Credential Recertification - FAQ

Certification signifies a coach's commitment to professionalism and mastery of coaching skills. Coaching professionalism and mastery, however, require that coaches continually increase their skill level and add new learning to their coaching toolbox.

Re-certification is the method by which PCC and MCC-credentialed coaches continually increase their skill level, update their knowledge, maintain their professional edge, and continue to offer the highest level of service to their clients.

Here is information and instructions on how to renew your MCC and PCC credential.

When do I renew my credential?

Your credential must be renewed every three years.
If you received or renewed your credential anytime in 2003, you must renew your credential during the renewal period that will open on November 1, 2006 and will close on December 31, 2006.
If you received or renewed your credential anytime in 2004, you must renew your credential on during the renewal period preceding December 31, 2007.   

My certificate says that it expires in a month other than December. Should I ignore that?

Yes. Originally, the ICF was going to renew certification in the month that you received your credential. In order to make re-credentialing easier, however, the ICF has decided to renew credentials only once a year starting in December of each year. Therefore, do not be concerned that your certificate lists a specific month for renewal. You are credentialed in good standing through the renewal period.

I was originally credentialed as a PCC and have since become an MCC. Do I renew my PCC credential?

No. If you have moved from PCC to MCC, your first renewal will be in December of the third year after you received your MCC. For example, if you received your PCC in 1998 and your MCC in 2000, you will not renew your PCC. Instead, in December, 2003, you will renew your MCC credential.

How do I renew my credential?

The process is simple. In the year you are to renew your credential submit an Application for Credential Renewal. It will require you to state that you have no pending or know ethical complaints. It will also require you to list your continuing education courses, classes, self-study, and the hours associated with each.

Once you have filled out the application, sign it, attach your fee or list your credit card #, and send it in. Unless we have questions about something on the application, your renewal will be complete and your credential will be current for another three years.

Is there a fee for renewing my credential?

Yes. The fee for ICF members is $150.00. The fee for non-members is $250.00.

I understand that I must have continuing coaching education (CCE) in order to renew my credential. Is that true?

Yes, in order to renew your credential, you must have accumulated at least 40 hours of CCE over the last three years.

Do all the CCE's have to be coach specific training?

No. Here's the breakdown of the different types of continuing education hours you can have:
A) One must have 40 total hours of CCE;
B) At least 24 of your 40 CCE hours must be training and education related to the ICF's Core Coach Competencies. All 40 of your CCE hours may be related to the ICF's Core Coaching Competencies if you so choose; and
C) Up to sixteen of your 40 CCE hours may be in one or a combination of any of the following areas- personal development of the coach; practice building; skills that may be used as tools in your coaching practice. Remember, you can only have a maximum of 16 hours of CCE from these three areas.

What constitutes training and education related to the ICF's Core Coaching Competencies?

Training and education related to the ICF's core competencies is training and education that is marketed as teaching coaching skills for coaches and teaches subject matter that aligns with the ICF core competencies. General personal development training or training in other areas (example: emotional intelligence, NLP training, or Landmark Education) which is not marketed as coach training and is not taught from a core coaching competency perspective does not qualify as core coaching competency education. Such training may be used as CCE credit in the categories of personal development or other skills that may be used as coaching tools.

What are "other skills that may be used as coaching tools"?

This is a broad area where you get lots of choice. As mentioned above, things like NLP, general communications classes, workshops on team building, meditation, improv workshops, etc., all might qualify. You must tell us how you are going to use the tool in a coach like way. The subject matter must have some clear ability to be used in a coach like way. So, while improv would count, a class in woodworking would not.

Does the ICF pre-approve CCE courses?

Yes. Pre-approved courses are listed on the ICF's web site and are updated frequently. In addition, all breakouts and pre-conference workshops at the ICF annual conference are pre-approved for CCE core coaching competency education credit.

I'm renewing this year and I just found out about this. How do I get my continuing education hours in time for renewal?

You probably already have much of what you need. If you attended any ICF conferences in the last year, you may earned hours of CCE credit for each breakout you attended.  You also get additional credit if you attended the pre-conference workshops.

If your ICF chapter has substantive programs, you can get credit for the actual time in meetings spent on substantive learning (sorry, meals and social time don't count). If you've done any other workshops, they may qualify for credit under the 16 hours of CCE time that you have for personal development, practice building, or other tools that can be used in your coaching practice. We've found that almost all coaches we have talked have all or most of the CCE credit already.  

Isn't this a lot of CCE to expect of us?

We believe the answer is no. The ICF Credentialing and Continuing Education Committee researched many other credentialed professions before choosing 40 hours of CCE as the place to start the renewal process. All most all other credentialed professions require far more continuing education than the ICF in order to maintain one's credential. The ICF chose the lowest reasonable number that would reflect a credentialed coach's commitment to continually raising their skill level.

Where can I find further information about renewal?

The application and all the rules regarding renewal of your credential are posted on the ICF web site in the credentialing section (www.coachfederation.org/ICF/For+Current+Members/Credentialing/). If, after reading that information, you still have questions, email them to icfcredentialing@coachfederation.org.

Renewal Teleforum

As you begin the Renewal process you are encouraged to listen to this informative audio file.  http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WJ7cjX0k

Before listening please have the appropriate application downloaded and available for review. ICF staff members will go step-by-step through the applications to help applicants avoid issues that commonly delay application processing.