NICET Operational Policies
Policy 30. Continuing Professional Development
(Revised March 2008)

2. The certification period is three years (36 months).

1. Certificants with multiple certificates will have the same expiration date for all certificates.

2. When a certification is upgraded to a higher level, the certification period associated with the lower level certification is continued without change.

3. Each certification loses its Active Status on the first day of the expiration month printed on the certificate.

4. Recertification is achieved by accumulating a prescribed number of continuing professional development points (see Exhibit I) within the certification period through professional development activities directly related to the following:

1. Being an active practitioner in the certification practice area.
2. Acquiring additional education pertinent to the certification practice area.
3. Participating in activities which advance or broaden the body of knowledge for the certification practice area.
4. Actively seeking to upgrade certification(s) held and/or actively seeking initial or upgrade certification in related practice areas.
5. Successfully completing a special (certification maintenance) written examination.

5. Activities undertaken to acquire CPD points for a particular certification may be used (in whole or part) to acquire CPD points for other certifications if the activities are nationally recognized as common to the certification practice areas in question.

6. Recertification requires certificants to submit a completed recertification application form, listing all earned CPD credits, and the appropriate recertification processing fee payment to NICET prior to the certification expiration date. Any of these required materials postmarked/shipped after the certification expiration date will be considered by NICET as "late", and affected certifications will be subject to established reinstatement procedures.

7. Information provided on recertification application forms will be processed as follows:

1. A. Information provided will be reviewed for understandability, applicability, and comprehensiveness. Clarifications may be requested.
2. B. Several "on-time" recertification applications will be selected for audit and those certificants will be required to substantiate the claims made on their application forms by way of reproductions of supporting documentation and/or written statements from reputable persons verifying particular activities.
   1. certificants selected for an audit shall be identified by a random sampling plan.
   2. certificants selected for audit will be notified within 30 days of the receipt date of their recertification application at NICET.
   3. audits shall be completed within 45 days of the receipt date of candidates' supporting documentation. If any additional documentation or clarification is required, the candidate will be so notified at that time and will be given a maximum response deadline to maintain any/all certifications in an Active Status.
      

8. The fee for recertification must be paid in advance.

1. The recertification fee is not refundable in whole or in part if recertification is denied.
2. Certificants with more than one active certification shall pay the base recertification fee and an incremental fee for each certification for which application for recertification has been made.

9. CPD activities must be accomplished before the certification expires.

1. The only exceptions allowed for a certificant are:
   1. additional time to acquire CPD points because certificant had to allocate substantial time to a critical need such as military duty, jury duty, or convalescence that arose with essentially no warning and prevented accumulation of the necessary CPD points.
      1. a time extension may be requested at anytime during the certification period and can be held for a maximum of 36 consecutive months, thus interrupting the three-year certification period and moving the expiration date of all certificates held to a later date.
      2. a time extension cannot be requested until after the period of inactivity in the certification practice area(s) equates to what would have been 500 hours of normal employment for the certificant's peers.
      3. a time extension must be requested in writing within 12 months of the start of the period of inactivity in the certification area(s).
      4. certification(s) will automatically expire at the end of the 36-month extension period unless returned to Active Status or placed in Inactive Status.
      5. certification(s) that expire can be regained only by satisfying the criteria specified in Items 12 or 13 below.
      6. return to Active Status must be accomplished within 12 months of the end of the period of inactivity and requires payment of a reactivation fee.
      7. Inactive Status may be requested at any time in accordance with Item 14 below.
   2. additional time to complete an educational activity that commenced prior to the expiration of the certification(s).

10. Candidates who successfully complete the recertification requirements will be issued a certificate and approval letter/wallet card showing the new certification expiration date.

11. Failure to accumulate the required CPD points before the end of the certification period will cause the certification to expire and the certificant's listing of that certification in the directory will be deleted.

12. Reinstatement of an expired certification to Active Status during the three years immediately after the expiration date requires the certificant to:

1. Acquire and provide documentation to support the 90 CPD points required for the certification period that ended with the certification being placed in Expired Status.
   
