Can I Use My ACC Mentor Coaching Hours Toward My PCC?
Can I Use My ACC Mentor Coaching Hours Toward My PCC?
Updated September 2026
If you've already completed 10 hours of mentor coaching for your ACC — either when you first earned your credential or as part of an ACC renewal — you may be wondering:
Do I have to complete another 10 hours of mentor coaching when I apply for my PCC?
The answer is:
Not necessarily.
Under current ICF guidance, mentor coaching you previously completed for your ACC can sometimes be used toward your PCC application.
The biggest factor is who provided that mentor coaching.
And beginning in 2027, there are a few additional considerations because of the new ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) and Competency Review requirements.
Here's what you need to know.
Can I Use My ACC Mentor Coaching Hours for My PCC Application?
If your previous ACC mentor coaching was completed with an ICF PCC or MCC credential-holder, ICF says those same mentor coaching hours can be used toward your PCC application.
You do not automatically need another 10 hours of mentor coaching simply because you're moving from ACC to PCC.
ICF currently states:
However, ICF also points out an important distinction:
If that mentor coaching was specifically focused on developing your coaching at the ACC level, you may still want additional mentor coaching before applying for PCC so you can evaluate whether your coaching consistently demonstrates PCC-level skills.
That's a recommendation about readiness — not necessarily a requirement to repeat all 10 hours.
What If My ACC Mentor Coach Was an ACC?
That's different.
If the mentor coaching you used for your ACC was provided by an ACC credential-holder, those hours do not satisfy the mentor-coaching requirement for your PCC application.
For PCC, your mentor coaching needs to be provided at the PCC level.
Under the current rules, that means working with a PCC or MCC credential-holder.
Beginning January 1, 2027, any new mentor coaching received for a PCC application must be provided by an MCS-PCC — a PCC-level coach who also holds the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization at the PCC level.
So if your original ACC mentor coaching was with an ACC mentor coach, you should expect to complete a new 10-hour mentor coaching engagement over at least three months with an appropriately qualified PCC-level mentor.
What If My ACC Mentor Coach Was a PCC, But We Worked at the ACC Level?
This is where things get more interesting.
Technically, ICF says that if your previous mentor coaching was provided by a PCC or MCC, those hours may be used toward your PCC application.
But that doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to submit your PCC application.
There is a meaningful difference between:
having 10 mentor coaching hours that satisfy the requirement
and
having coaching skills that consistently demonstrate PCC-level competency.
If your original mentor coaching happened when you were first working toward ACC, the focus may naturally have been:
establishing a clear coaching agreement,
staying in a coaching rather than advising role,
developing stronger listening,
asking open and responsive questions,
supporting client-generated awareness,
and demonstrating the foundational ICF competencies consistently.
By the time you're preparing for PCC, the developmental conversation often changes.
You're no longer asking only:
Am I demonstrating this competency?
You're beginning to look at:
How consistently am I embodying it?
How much am I following the client's language, energy and thinking rather than directing the conversation?
Am I partnering deeply enough?
Where am I still inserting myself into the coaching process?
What differentiates my coaching from solid ACC-level coaching?
So even when your old mentor coaching technically counts, additional PCC-level mentor coaching can still be worthwhile.
What If I Used the Mentor Coaching for an ACC Renewal Rather Than My Original ACC?
The same basic principle applies.
ICF specifically says mentor coaching previously used for either an ACC credential or an ACC renewal can be used toward PCC if it was completed with an appropriately credentialed PCC or MCC mentor coach.
If it was completed with an ACC mentor coach, you would need PCC-level mentor coaching before applying for PCC.
This is one reason your choice of mentor coach during ACC renewal can matter if you already know PCC is somewhere on your horizon.
For example, an ACC coach renewing in 2027 may choose to receive PCC-level mentor coaching from an MCS-PCC.
That can allow the mentor coaching to satisfy the ACC renewal requirement while also developing the coach toward PCC-level competency.
