Exam ethics and conduct

You also must refrain from any activities that may compromise the ability of another candidate to complete any part of the FP Canada certification process independently.

By registering for the QAFP^® exam or the CFP^® exam, and submitting your registration application, you are deemed to have accepted the policies and procedures outlined below and elsewhere in this content.

Misconduct

Failure to abide by the policies outlined in this content, or those provided by the exam proctor, may constitute exam misconduct. Other instances of misconduct may include:

• creating a disturbance
• giving or receiving assistance on content
• continuing to make or change responses after being instructed to stop  
• removing exam materials from the exam room
• writing on the admission ticket at any time

Investigation and enforcement  

The FP Canada Standards Council™ fully investigates all incidents of exam misconduct.

• During the marking of the exams, the Standards Council uses statistical analysis of the results to determine the likelihood of any candidate having copied another candidate’s answers
• The Standards Council reviews Identified cases in accordance with the FP Canada Standards Council Disciplinary Rules and Procedures for Examination Misconduct

Grounds for discipline include:  

• copying responses from other candidates, or making responses available to other candidates
• any act or omission that violates the provisions of the content provided in the exam information on this site, including the exam day rules and procedures 
• failing to cooperate with an FP Canada Standards Council investigation and/or providing or making false or misleading statements to FP Canada and/or its divisions  
• any other acts or omissions amounting to misconduct as determined by FP Canada Standards Council staff

Where a finding of misconduct is made, the penalty may include any one, or a combination of, the following sanctions:  

• a letter of admonishment, delivered by the Discipline Hearing Panel  
• a prohibition from writing the QAFP exam or CFP exam for a specified number of exam sittings  
• where the candidate is a QAFP professional, a temporary or permanent suspension of the rights to call themselves a QAFP professional and use of the certification marks  
• if the candidate is a CFP professional, a temporary or permanent suspension of the rights to call themselves a CFP professional and use of the certification marks
• permanent prohibition from writing the QAFP exam or CFP exam, as applicable
• an order nullifying the candidate’s exam results  
• an award of costs against the candidate
• such other penalty as the Hearing Panel may deem appropriate  

The FP Canada Standards Council publishes the outcome of exam misconduct decisions. FP Canada also reserves the right to publish irregularity decisions.