The CFTC (Certified Forensic Trauma Clinician) is a National Association of Forensic Counselors credential for clinicians who work with trauma victims. This page gives candidates free practice sets by topic, worked example questions, a study plan, and a plain summary of the exam rules, fees and renewal terms published by the NAFC.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Passing score | 70% minimum[1] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $375 application fee (application, processing and first-year certification)[2] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Retake fee | Only the proctored exam cost; no extra NAFC charge[1] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Retake policy | One retake within 6 months[1] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Validity | Annual (or bi-annual) renewal; 20 CE hours per year[3] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Renewal | $135 renewal fee; 20 CE hours annually[4] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Delivery | Prometric test center or ProProctor remote online[5] | prometric.com · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Clinical level; trauma service professionals with formal trauma training[2] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Score release | Immediately at end of exam[6] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline | $35 late renewal fee, 16–45 days after expiration[4] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
| Testing window | On demand; schedule at your convenience[6] | National Association of Forensic Counselors · Oct 22, 2026 |
According to National Association of Forensic Counselors, “A minimum score of seventy-percent (70%) is considered as successful completion of the certification examination.”[1]
The CFTC is a certification from the National Association of Forensic Counselors (NAFC). It is aimed at the clinical level: professionals who provide trauma counseling or other trauma services to trauma victims and who have formal trauma training. Read the eligibility wording in the NAFC application before you apply, because the NAFC decides who qualifies.
The application fee is $375, which covers the application, processing and first-year certification. The exam is on demand, so you schedule it when it suits you. You can take it at a Prometric test center or online with ProProctor from a location of your choice, as long as you provide a computer with a camera. Your score is shown immediately at the end of the exam, and 70% is the minimum for successful completion.
If you do not reach that score, the NAFC allows one retake within 6 months of the first exam. The NAFC adds no charge of its own, so the extra cost is only the proctored exam fee.
To keep the credential, renewal is $135 and requires 20 CE hours annually. A late renewal made 16-45 days after expiration carries a $35 late fee. The NAFC offers annual and bi-annual renewal options.
We could not verify an official list of content areas, so our topic sets are general practice for forensic trauma work. Use the NAFC candidate handbook and FAQs for the exact scope and any detail that may change.
Prepare for the CFTC - Certified Forensic Trauma Clinician 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 therapy is commonly used for trauma intervention?
Answer: B. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Explanation:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is correct. Trauma-focused CBT is a widely recognized, evidence-supported approach that helps a client identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors tied to the trauma, and it builds coping skills for anxiety, depression and flashbacks.
Physical therapy treats the body, not trauma symptoms, so it is not an intervention for trauma. Medication alone may ease some symptoms but gives no skills for changing thoughts and behaviors. Unstructured talk therapy lacks the defined goals and techniques that make an intervention evidence-based.
Rule to remember: when a question asks for a trauma intervention, prefer a structured, evidence-based therapy over a single tool or an open-ended conversation.
Question: Why are ethical standards critical in forensic practice?
Answer: B. Guide integrity and protect rights
Explanation:
The correct answer is that ethical standards guide integrity and protect rights. They give the clinician a framework for conduct, support objectivity and accountability, and protect the well-being of clients, legal parties and the public. They also keep the clinician's work credible in the justice system.
Calling them optional is wrong because ethical practice is an expectation, not a choice. Saying they apply only to legal professionals is wrong because forensic clinicians are bound by them too. Saying they delay case processing is wrong because they exist to make the work sound and fair, not slow.
Rule to remember: in forensic practice, ethics come before convenience and apply to everyone involved in the work.
Question: When applying core principles in practice, what should be the first consideration?
Answer: A. Safety and compliance with established standards
Explanation:
Safety and compliance with established standards is correct. When you apply any core principle, the people involved must be protected, and recognized standards define what safe and acceptable practice looks like. Everything else is built on that.
Cost reduction is wrong because savings never justify unsafe or non-compliant care. Timeline acceleration is wrong because speed that skips required steps creates risk. Client entertainment preferences are wrong because a client's comfort matters, but entertainment is not a professional priority.
Rule to remember: when options compete, choose the one that protects safety and follows established standards, and treat cost and speed as secondary.
Start with the NAFC candidate handbook and FAQs so you know the format, the scoring rule and the retake policy. Then take one practice set from each topic below as a baseline, without notes, and record which topics feel weakest.
Because the exam is on demand, book it once your practice scores are consistently comfortable, not before. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps rather than to predict your result.
The NAFC states that a minimum score of 70% counts as successful completion of the certification examination. Your score is shown immediately at the end of the exam. Check the NAFC FAQs for the latest wording before test day.
Yes. The NAFC allows one retake within 6 months of the first exam. The NAFC does not charge extra for the retake, so the added cost is only what the proctored exam service charges.
The application fee is $375, covering the application, processing and first-year certification. Renewal is $135, and a late renewal 16-45 days after expiration adds a $35 late fee. Confirm current amounts on the NAFC fee schedule.
You can take it at a Prometric test center or online through ProProctor from a location you choose, where you provide a computer with a camera. The exam is on demand, so you schedule it at your convenience.
The CFTC is a clinical-level certification for professionals who provide trauma counseling or other trauma services to trauma victims and who have formal trauma training. The NAFC application sets the exact requirements, so read it before you apply.
Renew with the NAFC. Renewal costs $135 and requires 20 CE hours annually. The NAFC offers annual and bi-annual renewal options, and a late renewal 16-45 days after expiration carries a $35 late fee.
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