# Ethics CE requirements for financial advisors

As of Oct 5, 2026, required ethics CE is 2 hours per 2-year cycle for CFP, CIMA, CPWA and RMA; 1 hour per 2-year cycle for ChFC, CLU, RICP and 7 more; and at least 3 credits per year for IAR in states that have adopted IAR CE; CFA Institute recommends 2 credits per year in Standards, Ethics and Regulations for CFA; FINRA and MQP have no separate ethics requirement.

As of: 2026-10-05
Address: https://advisoriq.com/ce/ethics/

## Facts

- Ethics CE by designation: Applies to: CFP, Status: required, Ethics requirement: 2 hours of ethics CE per 2-year cycle., Ethics amount: 2 hours per 2-year cycle, Later change: not stated, What counts: Ethics must be a CFP Board-approved Code and Standards program., Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.cfp.net/for-cfp-pros/continuing-education/continuing-education-requirements, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/cfp/; Applies to: CIMA; CPWA; RMA, Status: required, Ethics requirement: 2 hours of ethics CE per 2-year cycle., Ethics amount: 2 hours per 2-year cycle, Later change: not stated, What counts: One set of hours counts for every active CIMA, CPWA and RMA certification., Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://investmentsandwealth.org/rma-renewal-requirements, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/iwi/; Applies to: CFA, Status: recommended, Ethics requirement: Recommended, not required: 2 credits per year in Standards, Ethics and Regulations., Ethics amount: 2 credits per year in Standards, Ethics and Regulations, Later change: not stated, What counts: As the body words it: "at least 20 PL credits (including two credits in the areas of Standards, Ethics, and Regulations) throughout the membership year", Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.cfainstitute.org/membership/professional-development/pl, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/cfa/; Applies to: ChFC; CLU; RICP; CAP; CASL; ChSNC; CLF; FSCP; TPCP; WMCP, Status: required, Ethics requirement: 1 hour of ethics CE per 2-year cycle., Ethics amount: 1 hour per 2-year cycle, Later change: not stated, What counts: Non-client-facing designees complete at least 1 hour of ethics CE every two years instead. Credits approved for state CE, CFP, CPE, CLE and IAR CE count if earned within your period. 50 minutes of attendance is one credit hour, and programs under 50 minutes do not count., Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.theamericancollege.edu/sites/default/files/recertification-program-guidelines.pdf, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/american-college/; Applies to: IAR, Status: required, Ethics requirement: At least 3 credits of ethics CE per year, within 6 credits of Ethics and Professional Responsibility., Ethics amount: at least 3 credits per year, Later change: not stated, What counts: As the body words it: "six (6) Credits of IAR Regulatory and Ethics Content offered by an Authorized Provider, with at least three (3) hours covering the topic of ethics", Qualifier: in states that have adopted IAR CE, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.nasaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NASAA-IAR-CE-Model-Rule.pdf, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/iar/; Applies to: FINRA, Status: none, Ethics requirement: No separate ethics requirement. FINRA requires the annual Regulatory Element for each registration category held, with content assigned by FINRA, due December 31 and not measured in hours., Ethics amount: not stated, Later change: not stated, What counts: Not applicable. The content is assigned, not chosen., Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/1240, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/finra/; Applies to: MQP, Status: none, Ethics requirement: No separate ethics requirement. FINRA requires the continuing education FINRA assigns each year for each terminated registration you keep, a Regulatory Element and a Practical Element, due December 31 and not measured in hours., Ethics amount: not stated, Later change: not stated, What counts: Not applicable. The content is assigned, not chosen., Qualifier: not stated, Confirmed: yes, Verified at: 2026-10-05, Source URL: https://www.finra.org/registration-exams-ce/qualification-exams/mqp, Requirements page: /ce/requirements/finra/
- Not confirmed designations: CIMC; DAFCP
- Upcoming industry webinars stating ethics credit: 

## Notes

- Requirements shown are summaries. Your designation body and state regulator have the final word.

## Sources

- https://www.cfp.net/for-cfp-pros/continuing-education/continuing-education-requirements, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.cfp.net/for-cfp-pros/continuing-education/continuing-education-requirements ("required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) each reporting period")
- https://investmentsandwealth.org/rma-renewal-requirements, checked 2026-10-05: https://investmentsandwealth.org/rma-renewal-requirements ("40 CE hours within each two-year renewal period")
- https://www.cfainstitute.org/membership/professional-development/pl, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.cfainstitute.org/membership/professional-development/pl ("at least 20 PL credits (including two credits in the areas of Standards, Ethics, and Regulations) throughout the membership year")
- https://www.theamericancollege.edu/sites/default/files/recertification-program-guidelines.pdf, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.theamericancollege.edu/sites/default/files/recertification-program-guidelines.pdf ("client-facing designees will be required to complete 30 hours of CE every two years")
- https://www.nasaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NASAA-IAR-CE-Model-Rule.pdf, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.nasaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NASAA-IAR-CE-Model-Rule.pdf ("six (6) Credits of IAR Regulatory and Ethics Content offered by an Authorized Provider, with at least three (3) hours covering the topic of ethics")
- https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/1240, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/1240 ("shall complete the Regulatory Element for the registration category annually by December 31")
- https://www.finra.org/registration-exams-ce/qualification-exams/mqp, checked 2026-10-05: https://www.finra.org/registration-exams-ce/qualification-exams/mqp ("a maximum of five years in which to reregister with a member firm without having to requalify by exam")

## Related

- [CE calculator](https://advisoriq.com/ce/)
- [CE tracker](https://advisoriq.com/ce/tracker/)
- [CE requirements, with sources](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/)
- [When is my CE due?](https://advisoriq.com/ce/due/)
- [CE webinars from around the industry](https://advisoriq.com/webinars/industry/)
- [CFP requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/cfp/)
- [CIMA, CPWA, RMA and CIMC requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/iwi/)
- [CFA requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/cfa/)
- [American College (ChFC, CLU, RICP) requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/american-college/)
- [IAR CE by state requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/iar/)
- [FINRA CE requirements](https://advisoriq.com/ce/requirements/finra/)

## Cite as

AdvisorIQ, as of 2026-10-05. https://advisoriq.com/ce/ethics/

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