
  • It covers interest rate options (standard variable, tracker, fixed, capped and discounted) and products from offset and self-build to Islamic home finance (MRT2 learning outcome 6).
  • The exam is one hour with 40 standalone multiple-choice questions; 28 is a pass, 32 a merit and 36 a distinction (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification).
05

CeMAP 3: Assessment of Mortgage Advice Knowledge

One two-hour exam built on six case studies, testing how you apply mortgage, regulation and protection knowledge to customers.

Key points (4)
  • The exam has six case studies, each with 10 linked multiple-choice questions, to be finished in two hours; 42 of 60 is a pass, 48 a merit and 54 a distinction (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification, Appendix 5).
  • It mainly tests what you learned in CeMAP 2, with basics from CeMAP 1, plus mortgage protection and adviser soft skills (LIBF CeMAP qualification specification, Structure).
  • The syllabus includes the purpose of mortgage protection, the rules on selling it, and state benefits that can help with mortgage payments (learning outcome 5).
  • The house-buying section has an England and Wales version and a Scotland version, with Scottish law such as the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act 2001 (learning outcome 6).
06

Advising after CeMAP: the FCA’s rules

Passing CeMAP meets the FCA’s qualification rule for mortgage advice, but your firm must also supervise you and assess you as competent.

Key points (4)
  • Advising on a regulated mortgage contract for a non-business purpose is an activity with an appropriate qualification requirement (FCA Handbook, TC App 1.1.1R, activity 20).
  • The FCA’s table lists LIBF’s Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (post 1 November 2004) as fully meeting that requirement (FCA Handbook, TC App 4.1).
  • A firm must not let an employee carry on the activity without appropriate supervision, and must not assess them as competent until they’ve shown competence and passed each module (FCA Handbook, TC 2.1.1R and TC 2.1.2R).
  • Before starting, an employee must have passed the relevant regulatory module of an appropriate qualification (FCA Handbook, TC 2.1.6R).

Test day

What you need for an online CeMAP exam

  • Your MyLIBF login, which opens your course site and exams on Brightspace
  • A PC or laptop with a webcam you can move for the 360-degree room scan
  • One hour for each CeMAP 1 and CeMAP 2 unit, two hours for CeMAP 3, with no toilet breaks
  • IT clearance for a work device or VPN, so its firewall doesn’t block the exam

Before you go

  1. Decide whether to register for the full qualification or one module at a time.
  2. If you hold a related qualification, check whether LIBF’s recognition of prior learning could exempt you from a unit.
  3. Work through the online study texts, then try LIBF’s Practice Exam for each unit.
  4. If you need a reasonable adjustment, talk to LIBF’s Student Support team before you apply.
  5. Check your equipment before you start, since the room scan needs a camera you can move.
LIBF: CeMAP registration and feesYou register with LIBF for the full qualification or module by module, and your study materials and exams open on Brightspace once you’re registered.

