Low temperature liquid fuel cells have drawn considerable interest, particularly for portable applications. One possible fuel choice is formic acid. While theoretical energy density is high, and anode kinetics favorable, there remain several challenges before commercial viability is obtained. To address this, a detailed study was conducted on a direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFC). Both anode and cathode stability were studied, considering such effects of CO poisoning, formic acid crossover, water management and catalyst regeneration techniques.