CMP GUIDE

CREDENTIAL
MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM
Updated October 2013

LEED Credential Maintenance Program Guide

COPYRIGHT 2013 Green Building Certification Institute
Information in this Guide represents current policies and procedures for GBCIs Credential
Maintenance Program. Information in this Guide supersedes information contained in any
previously published Guides.
All information and guidelines are subject to change.
Please read and understand the entire Guide including all policies, procedure and consequences.

ABOUT THE GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION INSTITUTE

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) is a third-party organization that provides independent oversight
of professional credentialing and project certification programs related to green building. GBCI is committed to
ensuring precision in the design, development, and implementation of measurement processes for green building
performance (through project certification) and green building practice (through professional credentials and
certificates).
Established in 2008 to administer certifications and professional designations within the framework of
the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED Green Building Rating Systems, GBCI continues to develop new
programs and offer the marketplace validation that building certifications and professional designations
have met specific, rigorous criteria.

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BASICS
Reporting Period ............................................................................................................................................... 1
CE Hours .......................................................................................................................................................... 1
LEED-specific ..................................................................................................................................................... 1
Activities .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Reporting Credential Maintenance ..................................................................................................................... 2
POLICIES
Renewal ............................................................................................................................................................. 2
Fees ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Past due ............................................................................................................................................................... 3
Expiration ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
Audits .................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Failure to comply .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Waivers/extensions .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Reinstatement ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
APPENDICES
A: Multiple Specialties ........................................................................................................................................ 5
B: Prescriptive Credential Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 6
C: Reviews ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

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Reporting Period

Credentials are maintained in 2-year cycles, or reporting periods, starting when the credential is earned
(based on exam or enrollment date) and ending 2 years minus 1 day from the start date.
For example:
Exam or enrollment date/
reporting period start date

Reporting period
end date

Next reporting period

start date

Next reporting period

end date

August 15, 2011

August 14, 2013

August 15, 2013

August 14, 2015

At the end of the 2-year reporting period, LEED Professionals are required to maintain their credential. If
LEED Professionals do not complete and report their continuing education (CE) hours the credential expires.

CE Hours

For CMP, LEED Green Associates complete 15 CE hours, 3 of which must be LEED-specific. LEED APs with
specialty complete 30 CE hours, 6 of which must be LEED-specific. LEED APs with multiple specialties
complete 6 LEED-specific hours for each additional specialty.
GBCI recommends using the LEED credit categories as a guideline to help you determine what constitutes a
green building topic:
Sustainable sites encourages strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water
resources.
Water efficiency promotes smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water
consumption.
Energy & atmosphere promotes better building energy performance through innovative strategies.
Materials & resources encourages using sustainable building materials and reducing waste.
Indoor environmental quality promotes better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.

LEED-specific

All CE hours must be relevant to green building. LEED-specific is defined as an activity that has an explicit
connection to processes, procedures, or concepts (i.e. intents, requirements, and strategies) found in any of
the current LEED rating systems. For LEED APs, LEED-specific CE hours must relate directly to their specialty.
Examples of LEED-specific content include a LEED update, an in-depth LEED project case study, a review of
successful or unsuccessful implementation of LEED, or an analysis of the benefits of LEED.

Installation
of lighting
controls
Typical building task

Installation
of daylight
responsive
lighting
Green building task

Installation
of daylight
responsive
lighting controls
in all regularly
occupied spaces
within 15 feet
of windows and
LEED-specific task

Activities

Continuing education has been carefully adapted to the daily lives of LEED Professionals. Earn hours through
these activities related to green building.

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1. Education (unlimited)
Education should be relevant to green building and in the form of preferred courses and presentations from
registered providers, self-reported courses and presentations, college and University courses, and Greenbuild
International Conference and Expo. LEED-specific credit is given when indicated to GBCI-approved education,
which is found in the USGBC course catalog.. Both participants and instructors receive 1 CE hour per hour of
education, and those who develop content receive 2 CE hours per course.
2. LEED Project Participation (unlimited)
Work on a project registered for LEED certification will count for 1 CE hour per credit. Project administrators
can claim an additional 2 CE hours per project. All hours from Project Participation are LEED-specific.
3. Authorship (unlimited)
Authorship is a credited contribution to a print or digital publication and is worth 3 CE hours for published
article and 10 CE hours for published book. LEED specificity is determined on a case by case basis.
4. Volunteering (no more than 50% of total CE hours)
Volunteering includes participation on the USGBC or GBCI Board of Directors, steering committees, or working
groups; LEED credential exam item writing; local USGBC chapter boards and committees; or other volunteer
organizations that support the LEED system. (Acceptable activities include attending meetings, planning events,
performing research and engaging in governance, among others.) Volunteers can claim 1 hour per hour of
participation. LEED-specific hours are designated for volunteering that is directly related to LEED.

Reporting credential maintenance

To self-report CMP activities,

Log into your Credentials account and select Report CMP Activity.

