ICF ACC Renewal Requirements for 2027: The Complete Checklist
ICF ACC Renewal Requirements for 2027: The Complete Checklist
Updated September 2026
If your ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential expires in 2027, you might be looking at the renewal requirements and wondering exactly what you need to complete, especially with several ICF credentialing changes taking effect on January 1.
The good news is that the basic ACC renewal requirements are not being completely overhauled in 2027.
You still need 40 Continuing Coach Education (CCE) credits, including your required 10 hours of mentor coaching.
The biggest change for ACC renewal is who can provide new mentor coaching beginning January 1, 2027.
Here's the complete breakdown.
ACC Renewal Requirements for 2027: Quick Checklist
To renew your ICF ACC credential, you'll need:
40 total Continuing Coach Education (CCE) credits
At least 24 CCE credits in Core Competencies
At least 3 of those Core Competency credits in Coaching Ethics
10 hours of mentor coaching
Your mentor coaching completed over a minimum of 3 months
At least 3 of the 10 mentor coaching hours completed one-to-one
Beginning January 1, 2027, any new mentor coaching must be provided by an appropriately qualified ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) holder
The remaining 16 CCE credits may be either Core Competencies or Resource Development
One really important clarification:
You do not need 40 CCE credits PLUS another 10 hours of mentor coaching.
Your 10 mentor coaching hours count as 10 of your required 24 Core Competency CCE credits.
ICF currently breaks the 40 credits down as:
24 Core Competency credits:
3 Coaching Ethics credits
10 mentor coaching credits
11 additional Core Competency credits
Plus:
16 additional credits that can be either Core Competencies or Resource Development.
That's your 40.
How often do I need to renew my ICF ACC?
ICF credentials are renewed every three years.
The CCE credits you use for renewal generally need to have been completed during the three years since your ACC was originally awarded or since your most recent credential renewal.
You can find your credential expiration date by logging into your ICF profile and looking under My Credentials.
You don't have to wait until the final few weeks to submit, either.
ICF currently allows credential-holders to submit their renewal applications up to 10 months before their credential expires, and says renewal applications are typically reviewed within approximately six to eight weeks.
That means there's very little advantage to leaving everything until the last minute.
And with ACC renewal specifically, there is one requirement that makes last-minute planning particularly difficult:
your 10 mentor coaching hours must take place over a minimum of three months.
How many CCE credits do I need to renew my ACC?
You need 40 Continuing Coach Education credits during each ACC renewal cycle.
At least 24 must be Core Competency credits.
The remaining 16 can be either Core Competency or Resource Development credits.
Think of it this way:
Your 24 Core Competency credits
These need to include:
3 Coaching Ethics credits
ICF offers a complimentary ethics course that can be used to fulfill this requirement.
10 mentor coaching hours
These count as 10 Core Competency credits.
11 additional Core Competency credits
These can come from other qualifying professional development related to the ICF Core Competencies.
Your remaining 16 credits
These can be:
additional Core Competency credits,
Resource Development credits,
or a combination of both.
So if you love taking competency-focused coach education, there is nothing stopping you from having substantially more than 24 of your 40 credits in Core Competencies.
Twenty-four is simply the minimum.
What is the difference between Core Competency and Resource Development CCEs?
This can feel a little confusing when you first start looking at your renewal tracker.
Core Competency CCEs are education and development directly connected to your coaching competence and the ICF Core Competencies.
That might include ICF-accredited coach education, relevant courses, workshops, ICF chapter programming or other qualifying professional development focused on coaching skills.
Resource Development is broader professional development that contributes to your work as a coach but isn't directly focused on the ICF Core Competencies.
For example, ICF has historically included areas such as business development, coaching tools, assessments and personal or professional development in this category.
When you're signing up for a course specifically because you need CCEs, check the provider's certificate or program description to see how many credits are Core Competency versus Resource Development.
They aren't interchangeable when you're trying to reach that minimum of 24 Core Competency credits.
Do I need 10 hours of mentor coaching to renew my ACC?
Yes.
This is not just something you complete when you first earn your ACC.
ICF requires an additional 10 hours of mentor coaching for each ACC renewal cycle.
Those 10 hours must:
take place over at least three months,
include at least three hours of individual mentor coaching, and
focus on your development as a coach in relation to the ICF Core Competencies.
The other seven hours can be completed individually or through qualifying group mentor coaching.
This is one of the most important pieces to plan early.
If you discover a few weeks before your ACC expires that you still need all 10 mentor coaching hours, you cannot simply book 10 hours over the next two weeks and finish the requirement.
The developmental period matters.
What is changing with mentor coaching for ACC renewal in 2027?
This is the significant 2027 change.
The 10-hour requirement itself isn't changing.
The minimum three-month period isn't changing.
The minimum three individual hours aren't changing.
What's changing is who is eligible to provide new mentor coaching.
Beginning January 1, 2027, ICF requires new mentor coaching to be provided by someone who holds the appropriate ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS).
For an ACC coach, that means you can receive:
ACC-level mentor coaching from an MCS-ACC
or
PCC-level mentor coaching from an MCS-PCC.