But there is another important 2027 consideration.
What Changes for PCC Applicants in 2027?
Beginning January 1, 2027, any new mentor coaching received for a PCC application must be provided by an MCS-PCC.
The familiar structural requirement remains:
10 mentor coaching hours
completed over at least three months
with at least three hours one-to-one
What changes is who can provide the mentor coaching.
For PCC applicants, new mentor coaching beginning January 1, 2027 must be provided at the PCC level by an MCS-PCC.
There is also a second major change affecting PCC Portfolio applicants.
What Happens to the PCC Performance Evaluation in 2027?
Historically, PCC Portfolio applicants have submitted recorded coaching sessions to ICF for a Performance Evaluation.
That process is changing.
From January 1 through March 31, 2027, PCC Portfolio applicants have two options:
Submit recorded coaching sessions for assessment by ICF assessors under the existing Performance Evaluation process, or
Submit a Competency Review Form completed by an MCS-PCC based on coaching the mentor observed during the mentor-coaching engagement.
Beginning April 1, 2027, the traditional Performance Evaluation route goes away for PCC Portfolio applicants.
At that point, PCC Portfolio applicants must submit a Competency Review Form completed by an MCS-PCC.
This creates an important wrinkle if you're hoping to reuse older ACC mentor coaching.
What If My Old ACC Mentor Coaching Counts — But I Apply for PCC After April 1, 2027?
This is probably the most important transition issue to understand.
ICF says mentor coaching completed under the previous rules continues to be accepted.
So your old qualifying mentor coaching does not suddenly disappear.
However, if you're applying for PCC through the Portfolio pathway after March 31, 2027, you also need the new Competency Review documentation.
ICF's guidance says that someone who completed PCC-eligible mentor coaching under the previous requirements may still use those hours, but will need to work with an MCS-PCC to complete the required Competency Review before submitting the PCC Portfolio application.
In other words:
Your old hours may still count, but you may need additional work with an MCS-PCC to satisfy the new competency-validation requirement.
That's a very different thing from saying you automatically need to repeat 10 hours.
What Is the Competency Review Form?
The Competency Review Form is part of ICF's new approach to evaluating ACC and PCC coaching skills.
Rather than relying solely on one or two coaching recordings submitted at the end of the credential process, ICF is moving toward observing a coach's development across the mentor-coaching engagement.
For PCC applicants using the new pathway, an MCS-PCC observes the coach's actual coaching, documents what they see through the ICF observation process, and ultimately completes a cumulative Competency Review.
The purpose is to validate whether the coach has demonstrated the required competencies at the PCC level.
Beginning April 1, 2027, this replaces the traditional ICF Performance Evaluation for PCC Portfolio applications.
Does This Matter If I'm Just Renewing My ACC Right Now?
Potentially.
If you're renewing your ACC but already know that PCC is your next goal, it's worth thinking ahead.
Let's say you're completing your 10 required ACC renewal mentor coaching hours now.
You could approach those 10 hours in two different ways.
You could work at the ACC level with an eligible ACC-level mentor coach.
That's completely valid for ACC renewal.
Or you could work with an appropriately qualified PCC-level mentor coach and use the engagement to begin developing toward PCC.
Beginning in 2027, that would mean working with an MCS-PCC.
If PCC is genuinely on your horizon, that second option can sometimes make more strategic sense.
You're going to complete the 10 mentor coaching hours anyway.
You may as well consider where you want those 10 hours to take your coaching. You can learn about what mentorship looks like here.
Does Working With an MCS-PCC During ACC Renewal Mean I'm Automatically Ready for PCC?
No.
And I think this distinction is important.
Choosing PCC-level mentor coaching doesn't turn an ACC coach into a PCC simply because 10 hours have passed.
Your PCC application has additional requirements, including the required coaching experience and education, and your coaching itself needs to demonstrate PCC-level competency.
Mentor coaching can help you develop toward that standard.
It doesn't replace the development.
