Credential Renewal: Simplified Process

Update: November 3, 2025

Your ICF credential is more than a mark of excellence — it’s a reflection of your growth, your integrity, and your deep commitment to coaching at the highest level.

To honor that commitment, ICF Credentials and Standards is empowering you with updates that make maintaining your credential easier while preserving the standards that define ICF coaches worldwide. That’s why, starting today, the following updates to the credential renewal process are officially in effect.

These changes are rooted in your feedback and shaped by our goal to make renewal simpler, clearer, and more aligned with the realities of your professional life. By removing unnecessary barriers, you gain more time and space to focus on what matters most: coaching others to thrive.

Smarter, Simpler Audits = No More Required Upload for CCE Documentation

You no longer need to upload Continuing Coach Education (CCE) documentation when you submit your ICF credential renewal application.

Instead, a percentage of applications will be randomly selected for audit. If yours is chosen, we’ll ask you to provide documentation — like certificates of completion — at that time.

Want to stay ahead? You’re still welcome to upload documentation when you submit your renewal, but it’s no longer required. However, if your application is selected for a random audit, you’ll be asked to provide that documentation. To stay prepared, we recommend keeping your CCE records in your personal files for at least six months after submitting your renewal.

This new process preserves ICF’s high standards while making your renewal experience more efficient and flexible.

A Simpler Path for Renewing Lapsed Credentials

If your credential has lapsed, you now have a clearer, more supportive path to renewal. Renew within 12 months after your expiration date, and you’ll no longer need to calculate or submit additional CCE credits. Instead, just enter your standard 40 CCE credits, submit your application, and pay a one-time $100 USD late fee — in addition to the standard renewal fee ($175 USD for ICF members, $275 USD for non-members).

Once approved, your credential will be renewed for three years from its original expiration date.

This update gives you more time and flexibility to get back on track without sacrificing quality or expectations.

May 22, 2025

Your credential is a meaningful recognition of your growth and expertise, maintaining that hard-earned credential is also important. Based on feedback from ICF credential-holders and candidates, some changes are coming to the credential renewal process. 

These changes will go into effect on November 3, 2025.  

The ICF Credentials and Standards Board has approved the following enhancements to simplify the credential renewal process.  

• Routine Application Audits: Currently, when renewing a credential, you are required to report Continuing Coach Education (CCE) credits in your renewal application and submit documentation for each activity. Beginning November 3, as part of our commitment to maintain high standards, a percentage of renewal applications will be randomly selected for additional review through an audit check. To support this review process, all candidates can upload documentation, such as certificates of completion, for their CCE credits. If your application is selected for audit, you will be required to provide these documents. 

• Lapsed Credentials: If you miss your renewal deadline and the two-month grace period, your credential or certification will lapse. After this time, you have an additional 10 months to renew. Previously, you needed to calculate and submit extra CCE credits for each month your credential or certification was lapsed. However, beginning November 3, those with lapsed credentials or certifications will be assessed a $100 USD late fee. This fee is in addition to the standard renewal cost for your credential — $175 USD for members and $275 USD for non-members. To renew a lapsed credential, you must submit the renewal application, provide the required 40 CCE credits, and pay both the application and late fees. Once submitted and approved, your credential will be renewed for three years from its most recent expiration date. 

These changes will make the experience of applying for an ICF credential or credential renewal more straightforward to navigate than ever before, while maintaining our high standards for coaching knowledge, skill, and practice.