CFA attempt limit: how many tries you have left at each level
The CFA exams have an attempt limit, so each sitting is a chance used. This counts what's left at your level.
Your numbers
Common answers are filled in. Change the ones you know.
It only changes the order on your statement.
What waiting costs you
6 attempts left
6 attempts left at Level I
CFA Institute allows 6 attempts at each level, and at most 2 a year. Even a partial attempt counts, so it helps to sit only when you're ready.
Your small stepPick the exam window you'll sit next, and put its registration deadline in your calendar.
How we worked this out
- Limit: 6 attempts at each level.
- Left: 6 minus 0 = 6 attempts.
- At most 2 sittings a year, so they last at least 3 years.
- Rules change. Check the official page before you plan anything.
- How much it matters to you: 7 out of 10. It only changes the order on your statement.
Sources
- CFA Institute (2026): Candidates get 6 attempts in all at each CFA level, and can sit at most twice in a calendar year. A partial attempt still counts.
How it works
CFA Institute allows 6 attempts in all at each level.
You can sit at most twice in a calendar year, and a partial attempt still counts.
Check the CFA Institute's policy page before you register, in case the limits change.
Sources
- CFA Institute (2026): Check the policy page before you register, in case the limits change.
Rules last checked: October 2026. They can change at any time, so check the official page before you plan anything.
Questions people ask
Is this telling me to take the CFA?
No. It only counts the attempts you have left at the level you're on.
Does a missed exam count?
A partial attempt counts. Check the CFA Institute's page for what happens if you don't sit at all.
Putting off more than one thing?
Pick up to five and get your Delay Statement: what to do first, what can wait, and one small step for today.
Want a nudge to act on it?
The app turns what you're putting off into a short list for each day: your Top 3 and one small step at a time. It's free.
We show what waiting costs on your own plans. We never tell you what to buy or invest in. Rules and averages change, so check the official pages before you plan anything.