Renew your credential online or with the PDF application, up to three months before it expires.
The steps
Check your requirements
Each credential has its own hours and fee. Your credential's page lists them under "Keeping your certification current", and Recertification requirements & fees lists them all.
List your training
Record the training you completed during your two-year period on the application. Don't send certificates: if you are selected for a random audit, PCB will ask for copies.
Apply
You can recertify up to three months before your expiration date. Apply online through your PCB account (you need an approved account), or download the PDF application, type in it, and email, mail or fax it. Choose only one way to submit.
Earliest: 3 months before
Pay
Pay the recertification fee. If your employer is paying separately, make sure your name is on the payment. Your recertification is processed once payment is received.
If your credential has expired
Since January 1, 2026 there is no "lapsed" status: a credential is active or expired. You can still recertify for six months after your expiration date, with an additional late fee. After six months, contact PCB to reapply.
Common recertification questions
How am I notified that I have a credential needing to be recertified?
Email notifications are exclusively used. If we do not have a current email address for you, you will not receive any notice. You are responsible for notifying us if your email address changes. Further, it is always the responsibility of the certified professional to be aware of an expiring credential and to take the necessary steps to recertify on time, regardless of any formal notification.
Do I send in copies of my training certificates with my Recertification Application?
No, training certificates are not to be sent in with your Recertification Application. Instead, you will list the trainings you have received over the two-year time frame. If you are randomly selected for a recertification audit, you will be notified in writing and at that time you will be required to submit photocopies of your training certificates. If you send in copies of your certificates of completion for trainings with your Recertification Application, these will not be reviewed at the time of your recertification and will be discarded.
I have more than one credential and they expire on different dates? Is there any way to align them so they have the same expiration date?
Yes, you may change a subsequent credential expiration date to match the expiration date of your primary (first) credential. Click here for the Expiration Date Change Form.
Is an ethics training required each time I recertify?
Yes, a three-hour ethics training is required every two years to recertify for all credentials EXCEPT the CRS and CFRS. CRS/CFRS requires 6 hours in ethics and 3 hours in confidentiality every two years.