2. If a candidate can not document all 90 CPD points from the three-year period which ended with the certification being placed in Expired Status, the candidate will be allowed to sit for the special (certification maintenance) written examination to accumulate an additional 60 CPD points for the certification period.
   
3. Pay the recertification fee and a reinstatement fee.

13. Reinstatement of an expired certification to Active Status more than three years after the expiration date requires the certificant to:

1. Submit original documentation of ICET/NICET testing and/or certification to NICET for validation. (Documentation of former test results is required to reinstate certificants' testing records, thus allowing certificants to attain higher level(s) of certification without complete retesting. Documentation of former certification will likely be required to reinstate certification at the former level. Testing records will not be reinstated without proof of former certification.)
2. Successfully complete a special (certification maintenance) written examination for the highest level of certification attained (not the highest level previously passed).
3. Acquire and provide documentation to support 90 CPD points for the most recent, past three years. (CPD points from the required special certification maintenance written examination cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.)
4. If a candidate can not document all 90 CPD points from the most recent, past three-year period, the candidate will be allowed to sit for a second special (certification maintenance) written examination to accumulate an additional 60 CPD points
5. Pay all past-due renewal and/or recertification fees and a reinstatement fee.

Note: Successful reinstatement of an expired certification to Active Status places the certification into the 3-year time period that would have gone into effect if the certification had not expired. If a 3-year time period was not originally assigned, a new 3-year time period will be established based on the date of application for reinstatement. For example, if the original certification was assigned a 3-year time period and expired on 7/1/1999 — the reinstated certification will expire on 7/1/2002. If the original certification was assigned a 1-year time period expiring on 12/31/1993 and the application for reinstatement was received on 8/25/2003 — the reinstated certification will expire on 9/1/2006.

Special Note: Those certificants currently in Expired Status who qualify for Inactive Status under the new eligibility requirements/conditions may elect to be placed in Inactive Status upon payment of all past-due renewal and/or recertification fees and the appropriate reinstatement fee, plus submission of appropriate documentation of previous NICET testing and/or certification (requirements 13A and 13E).

Special Note: Any candidate who has begun retesting and/or become re-certified in accordance with NICET Policy 4 (and wishes to appeal for consideration under this revision to Policy 30) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis against these new conditions, and given credit for all fees paid and/or testing completed.

14. Inactive Status may be requested by certificants with Active Status certification(s) at the end of the certification period if a certificant voluntarily/involuntarily becomes totally inactive in their certification practice area(s) and cannot earn enough points through any/all CPD activities to maintain their certification(s) in Active Status.

Note: Certificants who are still working in their certification practice area(s) but have not earned enough CPD points to qualify for recertification are not eligible for Inactive Status

1. Inactive Status may be requested for one or more certifications held.
2. Inactive Status cannot be requested until the period of inactivity in the certification practice area(s) exceeds 24 months.
   Note: Successful completion of a special (certification maintenance) written examination may be used to compensate for inactive periods of less than 24 months.
3. Written documentation of unemployment, reassignment to work activities outside their certification practice area(s), long-term medical disability, etc. will be required at the time of application for Inactive Status.
4. The fee for Inactive Status will be the same as the current recertification fee.
5. Inactive Status certificants will receive a letter to acknowledge their status (but not a wallet card or wall certificate) and will appear in directories with their certifications appropriately noted as "Inactive".
6. Inactive Status may be continued indefinitely for three-year periods by submitting payment of the recertification fee along with documentation supporting continued Inactive Status.
7. Certification(s) will automatically expire unless maintained in Inactive Status or returned to Active Status.
8. Reinstatement of an Inactive Status certification to Active Status requires the certificant to:
   1. acquire 30 CPD points (from activities other than the special certification maintenance written examination) in the most recent, past 12-month period,
   2. successfully complete the appropriate special (certification maintenance) written exam,
   3. pay a reinstatement fee.
9. If a candidate cannot document all 30 CPD points from the most recent, past 12-month period, the candidate may apply for Provisional Active Status to work and complete necessary CPD activities. Applications must include a signed acknowledgment of the appropriate conditions, limitations and stipulations along with proof of current employment/employability in the specified certification practice area(s). A special fee will be charged for each certification awarded. Candidates will receive an approval letter/wallet card (but not a wall certificate) and will appear in directories with their certifications appropriately noted as "Provisional". Provisional Active Status will be valid for up to one year from the date of application.

