The Association of Clinical Research Professionals

Maintaining Your ACRP Certification

When you maintain your ACRP Certification, you demonstrate a mastery of the core competencies needed to ensure quality and integrity in the clinical research process, all while advancing your professional development and career goals.

As the most recognized and respected endorsement of clinical research competency, ACRP Certification serves as the standard of excellence in a rapidly evolving industry.

As an ACRP Certified professional, you’re among the best and brightest in the industry who are dedicated to quality, integrity, and excellence in clinical research. You have invested a lot of time and resources to earn your ACRP Certification and maintaining your credential shows a commitment to self-improvement and continual growth—so, don’t stop now!

Scroll down for information about recertification methods, earning and recording points, and how to apply.

If you have questions, explore the FAQ page or the ACRP Maintenance of Certification Handbook.

Renew Now

Kail Denison, CCRC, and Cindy Coates, CCRC, reflect on the significance of maintaining their ACRP Certifications for over two decades.

Danyel Carr shares that maintaining her certification for the past 15 years has boosted her credibility and serving on the CCRA certification exam committee is a great way to give back to the industry.

2025 Maintenance Dates and Fees

Members

Early Bird Maintenance Dates and Fee
Spring 2025: February 15 – April 15
Fall 2025: August 15 – October 15

$225

Regular Maintenance Dates and Fee
Spring 2025: April 16 – May 31
Fall 2025: October 16 – November 30

$250

Nonmembers

Early Bird Maintenance Dates and Fee
Spring 2025: February 15 – April 15
Fall 2025: August 15 – October 15

$300

Regular Maintenance Dates and Fee
Spring 2025: April 16 – May 31
Fall 2025: October 16 – November 30

$325

Join & Save

Joining ACRP helps you save money. More importantly, ACRP is where you will find the very best of what you need to design a career path that’s uniquely your own. Connections through an engaged community. Growth through gold-standard training. And elevation through rigorous certification.

Explore ACRP Membership >

Dual Certification Discount – If you have earned two ACRP credentials, you can maintain both at the same time. By maintaining together, you only need to report a total of 24 points and the expiration dates for both credentials will advance by 2 years. Plus, you will save $50 on application fees! If you hold three or more ACRP credentials, please contact us to discuss options.

Maintaining is Easy!

Just follow these 3 steps; scroll down for details about each.

Determine Your Recertification Method

Earn and Report 24 Continuing Education or Involvement Points

Submit Your Application and Payment

Determine Recertification Method

CCRAs, CCRCs, ACRP-CPs

  • 12 Points from Research-Specific Continuing Education

  • 12 Points from Research/Healthcare Continuing Education or Continuing Involvement

CPIs

  • 8 Points from Research-Specific Continuing Education

  • 12 Points from Continuing Involvement

  • 4 Points from Continuing Education and/or Continuing Involvement

Continuing Education

There are two types of continuing education relevant to your certification:

  • Research Specific: Research topics are defined as those that cover the actual “practice” of clinical research. Examples include Informed Consent, Ethics, GCP, Regulatory Affairs, etc.

  • Disease/Bodily System/Healthcare Specific: Topics deal with the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical well-being. Examples of this can include Oncology, Psychiatry, results of trial studies, etc.

Continuing Education Requirements >

Continuing Involvement

Continuing Involvement is participation in a capacity other than learning, including but not limited to: attending a meeting; serving/volunteering; presenting information; or providing oversight. Examples include attendance at Investigator Meetings, Site Initiation Visits, inclusions on a 1572, authoring a journal article, etc.

Continuing Involvement Requirements (CCRA, CCRC, ACRP-CP) >

Continuing Involvement Requirements (CPI) >

If you would prefer to re-test to maintain your ACRP Certification, you may do so as long as you take and pass the exam prior to your maintenance deadline. Submission of maintenance application and related fees are required.

To apply to retest, please complete and submit the Maintenance by Examination Form.

In-Person Testing

Find Test Centers Near You >

Schedule Your In-Person Exam >

Remote Testing

Schedule Your Remote Exam >

Check System Requirements >

Earn & Report Points

ACRP offers a wide variety of on-demand educational resources to help you earn continuing education points. And by participating in ACRP’s on-demand courses your points are automatically reported back to your record, saving you the additional step of having to report your points.

Browse ACRP Course Catalog >

Popular: ACRP Home Study

One of our most-popular resources for continuing education points, ACRP’s Home Study tests are offered through Clinical Researcher. Simply read the articles, answer the questions, and earn your points.

Home Study >

Popular: ACRP Online Conference Library

Another popular resource is our vast library of recorded content from the ACRP annual conference. Spanning 2021, 2022, and 2023 the Online Conference Library features hundreds of short sessions that you can experience over time to collect your points.

Online Conference Library >

If you participate in ACRP’s on-demand educational programs, earned points will automatically be added to your record after completing the course evaluation.

If you are reporting points earned through other activities, please follow these steps:

  1. Visit Your ACRP Profile >

  2. Click the blue ‘Certification’ button at the top of the screen. 

  3. Click the ‘Activities Points’ Tab. 

  4. Use the blue ‘Add Continuing Education Points’ and ‘Add Continuing Involvement Points’ buttons to record your Maintenance activity points. 

  5. Enter the following information about each activity: Activity Type (Research, Healthcare, or Other); Provider; Activity Name; Activity Length; Activity Points; and Date Completed. 

How to Apply

  1. Visit Your ACRP Profile >

  2. Under ‘My Account Links’ in the right-hand navigation, click the ACRP Certification you are maintaining.

  3. If you have all of your required points entered into your account, click the blue button that reads ‘Submit Maintenance Fee.’ If you are missing points, please add them at this time. You cannot submit your application and payment unless all 24 points have been added.

Apply for the exam by completing and submitting the Maintenance by Examination Form. Only the exam fee is required; the application fee is waved in consideration of your existing ACRP Certification.

After successfully passing the exam, apply for maintenance according to the regular process and deadlines by simply submitting your application and uploading a copy of your exam score report.

Find a Test Center > 

Schedule Your Exam >

ACRP conducts a random audit of maintenance applications each cycle. Candidates whose applications are selected for audit will be notified by email, along with a request for copies of completion certificates and/or other documentation substantiating the points you reported. If you do not comply with the request, or it is determined that the submission does not meet the requirements, ACRP may revoke your certification.

Resources & FAQs

We strongly encourage you to thoroughly review the Maintenance of Certification Handbook. This document includes full details about recertifying.

Why do I have to renew my ACRP Certification?

The goal of the Maintenance of Certification process is to ensure, as much as possible, the continuing competence of each credential holder and maintain the professional standard of those engaged in clinical research. The purpose of the continuing competency requirements established by the Academy of Clinical Research Professionals are that credential holders continue to: obtain current professional development information; explore new knowledge in specific content areas; master new clinical research-related skills and techniques; enhance approaches to effective clinical research, both within their specific job role and beyond; further develop professional judgement; and conduct clinical research in a safe and ethical manner.

When do I have to maintain my ACRP Certification?

ACRP-CP, CCRC, CCRA, and CPI credential holders are required to maintain their credentials every two years. To check the expiration date of your credential(s), please visit your ACRP profile and select your certification program under ‘My Account Links’ in the right-hand navigation.