CTP Recertification 2026: 36 Credits Every 3 Years

The Association for Financial Professionals, known as AFP, requires Certified Treasury Professionals to earn and report 36 continuing education credits every three years. The cycle runs from 1 July of the exam year to 30 June of the third year, and the online recertification fee depends on your AFP membership and on when you file. This guide sets out what AFP publishes, where its pages disagree and what we could not confirm. See also our CGFM CPE guide and our CAMS recertification guide, which cover similar recertification rules for other finance credentials, and our CPD for accountants guide.

At a glance

The 36-credit requirement

AFP says CTPs must earn and report 36 continuing education credits every three years. Most activities earn one credit for each 50 minutes, and presenters earn two credits for each 50 minutes. Qualifying content covers finance, accounting and ethics-related activity. Introductory courses and product or sales sessions do not qualify, and some programme types have limits per cycle. AFP states no category minimums for standard recertification.

Fees and deadlines

Credits must be earned by 30 June at the end of the cycle. The standard reporting deadline is 15 August, with a late deadline of 15 October. Online fees for AFP members are US$85 by 15 August and US$135 by 15 October. For non-members they are US$200 and US$250. Paper filing costs US$25 more. AFP says fees are subject to change, and an unemployment fee waiver exists but does not exempt the holder from audit.

Extensions

AFP allows an extension of up to six months, once at least one credit has been earned. The request is due by 30 June and costs US$75 for members and US$150 for non-members. AFP's fees and extension pages give 31 December for reporting the extension credits, but one maintenance page gives a different date, so confirm the date when you apply.

Audits

AFP's maintenance page says it audits five to ten percent of certificate holders at random, so keep proof of every credit you claim.

If you miss the deadline

According to the maintenance page, a credential not recertified is revoked. Reinstatement requires an appeal within two years of the end of the cycle, plus appeal and late fees, and it is a one-time option. After that, or if the appeal window is missed, the holder must pass the exam again.

Where AFP's pages disagree

The pages disagree on whether surplus credits can carry into the next cycle: one says credits cannot be rolled over, while the extension pages say credits above 36 can be applied to the next cycle. One page also refers to 36 or 45 credits, which no other page explains. Do not plan around carry-forward until AFP confirms it.

What we could not confirm

The AFP pages we read are undated, and we did not read the page on ways to earn credits, so the detail on earning is thin. Re-check the fees and deadlines at the time you recertify.

Planning your cycle

Thirty-six credits over three years is 12 a year, or about 10 hours of learning a year at one credit per 50 minutes. Log credits as you earn them in the AFP recertification centre, and aim to report in July rather than waiting for the 15 August deadline.

Frequently asked questions

How many credits does a CTP need?

36 continuing education credits every three years.

How much does CTP recertification cost?

Online, US$85 for AFP members by 15 August and US$135 by 15 October, and US$200 or US$250 for non-members.

Can I get an extension?

Yes, once at least one credit has been earned. The request is due by 30 June and costs US$75 for members.

Do surplus credits carry forward?

AFP's pages disagree, so do not rely on it until AFP confirms.

What if I do not recertify?

The credential is revoked and the holder may appeal within two years, once, or re-sit the exam.

Finding courses that count

Learnsignal publishes accounting, tax, audit, ethics and finance courses in its CPD and CPE library. Before you pay for any course, check the awarding body's own rules on what it accepts, and keep the certificate and the course details. Confirm the current fees and deadlines with AFP before you recertify.

Source: AFP certification pages on maintaining the credential, recertification fees, submitting credits and extensions (financialprofessionals.org), undated, checked October 2026.