General

The Charter and Digital Badge will be awarded when you meet the following criteria:

If your certification has expired or has been revoked, you will not receive a badge. 

When will I receive my Charter?
FDP Charters* are ordered twice per year.  Our team will contact you to verify your shipping address prior to shipment.

When will I receive my Digital Badge?
FDP Digital Badges* are released the last Friday of each month. 

* all deliverables have to be completed to be eligible. 

Professional References 

Do my references have to be FDP Charterholders?
- No, your references do not have to be FDP Charterholders.

- The only requirement for your references is that they have relevant information regarding your professional or academic experience. A recommendation letter is not required, only the contact information including name, title, company/academic institution, e-mail and phone number.

- Candidates can not list themselves as a professional reference. 

Can I provide their personal email address?
- Yes, you can provide their business or personal email.

Can you tell me who will be contacting my professional/educational references, so I can alert them?- We do not contact professional references on a routine basis. However, we reserve the right to contact all references if we perform a random audit.

If you would like to change or review your professional reference information, please send your request to  charterholder@fdpinstitute.org

How to use the FDP designation 

When can I start using the FDP designation?

• Once the Charterholder process application has been approved, you have earned the right to use the FDP designation. You will receive an email confirming your new FDP Charterholder status. At this time, we are not a membership organization, and there are no annual dues.  

Do I have to renew my Membership to continue using the FDP designation?

• At this time, we are not a membership organization, and there are no annual dues.  Those who have met all the requirements are referenced as FDP Charterholders.

How to Share Your Achievements on Social Media

Celebrate your success as an FDP Charterholder. Follow the Intellectual Property Policy guidelines to properly display your FDP Institute program status on social network sites, in accordance with the Code of Ethics. The FDP Institute protects the designation and programs that you've worked so hard to accomplish by enforcing these Standards. 

What is the proper way to use the FDP mark?

• You may use FDP after your name with or without the registered marks. Proper: Sloan Adams, FDP -OR- Sloan Adams, Financial Data Professional
• For details on the proper usage of the FDP marks, please refer to the Intellectual Property Policy in the Policies section of our website. 

How to Share Your Designation on X (formerly Twitter)

You may only include "FDP" after your name if you continue to meet the Charterholder requirements and were awarded the FDP designation.

The FDP designation:

• Should not be included in your handle, e.g., not @SloanAdamsFDP  
• Should only appear in the section of your profile that contains your surname and given name
• Should not be included with a pseudonym or fictitious phrase meant to hide your identity

How to Share Your Designation on LinkedIn

Add your FDP designation:

• Log in to LinkedIn and view your profile.
• Select Add Profile section.
• Under Background, select Licenses & Certifications.

• Certification Name: If you have earned your charter, enter "Financial Data Professional^® (FDP) Charterholder."
• Issuing Organization: Enter "FDP Institute."
• Box labeled "The certificate does not expire:" FDP Institute members may check this box as long as you satisfy the requirements to maintain your status as described in the Candidate and Charterholder Agreement.  
• Credential ID: Charterholders will be notified of their Charterholder number.
• Certification URL: Digital Badges are awarded to candidates who have passed all the requirements.
• Issue Date: Select the month and year you received your charter.
• Select Save.