Study options

Where to study

You don’t need a course to pass CeMAP. LIBF’s registration fee already includes online study texts and one Practice Exam for each unit. LIBF’s own extras come first in the comparison, then training from providers LIBF accredits, with the prices on their own sites in October 2026.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
Official
LIBF CeMAP registrationOfficial course and examsThe London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) awards CeMAP, so everyone registers with it, whether or not they also take a course. Registration includes online study texts for CeMAP 1 and 2, the CeMAP 3 revision material, a weekly study planner, a discussion forum and your first attempt at each unit exam.
£735 for the full qualification, or £330, £320 and £160 for CeMAP 1, 2 and 3 booked separatelyOne Practice Exam for each unit, included in the registration fee
LIBF: Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) ↗
LIBF CeMAP Revision ToolOfficial online question bankLIBF’s own exam-style questions, with a topic picker, a timed mode for exam conditions, feedback after every attempt and links back to the study materials. It includes every Practice Exam question, so you don’t need to buy extra Practice Exams as well.
£90 for CeMAP 1, £120 for CeMAP 2 and 3, £180 for all three modules
LIBF: CeMAP studying and fees ↗
LIBF CeMAP revision videos and audioOfficial revision videos and audio clipsShort video lessons with worked examples and knowledge checks, watchable on any device for 12 months from purchase, and bite-sized audio clips for revising on the move. Sold by LIBF through MyLIBF.
Videos £125 for CeMAP 1 and £125 for CeMAP 2 and 3; audio £50 for each
LIBF: CeMAP additional study materials ↗
Courses
Simply AcademySelf-study, live webinar and classroom coursesOne of LIBF’s two trusted partners for CeMAP. The Fast Track runs as two five-day workshops, and Simply Academy says the course can be completed in as little as 10 days. LIBF’s exam fees are extra.
Self-study from £425 plus VAT per module; CeMAP Fast Track classroom or live webinar from £575 plus VAT per module
Simply Academy: CeMAP courses ↗Simply Academy: CeMAP Fast Track ↗
Beacon Financial TrainingOnline video, live webinar and classroom coursesAn LIBF Accredited Learning Support Provider. Its live webinar runs over five days for CeMAP 1 and for CeMAP 2 and 3, with 15% off if you book both. Classroom bookings include its recorded video course, practice exam papers and a re-attend offer if you don’t pass. LIBF fees aren’t included.
Online video course for all modules £600 including VAT (or 8 payments of £75); live webinar £600 per course; classroom in Warrington £690 per courseA sample module of its online course
Beacon Financial Training: CeMAP courses ↗Beacon Financial Training: online CeMAP 1, 2 and 3 ↗
Clarity Financial TrainingDistance learning, live webinar and classroom coursesAn LIBF Accredited Learning Support Provider. Classroom courses run in Potters Bar or Enfield and webinars over Cisco Webex, both with printed course materials, mock quiz access and three months of distance learning. Distance learning gives 12 months’ access to recorded training. LIBF registration, exam and resit fees aren’t included.
Full CeMAP training: distance learning £300, live webinar £925 (10 days), classroom £1,050 (10 days); single-module courses from £175
Clarity Financial Training: CeMAP booking ↗
Futuretrend Training Academy (CeMAP123)Home study hub and live virtual classroomAn LIBF Accredited Learning Support Provider, trading online as CeMAP123. The home study hub gives a year’s access to its revision guides, videos, audio, topic questions and LIBF specimen papers. Its prices were offers against higher normal prices in October 2026. Exam registration with LIBF isn’t included.
Digital home study £275 for CeMAP 1, £300 for CeMAP 2 and 3, £425 for all three; with printed books £300, £325 and £495; virtual classroom from £596.40 per course
CeMAP123: home study prices ↗CeMAP123: CeMAP training ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

CoursesCostExamsCeMAP 1CeMAP 2CeMAP 3QualifyingMortgage adviser

Study resources

Books and materialsMock exams

FAQ

Common questions

What is the CeMAP qualification?

It’s LIBF’s Level 3 Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice, listed by Ofqual (the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) on its Register of Regulated Qualifications as 501/0629/6, with 25 credits. LIBF calls it the starting point for mortgage advisers, and its qualification specification says it meets the FCA’s education standard for anyone who wants to work as a mortgage adviser.

What does CeMAP stand for?

Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice. LIBF also uses the name in its next steps for mortgage advisers, such as the CeMAP Diploma and CeMAP Professional status.

Is the CeMAP qualification recognised across the UK?

The FCA lists CeMAP in its table of appropriate qualifications for advising on regulated mortgages. Ofqual’s register shows it offered in England and Northern Ireland, and the CeMAP 3 syllabus has a Scotland version of its house-buying section alongside the England and Wales one.

Is IFS CeMAP the same qualification?

It’s the same awarding body under older names. The FCA’s qualification table says LIBF was formerly ifs University College and the ifs School of Finance, that LIBF Limited provided its qualifications until 3 April 2025, and that Walbrook Institute London Limited, which also trades as LIBF, provides them now. Study material from the IFS years follows an older syllabus.

Who issues the CeMAP certificate?

LIBF. It’s the awarding body, so even if you train with another company you still register and complete CeMAP through LIBF. You get a digital certificate once you’ve passed. If you studied in the past, you can still log in to MyLIBF to see your study history and order a new Certificate of Personal Achievement. LIBF’s website is now at walbrook.ac.uk/libf: the institute is now called Walbrook Institute London, and its professional qualifications, CeMAP included, continue under the LIBF name.

What changed in CeMAP in 2025?

In September 2025 LIBF replaced the old CeMAP 1, UK Financial Regulation (UKFR), with Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics (FSRE), and let learners sit CeMAP 1 and 2 unit by unit on Brightspace. The last old-format exams were in 2026. The CeMAP 1 page has the dates and how old passes carried over.

Sources: LIBF · FCA Handbook · Ofqual and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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