FFM Certification for Plan Year 2027

FFM certification is the annual registration, training, and agreements required for agents and brokers helping consumers enroll through HealthCare.gov. It covers the individual ACA Marketplace. AHIP Medicare training serves a different program and does not complete your Marketplace registration.

CMS training is free. For plan year 2027, use the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) through the CMS Enterprise Portal. As of September 10, 2026, CMS's registration page says training is offline while it prepares the 2027 cycle. It has not posted an opening date on that page.

Who needs federal Marketplace registration?

Check the CMS marketplace map for plan year 2027. It distinguishes:

• The 27 states with a Federally-facilitated Marketplace, including Florida and Texas.
• Arkansas and Oklahoma, whose state-based Marketplaces use the federal platform.
• The 22 state-based Marketplaces, including the District of Columbia, that operate their own platforms.

The federal agent registration standards also apply to agents using the federal platform in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Agents working through a state-run platform follow that Marketplace's registration requirements. CMS explains the federal-platform scope in its letter to issuers.

You also need the appropriate active state insurance license. Federal registration does not replace it or settle your contracting requirements with an insurer. This guide covers the individual Marketplace; SHOP-only registration has a separate process.

What changes for the 2027 cycle

HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1 through December 15, 2026, with coverage beginning January 1, 2027. CMS sets that federal-platform window in its Marketplace Integrity and Affordability final rule. The January 15 end date used in earlier cycles does not apply to this 2027 window.

State-run Marketplaces may set different dates within the federal timing limits for 2027. Use the calendar for the Marketplace where you assist consumers.

Training options also changed. HHS discontinued its approved-vendor training program in the 2027 final rule. Prior-year vendor courses do not establish a 2027 registration path. CMS directs both new and returning agents to MLMS when training becomes available.

New and returning agents have different training paths

CMS's current registration page defines the paths for 2027:

Use your existing CMS account if you have one. A gap in annual training does not mean you should create a duplicate identity.

While training is offline, check that you can access your account and that you have your individual NPN and current business contact information. Bookmark the CMS registration page so you can return when the 2027 curriculum opens.

Complete registration through CMS

HealthCare.gov's quick-start guide sets out the process. Follow the current portal prompts when the 2027 curriculum is released.

1. Access your CMS Enterprise Portal account. New users register; existing users sign in or recover access.
2. Request the FFM Agent Broker role if needed. Select the Marketplace training access option and complete the required identity verification.
3. Review your MLMS profile. Use your individual NPN in the individual field and check your business contact details.
4. Complete your assigned 2027 Individual Marketplace training. Finish every required component for the new or returning path.
5. Execute the applicable agreements and save the completion certificate. Check that the record is for the correct plan year.

The profile deserves a separate check. CMS's agent registration guidance distinguishes individual and business NPNs; copying one into the other's field can affect issuer credit or compensation. For an agency, have each producer complete their own account actions and supply the resulting record.

Confirm completion and the registration end date

After training and agreements are complete, check your NPN on the CMS Registration Completion List. Review the plan year and registration end date as well as the name and NPN. CMS's letter to issuers explains that the end date can reflect agreement expiration or an earlier suspension or termination; a saved certificate alone is not a continuing status check.

Keep the certificate, the date you checked the list, and any carrier confirmation required for your business. Finish the current year's registration before assisting consumers for that cycle. If there is a gap, resolve it before resuming the work that requires registration.

Do not treat a missing list entry as a reason to repeat the course immediately. Check the profile, agreements, and plan year first, then contact the appropriate CMS help desk.

These contacts are published in the HealthCare.gov quick-start guide. Give support the course year, the affected step, and the error or mismatch you see.

After registration

Check that your public contact information is useful to consumers who need help. CMS uses MLMS profile information for its consumer assistance tools. If you want to participate in Help On Demand, follow that program's enrollment instructions; completing Marketplace registration establishes an eligibility requirement, not automatic participation.

If you also sell Medicare plans, keep the Medicare AEP calendar beside your Marketplace calendar. Their enrollment windows overlap, but their training records, agreements, and completion checks remain separate.