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CPH Overview — What’s Tested (Rules, Ethics, and “What Should You Do Next?”)

Overview of the Conduct & Practices Handbook (CPH): official exam format and weightings, core themes, common scenario patterns, and a practical prep strategy.

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Official exam snapshot (CSI)

ItemOfficial value
Exam formatProctored (remote or in-person at a test centre)
Question formatMultiple Choice
Questions per exam100
Exam duration3 hours
Passing grade60%
Attempts allowed per exam3
Hours of study40 – 55 Hours
Enrolment period1 Year

Official exam weightings (CSI)

Exam topicWeighting
Standards of Conduct and Ethics, Ethical Decision Making, and Putting it All Together23%
The Canadian Regulatory Framework12%
Working with Clients13%
Client Discovery and Account Opening13%
Product Due Diligence, Recommendations, and Advice13%
Trading, Settlement, and Prohibited Activities13%
Maintaining Client Accounts and Relationships13%

What CPH is really testing

CPH is less about memorizing isolated rules and more about applying principles consistently:

  • fair dealing and client-first outcomes
  • suitability and documentation discipline
  • supervision and escalation (“when to involve compliance”)
  • market integrity and prohibited practices

Common scenario patterns

  • Account opening / updates: missing KYC, outdated risk profile, insufficient documentation.
  • Suitability: recommendation doesn’t match objectives/time horizon/liquidity.
  • Conflicts: referral fees, outside business activities, gifts/entertainment, self-dealing.
  • Complaints: what to do immediately, what to document, what not to promise.
  • AML: suspicious activity red flags, recordkeeping, escalation.

How to prepare

  1. Learn the workflows in the Cheatsheet (what to do first, what to document, when to escalate).
  2. Use the Syllabus as a checklist.
  3. Practice scenario questions weekly and write “first action” rules in your miss log.

✅ Next: open the Syllabus or start with the Study Plan.

Sources: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cph/curriculum and https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cph/exam-credits

Study Plan