The CPFO program consists of seven exams designed to verify knowledge in the major disciplines of government finance.

The Accounting, Debt, Planning & Budgeting, and Treasury exams are each composed of 100 multiple-choice items. The Compensation, Procurement, and Risk Assessment exams are 75 items each. A multiple-choice item consists of a stem, which poses a problem, and four possible answers. Only one answer is correct or best. For the CPFO certification exams, each item has four possible choices and is worth one point.

Examinees must answer a minimum of 80% of items correctly to receive a passing score.

See the pages linked below for more details for each exam topic area.