15. Retired Status may be elected by certificants with Active Status certification(s) at the end of the certification period if the certificant has attained the age of 55 and retires from all paid employment in and/or related to his/her certification practice area(s).

1. Retired Status requires the submission and acceptance of the recertification application, proof of age, proof of retirement (written statement from employer), and payment of the Retired Status fee.
2. Retired Status will be assigned to all certifications held.
3. Retired Status certificants will receive the NICET Newsletter and will appear in all appropriate NICET directories with certification(s) noted as "Retired."
4. Retired Status may be continued indefinitely for three-year periods by submitting payment of the "Retired Status" fee along with the Application for Continued Technician/Technologist Retired Status Certification.
5. If the certificant elects not to continue in Retired Status, all certifications of record will expire and all test and certification records will be deleted from the database. Reinstating expired certifications is then only possible by satisfying the criteria specified in Item 13 above.
6. Return to Active Status can be accomplished within the first three years of holding Retired Status upon meeting conditions 1 and 2 below. After that period, all test records will be deleted from the database and return to Active Status is only possible by satisfying the criteria specified in Item 14H and 14I above. If multiple certifications are held, all certifications not returned to Active Status will automatically expire.
   1. acquire in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the return to Active Status 30 CPD points for each eligible certification that is to be returned to Active Status.
   2. payment of a proportional amount of the full recertification fee and a reinstatement fee.

16. Implementation of this policy began on January 1, 1996.

1. All active certificate holders were assigned a three-year certification expiration date.
2. All first-time certifications issued July 1, 1997 or later will carry an expiration date of three years after the issue date.

   Note 1: A certification practice area encompasses those activities associated with the certification awarded. For example, if you are certified in Highway Construction — that is your certification practice area. If you are certified in Fire Alarms Systems — that is your certification practice area. If you are certified in Industrial Engineering Technology — that is your certification practice area.

17. Certificants will be notified to renew their certifications on several occasions:

1. First notice will be mailed at least 6 months prior to the expiration date
2. Second notice will be mailed at least 100 days prior to the expiration date.
3. Third notice will be mailed about 30 days after the expiration date.
4. Fourth notice will be mailed about 1 year after the expiration date.
5. Fifth and final notice will be mailed about 2 ½ years after the expiration date.

Continuing Professional Development Points
(Revised October 1997)

I. Point Assignment to Continuing Professional Development Activity Categories:

1. Total points required in the 3-year period for each certification (see Notes 1 & 2 ) 90 (100%)
   
2. Maximum points possible in each activity category
   
   1. Active Practitioner/up to 24 points per year (72 points in 3 years) (80%)
      
   2. Additional Education/up to 45 points in 3 years (50%)
      
   3. Advance Profession/up to 45 points in 3 years (50%)
      
   4. Certification Activity/up to 45 points in 3 years (50%)
      
   5. Pass Special Exam/60 points (67%)

   Note 1: When seeking recertification in more than one certification practice area, 90 points are needed for each certification. Dual counting of points is permissible in most categories where job assignments or point accumulation activities can reasonably be considered as useful or common to multiple certification practice areas (refer to Item #5 of Policy 30). For example, one may be an active practitioner in more than one certification practice area during an employment period and may earn up to 24 points per year for each certification.

   Note 2: The intent of Policy #14, "Qualifying Work Experience," applies to all facets of the recertification policy. The foundation of the NICET certification process is based upon work experience gained in the United States. Equally, the preponderance of CPD points for recertification must be acquired in the United States. This rule applies to "active practitioner" work experience and to all other point-accumulating activities (Additional Education, Advance Profession, and Certification Activity).

