Maintaining Certification
Certification Maintenance Fee FAQ | Code of Professional Practice | Professional Development Hours | Reinstatement Application Form
NEW ~ Update to Certification Maintenance Fees Takes Effect for 2013
The certification maintenance fees that are due on January 31, 2013 will include a $10 increase. Certified Child Life Specialists who are also CLC members will pay $40 and non-members will pay $60 to maintain their credential. These fees are due by January 31st of each of the first 4 years of the 5-year certification cycle. The invoices that will be sent via email in late December will reflect this change.
Certified Child Life Specialists are required to pay certification maintenance fees in order to keep their certification status active. These fees help to fund the general administration of the certification program, which includes activities such as: periodic practice analyses; accurate record keeping; and communication about certification.
Certification maintenance fees are due by January 31 of the first four years of the five-year certification cycle.
- For example, if you passed the Spring or Fall 2012 exam, your first annual maintenance fee payment is due by January 31, 2013. If you recertified during 2012, your first annual maintenance fee payment for your new cycle is due by January 31, 2013.
- After January 31, a $25 late fee is added.
- CCLSs are permitted to pay their maintenance fee plus the late fee during a 60-day grace period (February 1 - March 31).
- Certificants are sent reminders via email when certification maintenance fees are due, so it is important for each individual CCLS to keep the Child Life Council informed of changes to contact information. Certificant records and contact information may be viewed and updated online by logging in to the CLC User Profile.
- Certificants who fail to submit maintenance fees will lose the CCLS credential and must begin the certification process anew by meeting the current eligibility requirements and sitting for the examination.
Certification Maintenance Fees
Standard Fees
CLC Members: $40.00 U.S. per year
Non-members: $60.00 U.S. per year
Fees if paid between February 1 - March 31 (Late)
CLC Members: $65.00 U.S.
Non-members: $85.00 U.S.
Pay Online
To pay your certification maintenance fees online, please log in to your CLC User Profile. If you have a payment due, a link to pay certification maintenance fees will appear on your profile page. Click on the link and follow the on-screen directions to submit a credit card payment.
Lapsed Certification Due to Non-Payment of Maintenance Fees
If a maintenance payment is not received by March 31, the CCLS will go into an “Inactive” status for up to 9 months (April 1 until December 31).
- While “Inactive” the individual is not permitted to use the CCLS credential and will not be listed in the CCLS Directory on the CLC Web site.
- An individual may return to an “Active” status by applying for reinstatement.
- In order to have certification reinstated, the individual must pay the maintenance fee, the late fee, and a $50 reinstatement fee.
- Being in the “Inactive” status does not affect the certification cycle end date. It does NOT extend the deadline for recertification.
- If no Reinstatement Application
and payment is received by December 31, certification is lapsed and the individual is notified by a method that requires a signature upon receipt that she is no longer a Certified Child Life Specialist. To regain the CCLS credential, an individual with a “Lapsed” certification status must re-establish eligibility for, and take and pass, the Child Life Professional Certification Exam.
For more information or additional clarification on certification maintenance, please review Certification Maintenance Fee FAQ.
If you have questions about your payment status, please contact certification@childlife.org.
Keeping Up With Professional Development Hours
For those certificants who intend to recertify by Professional Development Hours (PDHs) at the end of their five-year certification cycle, an important aspect of maintaining certification is continually working toward the minimum 50-hour PDH requirement. Learn More about Professional Development Hours.
Code of Professional Practice
The Child Life Certifying Committee recently introduced a new Code of Professional Practice, which addresses ethical dilemmas, behavior that reflects on the child life profession, and conduct that may put the general public at risk. All Certified Child Life Specialists will be required to provide confirmation of their consent to abide by the code prior to the end of 2013, and they will be asked for their continued agreement at critical points in the certification process. For more information, please review the complete Code of Professional Practice