Renewal

Renewal is available one year into your reporting period. Within 24 hours of renewing, your next reporting
period will appear on your main menu and your badge will be updated in the usgbc.org People directory. You
cannot earn or report CE hours until your new reporting period begins.
You will receive notifications that your reporting period is ending. You have 90 days after the end of your
reporting period to renew without penalty, but all CMP activities must be earned between the reporting
period start and end dates.
To renew:
1. Report required CE hours in your Credentials account, ensuring you have met all requirements
2. Follow onscreen instructions
3. Pay the $50 renewal fee

Maintaining multiple specialties

Leed APs can maintain multiple specialites. LEED APs designate their primary specialty, the specialty in
which they will complete the majority of their CE hours. All other specialties will be designated as secondary
specialties.
LEED APs must complete 30 CE hours in their primary specialty (6 of which must be LEED-specific) and complete
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an additional 6 LEED-specific hours for each secondary specialty.
If you renew early and earn another specialty, your CMP requirements for that specialty dont begin until
your new reporting period.

Fees

LEED Professionals who maintain through CE hours are responsible for the biennial $50 CMP renewal fee at the
time of renewal. Payments will be accepted only in US dollars.

Past Due

Credential Holders will have 90 days to renew and report hours previously earned within their reporting period,
which starts after the reporting period has ended. You will not be able to earn hours during this time. If you
dont report enough hours and successfully renew by the end of the past due period, your credential will expire.

Expiration

LEED Professionals credential(s) will expire if they fail to complete the CMP requirements and submit for
renewal 90 days after their reporting period.

Reviews

5-7% of LEED Professionals who maintain through CE hours are randomly selected to participate in CMP audits.

Failure to comply

Each LEED Professional is responsible for demonstrating full compliance with CMP guidelines. Unsupported,
misstated, or fraudulent reporting of CE hours is a violation of GBCIs Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy.
Such reporting is cause for action by GBCI and may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including
revocation of the GBCI credential. See GBCIs Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy for more information.
Failure to fulfill and/or report the required CE hours for the CMP reporting period will result in expiration of the
LEED Green Associate or the LEED AP with specialty credential. The LEED AP without specialty credential is held in
perpetuity and does not have any credential maintenance requirements or fees.

Waivers/extensions

If unforeseen circumstances prevent you from being able to complete your credential maintenance in your
2-year reporting period, you may request a waiver or extension. Situations that could be recognized by GBCI
as hardship include:
Long term unemployment
Military deployment
Health problems
Death in the family
This list is not exhaustive nor do these circumstances guarantee a waiver or extension. Written requests with
supporting documentation must be received at least 30 days before the end of your reporting period. GBCI
reviews requests on a case-by-case basis and only grants waivers or extensions in situations where you were
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prevented from completing your CMP.

Reinstatement

To regain a credential after expiration, one must apply, register, and retest as a new candidate. Such individuals are
responsible for all applicable fees.

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Appendix A: Prescriptive Credential Maintenance Requirements

Through October 27th, 2013 only, we will offer an alternative path for meeting prescriptive requirements,
through USGBCs Principles of LEED series.
For LEED APs without specialty
1. Register for the free Principles of LEED webinar series online
2. Take the six modules at your own pace, and complete the quizzes at the end of each module by the end
of your current reporting period.
3. When you have completed the series, you will receive your specialty credential. At that time you will
begin your first regular CMP reporting period.
For LEED APs with specialty currently in the prescriptive path
1. Register for the free Principles of LEED webinar series online
2. Take the six modules at your own pace, and complete the quizzes at the end of each module by Oct. 27,
2013.
3. When youve completed the series, your prescriptive requirements will be satisfied and six hours will be
credited to your Credentials account. Your reporting period will convert to a regular CMP reporting period.
4. Complete the remainder of your reporting period with the green building education of your choice: no
categories, no restrictions. Remember, you still need to complete 30 hours total by the end of your existing
reporting period.
What about LEED Green Associates and LEED APs with specialty not in prescriptive?
Other LEED Professionals can earn six LEED-specific CE hours for free through the Principles of LEED series.
Simply register for the series and see your hours automatically reported as your earn them. Green Associates
can choose either the BD+C, ID+C or O+M pathway, but will not receive a new specialty. This opportunity is
available for primary specialties only. To add a secondary specialty, apply for the LEED AP specialty exam in your
Credentials account.
What about LEED APs who failed to complete a specialty in the past?
LEED APs who once enrolled in prescriptive CMP but did not complete their hours are eligible to gain their
specialty again through this program. Follow the above directions for LEED APs without specialty.

Appendix B: Reviews
GBCI audits 5-7% of LEED Professionals who maintain through CE hours and all authorship CE hours. GBCI also
reserves the right to review any CE hours at any time. Within 24-48 hours of renewing, you will be notified if you
have been approved or if you were selected for audit. We will ask you to verify your completed activities with the
appropriate documentation, so be sure to save documentation of hours earned. During this process GBCI hopes to
get a better sense of your experience pursuing CMP activities.