Not Ready in Time to Renew Your ICF Credential?

If you have held an ICF credential for three years, you are probably well aware that your credential renewal date is December 31st. What if you haven’t met all of the requirements to meet the deadline?

It’s a common question I hear a lot at this time of year. The ICF credential renewal deadline is almost here, what if I’m not ready in time?

Even though most coaches have worked hard to meet the 40 hour coach training and 10 hour mentor coaching requirements within the three years prior to their renewal, some are caught short close to the deadline. Some even feel a bit confused as to what the requirements are. It’s an easy miss, especially this year when more than a few things have changed. I wrote about the changes to the ICF Credentialing rules in an earlier post.

One challenge frequently pops up when coaches begin their mentor coaching late in the year. Since mentor coaching sessions must take place over no less than three months, some coaches find that they will not be finished mentor coaching before December 31st.

When that happens, I get a lot of questions about extensions. So, I thought I’d go right to the source. I wrote the International Coach Federation directly to get the official word on credential extensions.

My Question for ICF

If a coach has a credential renewal date of December 31st, and the coach will not yet have completed all 10 mentor coaching hours by that time, can the renewal deadline be extended for individual cases, or does the credential lapse?

The Answer from ICF

If a coach whose credential expires this year is not yet ready to submit their renewal by December 31, his or her credential will lapse. However, we do offer a bit of a “grace” period through Feb. 28, after which a coach will need to submit 1.2 additional CCE credits for every month their credential has been lapsed in order to renew. I’m including here a link to information about the renewal process on our website, which provides additional detail:https://coachfederation.org/icf-credential/renew-credential.

For instance, if a coach is not able to complete their mentor coaching until mid-January, but renews immediately thereafter, his or her credential will only be lapsed for a couple of weeks and he/she will not need to submit additional CCEs with their renewal application. If the coach waits until March to renew, however, their credential will be lapsed for two months and he/she will need to submit 41.2 CCEs with their renewal application.

So, Now What?

I’ve always maintained the the best way to grow your skills is to integrate coaching training and mentoring throughout the three years that you hold your credential. Not only does that approach prevent a last minute scramble, but you experience the very real outcome of mastering your craft (and helping your clients in the meantime). That said, life does have a way of making other plans from time to time and intentions don’t always play out the way we hope.

The best way to get caught up is to make a plan. Here’s how:

Check the ICF Website for the latest information on credential renewal and list what you’ve got and what you are missing.

Set a date (your personal goal) for when you want to be sure to have your renewal submitted.

Look for a mentor coach if you need one. Check the ICF Mentor Coach Registry. You can also get group mentor coaching in “Mentor groups”. I have one running now and another starts in the new year. You can check the dates and sign up for my next mentor group here.

Research training programs that provide CCE’s. I recommend WBECS for their wide range of choices.

Need Help Figuring It Out?

Finally, it’s always nice to talk this stuff over with someone else. It’s easier to create a plan when you can bounce ideas around. My grandmother used to say “Many hands make light work”. If you agree, and you’d like some help. Book an ICF Credential Strategy Session with me. One hour and presto – you’ll know what you need to do next!

Off you go now and get started 😉 Yes, you can!!