II. Point Determination Within Specific Activity Category:

A. ACTIVE PRACTITIONER
An active practitioner is defined as a certificant whose primary employment results in significant time periods performing tasks that are directly associated with the technical aspects of the certification practice area(s). The certificant may function as a hands-on practitioner, as an immediate supervisor, or as a technical projects manager. Primary employment refers to the certificant's main job and is not dependent upon remaining with the same employer. Holding a regular second job (moonlighting) does not provide any active practitioner points even if the second job involves a different certification practice area.

1. Point Earning (Maximum of 24 in 1-year period):
a. 24 points for the certification practice area when primary employment equals or exceeds 1000 hours or 120 work days (whichever occurs first) and involves relevant tasks/activities that occur on a regular basis during the employment period. (A work day is defined as 7 hours or more.)
b. When primary employment is less than 1000 hours or 120 work days, the points earned are calculated by one of the following formulas:

number of hours worked x 24     1000 hours

or

number of days worked x 24     120 days

Points claimed by these formulas are to be whole numbers only (round up allowed for all decimals). No CPD credit is earned when the calculated results are 7 points or less.

B. ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
Additional education is defined as efforts undertaken to advance, broaden, and enhance the certificant's technical knowledge and job skills. These efforts may range from taking a college course for a grade to a less formal company sponsored in-house training session. NICET will not pre-approve courses, seminars or other training efforts for CPD points. It is the responsibility of the certificant to assure that such activities meet the NICET requirements, particularly the requirement that the additional education constitutes professional development for that individual; in other words, it must increase the certificant's knowledge -- not merely cover what should already be known.

1. Point Earning (Maximum of 45 in the 3-year period):

a. college credit courses:

1) 15 points per semester hour;
2) 10 points per quarter hour.

b. offerings with preassigned CEUs:

1) 1 point per 0.1 CEU (10 points per CEU).

c. less formal offerings such as workshops, seminars, distance learning, technical presentations at meetings, and training sessions:

1) 1 point per each contact hour.
a contact hour is defined as the 45 to 60-minute period devoted to the learning effort. Fractional points are not recognized -- a stand-alone 30-minute session has no point value, however a course of two 30 minute sessions (even if sessions are on different days) has a value of one point.

C. ADVANCE PROFESSION
Advance profession is defined as volunteer or for-hire activities such as providing certification practice area expertise to assist committees, task forces, and the like to reach their objectives; making presentations at meetings of others who seek to increase their knowledge of the certification practice area; writing technical research or position papers pertinent to the certification practice area for publication/distribution; serving as an instructor for a training/educational offering pertinent to the certification practice area; participating actively in career day, science fair and related events; writing acceptable NICET certification examination questions; serving on an educational institution curriculum development advisory committee; and participating in professional membership organizations which contribute to the advancement of the certification practice area or the professional role of the engineering technician and the engineering technologist.

1. Point Earning (Maximum of 45 in the 3-year period):

a. Active Committee/Task Force Service
An active committee/task force is defined as one conducting technical business by way of activities such as one or more meetings per year, one or more reports/position papers issued per year, one or more studies/surveys underway per year, etc. Service on an educational institution curriculum development advisory committee is considered to be relevant committee/task force service, as is serving as a NICET certification examination question writer/reviewer. Point earning is as follows:

1) 1 point per month as an officer of an active national committee/task force; 0.75 point per month for an active state/regional committee/task force, and 0.5 point per month for an active local committee/task force.
2) 0.5 point per month as a participating member of an active national committee/task force, 0.375 point per month for an active state/regional committee/task force, and 0.25 point per month for an active local committee/task force.
3) 0.6 point per each NICET certification exam question written and accepted; 0.4 point per each NICET certification exam question reviewed and accepted; up to a maximum of 15 points during the three-year period.

b. Presentations
A presentation is defined as the preparation and subsequent audio, visual, and/or written delivery of technical information or information about the profession to others who are seeking to advance, broaden, and enhance their knowledge and/or job skills. Point earning is as follows:

