Contents
- Staying Certified—Three Things You MUST Do
- Earning Continuing Education Credits
- Credit Types
- Failure to Meet the Annual Fee Requirement
- Failure to Meet the CE Requirement
- Leave of Absence
- Relinquishing Your Credential
- Continuing Education (CE) Statement
- Continuing Education Requirements
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Guide to Maintaining Your Certification
February 2020
Earning Continuing Education Credits
Your certification is time-limited and expires every five years. During that five-year period, you must earn the required number of credits for your discipline in order to maintain your certification.
- Only credits obtained after your official ABC certification date will be counted toward satisfying the continuing education requirement in your discipline(s). Your exam date is not your certification date. Certification dates are set after the exam paperwork has been processed and approved. Your certification and expiration dates are on your certificate.
- Credits earned in your five-year cycle that exceed the minimum amount required cannot be applied toward future continuing education cycles. However, if you earn the minimum required credits before the end of your five-year cycle, you can request to start your next five-year cycle early. A link to the Start My Next CE Cycle Request Form will be available in your MY ABC account if you have completed your credit requirements and are eligible to start a new cycle. From that point, all credits earned will be applied to your new cycle. Your request form must be submitted 30 days prior to your requested date and there is an administrative fee of $25. You do not need to request a new cycle at the end of each cycle. If you have completed your credits, we automatically send you a new certificate.
- You may not attend the same course, either live or eLearning, more than once per calendar year or more than twice during your five-year cycle and receive multiple credits.
- Organizational activities such as serving on boards, committees or councils are not eligible for continuing education credits.
- Activities related to doing your job are also not eligible for continuing education credits (e.g. managing your facility, etc.)
- Failure to satisfy your continuing education requirements within your five-year cycle will result in suspension. You will be subject to penalty credits in addition to earning the deficient credits within the following calendar year.
