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Recertify

Every credible program of professional certification has a mechanism to ensure that certified members remain current. The CDFM Program requires its certificants to recertify every two years by earning Continuing Professional Education (CPE) and paying a recertification fee.

To keep their CDFM or CDFM-A certification active, certificants must adhere to the SDFM Pledge of Professionalism, pay the CDFM recertification fee ($25 members/$45 non-members) and complete 80 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), with at least 20 CPEs per year and 2 CPEs in an ethics-related topic, by their recertification deadline.

It is not necessary to submit CPEs when recertifying; however, 5-10% of recertifications are audited, so we recommend keeping an electronic copy of earned CPEs on hand. SDFM will contact certificants directly if chosen for audit.

Details can be reviewed in the Recertification Policy here. Certificants can recertify online here or send a completed CDFM Recertification Form found here to certification@sdfm.org.

Recertification is a personal responsibility. However, SDFM sends a courtesy email reminder to each certificant 3 months before, 2 months before, and the month of expiration of certification. We strongly recommend providing a personal email address and mobile phone number (and check the express consent box) so we can send email and text recertification notices. To update contact information, log in here and click on “Update Profile”.

CPEs

Any course or training related to defense financial management or that assists a certificant in their role as a defense financial manager can be used for CPEs in CDFM recertification. Any credits earned toward the DoD FM Certification Program during the CDFM certification cycle qualify for CDFM recertification.

Some methods of obtaining CPEs include:

  • Attending relevant formal training courses
  • Attending relevant college courses
  • Attending briefings or lectures on relevant subjects
  • Attending professional conferences
  • Teaching and course preparation for relevant subject matter
  • Preparing and delivering briefings and work-related documents outside of the scope of routine business
  • Preparing and publishing articles in professional journals

One fifty-minute block of learning yields one CPE unit.
1 CPE = 1 CET = 1 CLP = 0.1 CEU

For more information, see the CDFM Recertification Policy here.

Recertification Schedule

The recertification deadline is two years from the last day of the month that the CDFM certification is first awarded. For example, if certification was awarded during the month of October in 2023, then the recertification deadline is October 31 of each ODD-numbered year. If certification is awarded during the month of April in 2024, then the recertification deadline is April 30 of each EVEN-numbered year.

CDFM certificants who later pass the Module 4 exam, earning the CDFM-A, continue with their original recertification deadline. There are no additional CPE requirements for CDFM-A certificants. The CPE requirements apply to all CDFM and CDFM-A certificants, regardless of employment status.

To check the recertification deadline (“CDFM expires”) date, log into your SDFM account here and click “Update Profile”.

Extension Requests

Certificants who need additional time to complete the recertification requirements can apply for a 90-day extension BEFORE the recertification deadline by filling out a CDFM Recertification Form found here, marking the “CDFM Extension” option, and emailing the form to certification@sdfm.org.

Reactivation

Individuals who do not recertify by the deadline go into Suspended Status, their name is removed from the SDFM website, and a $50 recertification late fee is applied. After 90 days in Suspended status, the certification goes into Inactive Status and the late fee is changed to a $100 reactivation fee.

If a certificant experiences events beyond their control, such as a deployment or a health situation, which interfered with their ability to recertify on time or from earning enough CPEs to recertify, they may request a one-time waiver of some or all of the reactivation requirements by sending documentation of the situation to certification@sdfm.org.

Suspended Status Reactivation Requirements

  • Pay recertification fee ($25 SDFM members / $45 non-members)
  • Pay $50 late fee
  • Submit proof of 80 CPEs

Inactive Status Reactivation Requirements

  • Pay one recertification fee ($25 SDFM members / $45 non-members)
  • Pay $100 reactivation fee
  • Submit proof of 80 CPEs total since beginning of lapsed certification cycle

For more information, see the CDFM Recertification Policy here.

Certified Retired Status

CDFMs who have permanently retired from and are not working in the field of financial management can request Certified Retired status by writing to certification@sdfm.org. Those who are Certified Retired do not need to earn CPEs or pay a recertification fee.

Certified Retired individuals who wish to reactivate their CDFM are required to earn at least 80 CPEs in the two years preceding the request for reinstatement and pay the normal recertification fee.