This is worth checking before hiring a mentor coach if any portion of your mentor coaching will take place in 2027.
I've written a separate guide explaining this change in detail: Do I Need an MCS Mentor Coach for ACC Renewal in 2027?
What if I complete my mentor coaching in 2026?
Here's another important piece of the transition.
If your ACC expires in 2027, you can complete your qualifying mentor coaching in 2026 and use it toward your 2027 renewal.
ICF has explicitly confirmed that mentor coaching completed under the existing requirements before January 1, 2027 can still be used for future credential renewals.
You don't lose those hours simply because the MCS rules change.
I've covered this scenario in much more detail here: My ACC Expires in 2027: Can I Complete My Mentor Coaching in 2026?
Where you need to be more careful is if your mentor coaching crosses into 2027.
Any new mentor coaching you receive beginning January 1, 2027 needs to meet the new MCS eligibility requirement.
If you know your engagement is likely to span both years, choosing an MCS-qualified mentor coach from the beginning can make this much simpler.
Do I need to submit a coaching recording to renew my ACC in 2027?
No — not simply because you're renewing your ACC.
This is probably one of the biggest areas of confusion around the 2027 changes.
ICF is changing how coaching competency is evaluated for certain new ACC and PCC credential applicants, particularly through the Portfolio pathway.
Beginning in 2027, those applicants are transitioning from the traditional Performance Evaluation process toward an enhanced mentor-coaching process involving observed coaching and Competency Review Forms.
But that is a change to credential applications.
It is not a new performance evaluation requirement for ordinary ACC renewal.
If you already hold your ACC and are simply renewing it, you are not required to submit a new coaching recording to ICF as part of your ACC renewal application.
Do I need the new Session Observation and Competency Review Forms for ACC renewal?
Again, no.
ICF specifically addresses this in its 2027 renewal guidance.
The new MCS Session Observation Forms and Competency Review Forms are not required for ACC renewal applications.
You and your mentor coach may still choose to use those tools developmentally.
And if you're using your mentor coaching as part of preparing for a future PCC Portfolio application, the documentation may become particularly useful.
But don't confuse:
renewing your existing ACC
with
applying for a new ACC or PCC credential through a pathway that requires competency assessment.
Those are different processes.
Should my mentor coach still review recordings if I don't have to submit one?
They certainly can — and I think there can be enormous value in it.
There is a difference between:
“ICF requires me to submit a recording”
and
“A recording would help my mentor coach give me meaningful feedback.”
Mentor coaching is supposed to focus on your actual coaching development.
Working with real examples of your coaching can help you move beyond general questions like:
Am I asking good questions?
Am I coaching at the ACC level?
Do I interrupt too much?
Am I moving into consulting?
Instead, you and your mentor can examine what actually happened in the coaching conversation.
Where did the client generate new awareness?
Where might you have subtly led them?
Where did you stay curious?
Where did you move toward solving?
Where did you miss something the client offered?
What patterns show up across several sessions?
That's where mentor coaching becomes much more valuable than simply checking off 10 hours.
Do I have to take the ICF exam again when I renew my ACC?
No.
ICF states that credentialing exams are required for new individual credential applications, not for credential renewals.
So your ACC renewal is not a repeat of your original credential application.
You're demonstrating ongoing professional development through your CCEs and completing the ACC-specific mentor coaching requirement.
Do I need more coaching experience hours to renew my ACC?
Your ACC renewal requirements are focused on your CCEs and required mentor coaching rather than repeating your original credential application process.
You are not submitting another initial ACC application.
That's another reason it's helpful to separate questions about:
earning an ACC
from
renewing an existing ACC.
A lot of search results and ICF updates discuss both groups at once, which can make the process sound considerably more complicated than it is.
When should I start my 10 mentor coaching hours?
I recommend working backward from your ACC expiration date and giving yourself significantly more than the bare minimum.
Your mentor coaching has to span at least three months.
But three months is the minimum — it doesn't have to be the goal.
Starting earlier gives you space to actually use the mentor coaching as a developmental process.
You can:
receive feedback,
experiment in your coaching,
bring another recording,
notice what changed,
work on another competency,
and allow your coaching to develop between sessions.
It also gives you room for real life.
Clients cancel.
You get sick.
Your mentor takes a vacation.
December happens.
Trying to engineer exactly three months with no margin is possible, but rarely necessary.
I've written a full guide about this too: When Should I Start My 10 Mentor Coaching Hours for ACC Renewal?
How early can I submit my ACC renewal?
ICF currently allows you to submit your renewal application up to 10 months before your credential expiration date.
Your renewal application is available through your ICF profile, and ICF encourages credential-holders to add CCE credits as they earn them rather than scrambling to recreate three years of professional development at the end.
That's a habit I strongly recommend.
Every time you complete qualifying education, save:
the certificate,
the date,
the provider,
the number of CCE credits,
and whether those credits are Core Competency or Resource Development.
Future-you will be very grateful.
Do I need to upload every CCE certificate when I renew?
ICF's current renewal process does not require you to upload all of your CCE documentation when you submit your renewal, although applications may be selected for audit.