Think of the 10-hour requirement as the minimum structure, not a guarantee of readiness.
Some coaches may be consistently demonstrating PCC-level skills by the end of those hours.
Others may discover exactly what they need to spend the next six months practicing.
Both outcomes can make the mentor coaching valuable.
Should I Get Additional Mentor Coaching Before Applying for PCC Even If My Old Hours Count?
This comes down to readiness rather than compliance.
If you completed mentor coaching several years ago while earning your ACC and haven't had much structured feedback on your coaching since, additional PCC-level mentor coaching may be extremely useful.
I'd especially consider it if:
your previous mentor coaching focused primarily on ACC-level competency,
you haven't had anyone observe your coaching recently,
you're unsure whether your coaching consistently demonstrates PCC-level skills,
you tend to move into advising, consulting or problem-solving,
you're unsure what actually differentiates ACC and PCC coaching,
you're preparing for the new PCC Competency Review process,
or you simply want feedback before putting your credential application together.
The question isn't only:
“Can I reuse these hours?”
It's also:
“Will reusing these hours give me the development and evidence I need to feel ready for PCC?”
Those can have different answers.
A Few Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Your ACC mentor coaching was with an ACC mentor coach
You'll need PCC-level mentor coaching before applying for PCC.
Beginning January 1, 2027, new PCC mentor coaching needs to be with an MCS-PCC.
Scenario 2: Your ACC mentor coaching was with a PCC or MCC
Your previous mentor coaching hours can generally be used toward your PCC application.
If the mentoring was focused only at the ACC level, ICF suggests considering additional PCC-level mentor coaching before applying.
Scenario 3: Your ACC renewal mentor coaching is happening now and PCC is your next goal
Consider working with a mentor who can mentor you at the PCC level.
Beginning in 2027, that means an MCS-PCC.
That allows your ACC renewal requirement to become part of a larger developmental path toward PCC rather than treating the two goals as completely separate.
Scenario 4: You completed qualifying mentor coaching previously but won't submit your PCC Portfolio application until after March 31, 2027
Your previous qualifying hours can still be accepted.
However, you'll also need the required Competency Review Form from an MCS-PCC, so you may need additional observation and competency-review work with a specialized PCC mentor coach before applying.
So, Do I Need Another 10 Hours of Mentor Coaching for PCC?
Here's the simplest answer.
If your ACC mentor coaching was provided by a PCC or MCC:
Your previous hours may be used toward your PCC application. You don't automatically need another 10.
If your ACC mentor coaching was provided by an ACC:
You'll need PCC-level mentor coaching.
If you're receiving new PCC mentor coaching beginning January 1, 2027:
Your mentor needs to hold the MCS-PCC.
If you're submitting a PCC Portfolio application beginning April 1, 2027:
You'll also need the required Competency Review Form completed by an MCS-PCC, even if older qualifying mentor-coaching hours are still being used.
And regardless of what technically counts, it may still be worth asking:
Am I actually ready to coach consistently at the PCC level?
Because that's ultimately the point of the process.
Renewing Your ACC Now but Thinking About PCC?
This is something worth talking about before choosing your mentor coach.
I offer one-to-one mentor coaching for ACC renewal and hold the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization at the PCC level.
That means if you're renewing your ACC but already know PCC is your next goal, we can structure the engagement with that longer-term development in mind.
We'll still make sure you complete your ACC renewal mentor coaching requirement.
But rather than treating those 10 hours purely as a renewal exercise, we can use your real coaching and recordings to look at where you're currently coaching, what you're already demonstrating strongly, and what development would help you move toward PCC-level coaching.
If you're not sure whether previous mentor coaching will count, bring the dates, your mentor's credential level and what the engagement was originally used for to your consultation.
We can start by looking at what you already have.
This article reflects International Coaching Federation guidance available as of September 2026. Requirements are changing in 2027, particularly for PCC Portfolio applications, so always verify current credentialing requirements with ICF before applying.