How long does the CPACC certification last — and how to renew it

You passed the CPACC exam. Congratulations — now keep it. Here is how the renewal process works and what you need to plan for before your three-year window closes.

How long is CPACC valid?

Your CPACC certification is valid for 3 years from the date you pass the exam. After that, it must be renewed. If you do not renew, the certification expires and you can no longer use the CPACC credential.

This is standard practice for professional certifications — it ensures holders stay current as standards, laws, and technologies evolve.

Two ways to renew

You have two options:

Option 1 — Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits

Earn enough CPD credits during your three-year certification period and submit them to IAAP before your expiration date. This is the path most people take.

Option 2 — Retake the exam

Sit and pass the CPACC exam again. This costs the full exam fee and requires the same preparation, but it does not require tracking CPD credits. Some people choose this route if they have been out of the accessibility field for a period and want to confirm their knowledge is still current.

How CPD credits work

IAAP requires 45 CPD credits over your three-year certification cycle for CPACC renewal. If you also hold WAS, the total is 45 credits combined — not 45 per certification.

What counts as CPD

Activity	Typical credits	Examples
Conferences and events	1 credit per hour attended	CSUN, Axe-con, IAAP webinars, local meetups
Training and courses	1 credit per hour of instruction	Online accessibility courses, university modules
Teaching and presenting	2 credits per hour delivered	Conference talks, workshops you lead, university lectures
Authoring	Up to 10 credits per publication	Accessibility blog posts, articles, book chapters
Mentoring	1 credit per hour	Formal mentoring programmes, accessibility coaching
Accessibility work projects	Up to 5 credits per project	Audits, remediation projects, policy development
Self-study	Up to 5 credits per cycle	Reading books, reviewing standards, studying new guidelines
Volunteer work	1 credit per hour	Contributing to W3C working groups, open-source accessibility tools

Credit values shown are approximate. IAAP provides detailed guidelines and reserves the right to adjust categories and limits. Always check the current CPD policy on the IAAP website.

What does NOT count

• Routine work duties that happen to involve accessibility (your day job is not CPD unless it involves a distinct learning component).
• Repeating the same training you already claimed credits for.
• Activities completed before your certification date.

How to track and submit CPD credits

1. Log activities as you go. Do not wait until month 35 to figure out what you did. IAAP provides a tracking form, but a simple spreadsheet works too — date, activity, hours, credits claimed, and a brief description.
2. Keep evidence. Certificates of attendance, conference badges, presentation slides, published articles, or emails confirming your participation. You may not be audited, but if you are, you need documentation.
3. Submit before your expiration date. IAAP’s renewal portal opens several months before your certification expires. Upload your CPD log and pay the renewal fee.

Renewal fees

Item	Approximate cost (mid-2026)
Renewal fee (IAAP member)	~$100
Renewal fee (non-member)	~$175
Retake exam instead (member)	~$385
Retake exam instead (non-member)	~$550

The CPD route is significantly cheaper than retaking the exam, assuming you have been active in the field.

What happens if your certification expires

If your three-year window closes without renewal:

• Your certification status changes to expired in the IAAP registry.
• You can no longer use the CPACC designation on your CV, LinkedIn, or professional materials.
• You do not lose the knowledge, but you lose the external validation.

To regain the credential after expiry, you must retake and pass the exam. There is no late-renewal grace period for CPD submissions.

A realistic timeline

When	What to do
Month 0	Pass the exam. Start a CPD tracking spreadsheet.
Months 1–30	Accumulate credits through normal professional activity — conferences, writing, training. Most active professionals reach 45 without trying hard.
Month 30	Check your CPD total. If you are short, you have six months to close the gap — attend a conference, write an article, take a course.
Month 33–34	Submit your CPD log and pay the renewal fee through the IAAP portal.
Month 36	Certification renewed for another 3 years. Reset your CPD counter.

Is 45 credits hard to reach?

For most working professionals: no. Attending two one-day conferences per year gives you roughly 16 credits. Add a few webinars, one or two blog posts, and a training course, and you clear 45 well within three years.

The people who struggle are those who pass the exam and then disengage from the field. If you are not attending events, not reading new standards, and not doing accessibility work — you will not have credits because you will not have earned them. The system is working as intended.

“If staying current in your field for three years feels like a burden, the certification may not be the right fit — and that is fine.”

Tips for painless renewal

• Set a calendar reminder at the 12-month and 24-month marks to check your CPD balance.
• Claim credits immediately after an event while you remember the details and have the evidence.
• Attend IAAP webinars — they are free for members, typically one hour, and count as one credit each. Watching a few per quarter builds a steady baseline.
• Write about accessibility. A published blog post or article can earn up to 10 credits and doubles as professional visibility.
• If you are aiming for WAS after CPACC, your WAS study hours count toward CPD. Two goals, one time investment.