ICF therefore recommends keeping your documentation in your own files after submitting your renewal.
I would keep your certificates organized regardless.
It's much easier to have the documentation and not need it than to reconstruct three years of training after an audit request.
How much does ICF ACC renewal cost?
As of September 2026, ICF lists the ACC renewal fee as:
$175 USD for ICF members
and
$275 USD for non-members.
ICF membership itself is not required simply to hold or renew an ICF credential, but members receive the lower credential renewal fee.
Because fees can change, check ICF directly before submitting your renewal application.
What happens if I miss my ACC renewal deadline?
Don't panic — but don't ignore it either.
ICF currently provides a two-month grace period after your credential expiration date during which you can submit your renewal without a late penalty.
If you still haven't renewed by the end of that grace period, your credential lapses.
ICF currently gives you an additional 10 months to renew a lapsed credential. During that period, you need to complete the normal renewal requirements and pay a $100 USD late fee in addition to the standard renewal fee.
Once 12 months have passed since your credential expired, it is considered fully expired.
At that point, you can no longer simply renew it. You need to submit a new credential application.
So while missing your exact expiration date isn't necessarily catastrophic, I wouldn't intentionally use the grace period as part of your renewal plan.
What if I'm close to qualifying for PCC?
This is worth considering before automatically renewing your ACC.
ICF currently notes that if you apply for a higher credential level within one year of your current credential's expiration date, your existing credential status can be extended for up to 12 months while the higher-level application is reviewed.
So if you've accumulated the required coaching experience and education and you're genuinely close to PCC eligibility, it may be worth reviewing your options before paying for an ACC renewal.
But remember that applying for PCC is a new credential application, not an ACC renewal.
The requirements are different.
And if you're considering the PCC Portfolio pathway in 2027, the new MCS observation and Competency Review requirements become much more relevant.
What else changes for renewal in 2027?
The MCS eligibility change is the most relevant change for ACC coaches completing their required mentor coaching.
ICF is also changing eligibility requirements for coaching supervision received beginning January 1, 2027.
If you're using coaching supervision as professional development toward your renewal, make sure the supervisor meets ICF's updated 2027 eligibility requirements. ICF says supervision received from January 1, 2027 onward must come from someone who holds the ICF Coaching Supervisor Specialization (CSS) or an eligible supervision credential/accreditation from another professional body.
Coaching supervision is not required for an ordinary ACC renewal, though, so don't add it to your checklist simply because you've heard about the new CSS.
My ACC Renewal Checklist for 2027
If your ACC expires in 2027, here's the checklist I'd use.
Check your deadline
☐ Log into your ICF account
☐ Find your exact ACC expiration date
☐ Work backward from that date
Review your 40 CCE credits
☐ Confirm you have or are working toward 40 total CCE credits
☐ Confirm at least 24 are Core Competency credits
☐ Confirm at least 3 Core Competency credits are in Coaching Ethics
☐ Confirm you will have 11 additional Core Competency credits beyond ethics and mentor coaching
☐ Confirm your remaining 16 credits are qualifying Core Competency or Resource Development credits
Complete your mentor coaching
☐ Complete 10 mentor coaching hours
☐ Make sure the engagement spans at least 3 months
☐ Complete at least 3 hours one-to-one
☐ Confirm your mentor coach is eligible to provide the hours
☐ If receiving mentor coaching on or after January 1, 2027, confirm your mentor holds the appropriate MCS
☐ Save your mentor coaching documentation
Get organized
☐ Save your CCE certificates and records
☐ Record whether each credit is Core Competency or Resource Development
☐ Complete your ethics requirement
☐ Review your renewal application well before the deadline
Submit
☐ Submit your ACC renewal application
☐ Pay the applicable renewal fee
☐ Keep your supporting documentation in case your renewal is selected for audit
And that's it.
Not 40 CCEs plus another 10 mentor coaching hours.
Not three new recordings.
Not a new ACC exam.
Not a new Competency Review Form simply because it's 2027.
For most ACC coaches, the requirement is much simpler once you separate ACC renewal requirements from all of the changes happening to new credential applications.
Still need your 10 mentor coaching hours for ACC renewal?
This is the part of ACC renewal I specialize in.
I offer one-to-one ICF mentor coaching for coaches renewing their ACC credential.
I'm an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and hold the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization at both the ACC and PCC levels.
My full ACC Renewal Mentor Coaching package includes all 10 required hours of one-to-one mentor coaching completed over a minimum of three months.
We'll make sure the practical renewal requirement gets completed — but I don't want you spending 10 hours simply checking a box.
We'll work with your real coaching, recordings when they're useful, the ICF Core Competencies and specific feedback so that you can actually see how you're coaching and where you're ready to develop next.
If your ACC expires in 2027, you can learn more about my ACC Renewal Mentor Coaching program or book a consultation.
If you bring your credential expiration date and what you've already completed, we can start by looking at your timeline.
This article reflects International Coaching Federation requirements and published transition guidance available as of September 2026. ICF credentialing requirements, fees and policies can change. Always verify current requirements directly with ICF before submitting your renewal.