Renew Your ICF ACC Credential

Step 1: Get started early!

Completing the renewal requirements will take longer than you think. For ACC renewals, 10 hours of qualified Mentor Coaching with an eligible Mentor Coach over a minimum of three months is required. Completing the required CCEs will take time too.

Don't wait to get started.

Step 2: Find out when your coach credential expires

Go here and look up your name to find the date of your credential expiration. If your name is listed and you're within the expiration date, move to the next step. If your name isn't listed, it could mean one of a few things:

• Your credential expired more than 2 months ago, but you can still renew it late. See Step 3 below. 
• Your credential expired more than 12 months ago, in which case you'd need to apply anew. See end of Step 3.
• Or, there could be a mistake in the ICF's listing. Look for your original approval email for the expiration date, or write the ICF Credentials & Standards folks and ask them.

Step 3: ACC, PCC, and MCC renewal requirements

For credentials that have not yet expired:
40 hours of Continuing Coach Education (CCE) in the three years since the initial award of your credential or since your last credential renewal. Of the 40 hours of CCEs required:

1. For all credentials, at least 24 CCEs must be in Core Competencies. At least 3 of these hours must be in coaching ethics. 
2. For ACC renewal only, 10 hours of Mentor Coaching with an eligible Mentor Coach over a minimum of three months in the three years since the initial award of your credential or since your last credential renewal. These 10 hours also count as part of the 24 Core Competency CCEs you need.
3. The remaining 16 hours can be in Resource Development or Core Competencies (see Step 6 below).

For credentials that have expired: (skip to Step 4 if your credential hasn't expired)

Instructions for lapsed credential renewal until November 2, 2025.

If you are unable to submit your credential renewal application by its expiration date, ICF provides a 2-month grace period during which time your credential will remain active and you don't need additional CCE hours to renew.

However, if you are unable to submit your credential renewal application by the end of the 2-month grace period, your credential will lapse and you will not hold an active credential. You will still have an additional 10 months to renew your credential, but you will need to provide an additional 1.2 CCE hours for each lapsed month. 

Below is the list of CCE’s required by month when submitted following expiration date:

Once 12 months has passed from the expiration date of the credential it is now fully expired. In order to reinstate your ICF Credential, you will be required to submit a new credential application rather than completing a credential renewal application.

Instructions for lapsed credential renewal after November 3, 2025.

If you are unable to submit your credential renewal application by its expiration date, ICF provides a 2-month grace period during which time your credential will remain active and you can renew as normal.

However, if you are unable to submit your credential renewal application by the end of the 2-month grace period, your credential will lapse and you will not hold an active credential. You will still have an additional 10 months to renew your credential, but you will need to pay a $100 fee in addition to the renewal fee and turn in the required 40 hours of CCE (see above). Once submitted and approved, your credential will be renewed for three years from its most recent expiration date.

Once 12 months has passed from the expiration date of the credential without renewal, it is now fully expired. In order to reinstate your ICF Credential, you will be required to submit a new credential application rather than completing a credential renewal application.

Step 4: Take the most efficient Core Competency CCEs

Here's a renewal power tip: gather CCEs for your renewal that will also help you reach your next coach credential.

Renewing your ACC:

If you have an ACC up for renewal, you can take courses that are directly part of completing your PCC requirements with our Level 2 Certificate. The advantage to you is, Level 2 training hours count as both Core Competency CCEs (for your renewal) and Level 2 training hours (for your PCC). Once you complete our Level 2 Certificate program, you can use the fastest, easiest, and least expensive ICF PCC application pathway. 

Here's what this looks like for those with an ACC:

Our Level 2 Certificate Program has 4 courses and an assessment on top of your ACC. Each course is 15 training hours. Most people renew their ACC once or twice before they've coached the 500 total client hours required to apply for a PCC. If on your first ACC renewal you take two of our Level 2 courses, one of which is Coaching Excellence (Mentor Coaching), you'll have 30 Core Competency CCEs and you'll be nearly halfway done with your additional PCC requirements. Not only that, you'll have advanced your coaching skills towards a PCC. 

Take a look at the Level 2 Professional Coach Certificate Program courses. All count as Core Competencies.

• Coaching the Whole Person - 15 training hours
• Advanced Partnering in Coaching - 15 training hours
• Coaching Leaders - 15 training hours
• Coaching Excellence for PCC (Mentor Coaching) - 15 training hours, while checking off the 10 mentor coaching hours requirement

What qualifies as mentor coaching?

Coaches applying to renew their ACC Credential are required to complete an additional 10 hours of Mentor Coaching above those hours required for their initial credential. These hours must be completed in the three years since the initial award of the credential or since the last credential renewal, and must take place over the course of at least three months.

Get mentor coaching that will move you to a PCC skill level. There's a large gap between ACC and PCC. It takes expert help and feedback to get to that level. If you're investing time, money, and energy into your mentor coaching, get the best. Our Coaching Excellence (Mentor Coaching) course earns 15 training hours, while checking off the required 10 mentor coaching hours.