Credentialing of Executive Coaches

Students
The International Coach Federation has three levels of coaching credentials. Below you will find the names of the ICF credentials and the current requirements to obtain them. Most coaches will obtain their coaching certification from their coach training school and some coaches conclude that this is all the professional certification they need. However, most coaches find that having the ICF independent credential assists them in marketability and landing coaching contracts.

Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

The ICF Associate Certified Coach credential (for graduates of Accredited Coach Training Programs) requires the coach to be a graduate of an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP), which must include at least 125 hours of coach specific training, at least 100 hours of client coaching experience, passage of an oral evaluation (which currently may be completed as part of the training experience) and two reference letters from qualified coaches.

Professional Certified Coach (PCC)

The ICF Associate Certified Coach credential (for graduates of Accredited Coach Training Programs) requires the coach to be a graduate of an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP), which must include at least 125 hours of coach specific training, at least 750 hours of client coaching experience, passage of an oral evaluation (which currently may be completed as part of the training experience) and two reference letters from qualified coaches.

Master Certified Coach (MCC)

The Master Certified Coach credential is for the expert coach with at least 2,500 hours of client coaching experience and 200 hours of ICF approved coach specific training. This credential requires an extremely challenging oral examination. Most coaches will find this credential too challenging to obtain and therefore for practical reasons most executive coaches apply for either the ICF ACC or PCC credential.

Some Notes on Credentialing:

There is also a portfolio application process for coaches who have not completed an accredited training program and want to apply for the ACC or PCC credential but that application process is much more lengthy, time consuming and difficult, hence most coaches seek to graduate from an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program. ICF may change their credentialing requirements for coaches applying for credentialing. Coaches are strongly encouraged to review the official International Coach Federation website for current rules on their credential application process.