1) 20 points for being the sole author (10 points for being a co-author) of a published technical paper or instructional materials for a course.
2) 10 points for being the sole author (5 points as a co-author) of a non-published technical paper or instructional materials for a course.
3) 15 points for being the sole author (8 points as a co-author) of a published profession explanation/position paper.
4) 8 points for being the sole author (4 points as a co-author) of a non-published profession explanation/position paper.
5) 5 points for delivery of your paper or presentation to an audience at a scheduled meeting.

c. Course Instructor
A course instructor is defined as a person who meets with and directs a technical educational effort designed for a particular type of student. (A first time offering of a course by an instructor is also covered under 1) and 2) of the "Presentations" category above.) Point earning is as follows:

1) 1 point per each contact hour when conducting a training course which has not been preassigned CEUs.
2) 1.5 points per each contact hour when conducting a training course with preassigned CEUS.
3) 15 points per semester hour (10 points per quarter hour) when serving as the instructor for a scheduled course in a post-secondary educational institution.

d. Career Day Presenter A career day presenter is defined as a person who meets with and explains to students the various aspects of careers in engineering and engineering technology; serves as a judge at a science/engineering fair; is an active volunteer in an Engineers Week event; is an active volunteer in a MATHCOUNTS contest; or actively participates in other related activities. Point earning is as follows:

1) 1 point per participation day, to a maximum of 10 points during the three-year period.
e. Professional Society Activity
Professional society activity is defined as involvement with organizations that exist to promote technical knowledge and techniques pertinent to the certification practice area or that exist to unify individuals in a particular career area. Involvement is further defined as activities which are not specifically covered by the "Active Committee/Task Force Service" category above. Point earning is as follows:

1) 1 point for each year of a society membership held (up to 3 points per society), to a maximum of 12 points. (Caution - a local and a national membership in the same society can only provide 3 points.)
2) 1 point for each local or state meeting attended, to a maximum of 10 points.
3) 2 points for each regional or national meeting attended, to a maximum of 12 points.
4) 2 points for each year of service as an elected regional or national officer, to a maximum to 12 points.
5) 1 point for each year of service as an elected local or state officer, to a maximum of 12 points.
6) 1 point for each year of service in an appointed position at the regional or national level, to a maximum of 6 points.
7) 0.5 point for each year of service in an appointed position at the local or state level, to a maximum of 6 points.

D. CERTIFICATION ACTIVITY
Certification activity is defined as the efforts required to upgrade a NICET certification and/or achieve a certification (NICET or non-NICET) in a related practice area

1. Point earning is as follows (maximum of 45 in the 3-year period):

a. upgrade in the certification practice area:

1) 35 points for achieving an upgrade of the NICET certification during the 3-year certification period
2) 10 points for meeting a higher level exam requirement (but certification not achieved) during the 3- year certification period; or
3) 1 point for each NICET work element passed during the 3-year certification period that can be used to meet the higher level exam requirement (but full exam requirement not met).

b. certification in a related practice area:

1) 25 points for each NICET certification achieved (initial or upgrade) during the 3-year certification period;

a) 8 points for meeting a higher level exam requirement (but certification not achieved) during the 3- year certification period; or
b) 0.5 points for each NICET work element passed during the 3-year certification period that can be used to meet the higher level exam requirement (but full exam requirement not met).

2) 15 points for each NICET-recognized, non-NICET certification achieved during the 3-year certification period.

c. excess work element in the certification practice area:
these work elements must be in excess of those required to meet all higher level exam requirements (through Level IV) and cannot, at any time, be counted under Item D.1.a.3 above.

1) 1 point for each existing NICET work element passed during the 3-year certification period
2) 1 point for each newly-available NICET work element passed during the 3-year certification period through participation in a field test or through regular testing within 2 years of the introduction of the new work elements

E. SPECIAL EXAM
The special recertification exam is defined as a 3-hour written examination designed specifically for the actual certification practice area and certification level (grade).

1. point earning is as follows (maximum of 60 in the 3 year period):

a. 60 points for passing the appropriate NICET special examination for the certification practice area.