AFIP certification

Everyone starts with the Basic Course. It provides comprehensive F&I compliance training – everything you need to know to comply with the law. In addition to federal and state regulations, it addresses best practices and industry-specific ethical considerations. The Basic Course is also part of the dealership compliance curriculum at Northwood University.  This certification is good for two years from completion.

Basic Exam

The 200-question Basic Exam consists of three modules – 150 federal law questions, 25 ethics questions and 25 state law questions. A score of 80% on each module is required to earn certification.

Candidates certified at the Basic level receive a custom framed diploma, business card logo and the right to use the professional credential CPFS (Certified Professional in Financial Services) after their name.

The Senior Course refreshes candidates on the core laws they learned as a basic candidate and updates them on new and revised laws and further develops their knowledge of F&I compliance.

Senior Exam

The 175-question Senior Exam consists of 150 federal law questions and 25 state law questions and an ethics workbook. A score of 80% or higher on each module is required to pass. Senior candidates are also required to complete the Senior Applied Ethics Module in the exam booklet, but it isn’t scored. In the module, Seniors develop, and sign adherence to, a personal code of ethical conduct – in addition to signing the AFIP Code of Ethics.  This certification is good for two years from completion.

Senior Certified professionals receive a updated diploma with current expiration dates and business card logo. Their status is recognized with the professional credential SPFS (Senior Professional in Financial Services).

The Master levels take a 75-question multiple-choice federal exam, and a 25 question state law exam.  The federal exam is a case-based exam that assesses the candidate’s F&I compliance knowledge of, and ability to apply, the finer points of the more complex regulations. Many questions present real-world situations in which the candidate must apply his or her regulatory knowledge to select the correct response. Answering correctly requires a full mastery of the material, and helps you become more of an expert at your job.  This certification is good for two years from completion.

The exam questions become more nuanced and challenging with each level. As they advance, Master candidates will receive a updated diploma with current expiration dates and business card logo.  Their status is recognized with the professional credential MPFS (Master Professional in Financial Services).  

The Lifetime Master Certification Course is the fourth and final tier of the AFIP Certification Program. Candidates will update and expand their knowledge of the F&I compliance of federal and state regulations by proving they not only understand some of the most commonly misunderstood or misapplied regulations, but showing they understand how these laws apply in real-world scenarios.

After they pass the Lifetime Master Course, candidates will be required to complete recurrent training every two years.  This helps all candidates stay current and up-to-speed on any new laws, regulation changes, best practices, fines, and anything on the regulators radar.  Lifetime Master coursework and testing is all done online.  To maintain certification and membership, you’ll continue with this cycle every two years until you retire.  Lifetime Master candidates will receive an updated diploma with current expiration dates, and business card logo.  Their status is recognized with the professional credential LMPFS (Lifetime Master Professional in Financial Services).