The American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) awards the Certified Floral Designer (CFD) credential to florists who want formal recognition of their design skill. This page lists the verified fees, deadlines and passing marks for the online test, which you take through an Education Partner, and for the hands-on PFDE. It also has free practice sets by topic and worked explanations of sample questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit (PFDE hands-on evaluation) | 4 hours, 5 designs[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Passing score (Online test) | 80% or better[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Passing score (PFDE route) | 16 points cumulative for CFD[2] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Education Partner route (online test)) | $179 exam fee[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (PFDE route) | $1,750 PFDE only; $2,250 with Symposium registration[3] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 25 CEUs every 3 years[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Renewal | $244/yr ($194 early bird)[3] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration deadline (Education Partner route – fall exam) | December 31[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration deadline (Education Partner route – spring exam) | April 30[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration deadline (PFDE route) | Typically closes early to mid-April[4] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration opens (Education Partner route – fall) | Student lists Aug 1–Dec 1[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration opens (Education Partner route – spring) | Student lists Mar 1–31[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window (Education Partner route – fall exam) | Complete by January 15[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window (Education Partner route – spring exam) | Complete by May 15[1] | American Institute of Floral Designers · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to American Institute of Floral Designers, “a cumulative evaluation mark of 16 points or better with no one design scoring less than 2.75 average”[2]
The American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) awards the CFD designation. It shows that a florist's design work meets the institute's standard. AIFD describes these routes to it:
To keep the CFD active, you pay an annual renewal fee of $244, or $194 if you pay by the early bird deadline. You also need 25 Continuing Education Units every 3 years. The facts we verified do not cover eligibility or retake rules. Check those, and the current year's dates, with AIFD at aifd.org or with your Education Partner before you register.
Prepare for the CFD - Certified Floral Designer exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Which of the following is a PRIMARY benefit of maintaining a client order history database?
Answer: B. It enables personalized re-engagement marketing and reduces consultation time for repeat customers
Explanation:
B is correct. A record of what each client ordered, for which occasion and at what price lets a shop contact them before the next anniversary or holiday. It also means a consultation can start with their taste, colours and budget already known. That saves time and brings people back.
A is wrong because order records are a business tool, not a licensing condition. C is wrong because a history of past orders does not replace a written agreement for a new event. D is wrong because a customer database tracks people, not stock. Reordering is the job of an inventory system.
Rule to remember: customer data pays off through repeat business and faster service, not through compliance or automation.
Question: Which flowers are most associated with spring seasonal arrangements in the US?
Answer: B. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths
Explanation:
B is correct. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths grow from bulbs that bloom in spring. US wholesalers and shoppers treat them as the signature flowers of the season, especially around Easter.
A is wrong because poinsettias and holly are winter holiday material. C is wrong because chrysanthemums and marigolds peak in late summer and autumn and belong in fall displays. D is wrong because dried grasses and wheat stalks suggest the harvest and are used in autumn designs.
Rule to remember: match materials to the season the customer links them with. Bulb flowers mean spring, evergreens and red bracts mean winter, and warm-toned flowers and dried grains mean fall.
Question: A florist charges $85 for an arrangement that costs $34 in materials. What is the markup percentage on cost?
Answer: A. 150%
Explanation:
A is correct. Markup on cost compares the profit with what you paid. Subtract the $34 cost from the $85 price, then divide the difference by the $34 cost. The result is 150%.
B, 60%, divides the same profit by the $85 selling price. That is gross margin, not markup. C, 40%, is the $34 cost as a share of the $85 price, which is the cost ratio. D, 200%, overstates the markup. To check, add 200% of $34 to $34: the result is well above $85.
Rule to remember: markup divides profit by cost, and margin divides profit by selling price. Read which base the question names before you calculate.
First, choose your route, because it decides what kind of practice you need. For the online test, ask your Education Partner which term you are registered for. Then work back from the completion deadline (January 15 for fall, May 15 for spring).
Start with the design foundations: CFD Floral Design Principles, CFD Floral Materials and Tools and CFD Floral Care and Maintenance. Next, move to the occasion sets: Event and Wedding, Seasonal and Holiday and Sympathy and Funeral. Then do Business and Customer Service and Financial Management for pricing and markup. The broader management sets are useful extras, but AIFD has not confirmed them as exam areas.
For the PFDE, a quiz is no substitute for building designs. Practise full sessions of 5 designs inside 4 hours, and ask a working florist to critique each piece.
The online test through an Education Partner costs $179. The hands-on PFDE costs $1,750 on its own, or $2,250 if you add general registration for the AIFD National Symposium. After you are certified, there is an annual renewal fee of $244, or $194 if you pay by the early bird deadline.
On the online test, you need 80% or better. On the PFDE, you need a cumulative evaluation mark of 16 points or better to earn the CFD. None of your designs can average less than 2.75. A strong overall total does not make up for a single weak design.
For the fall exam, Education Partners send student lists from August 1 to December 1. Registration closes December 31, and you must finish the exam by January 15. For the spring exam, lists go in from March 1 to March 31. Registration closes April 30, and you must finish by May 15.
The PFDE is a 4 hour hands-on design evaluation in which you create 5 designs. Each design is scored, and you need 16 points or better in total, with no design averaging below 2.75. AIFD says PFDE registration typically closes in early to mid-April, so check the current date on aifd.org early.
You pay an annual renewal fee of $244, or $194 if you pay by the early bird deadline. You also need to earn 25 Continuing Education Units every 3 years. Keep records of the classes and events you attend so your CEUs are easy to report.
No. We wrote every question on this page with AI tools to help you practise the topics a floral designer works with. They are not taken from AIFD's exam and do not predict what will appear on it. Use them to find gaps, and use your Education Partner's material and AIFD's own guidance as your main sources.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.