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About CPIA® Recertification

CPIAs must recertify every five years. Recertification must be accomplished prior to the certification expiration date to avoid a lapse. If the lapse in certification is greater than six months, a CPIA must take and pass the examination in order to recertify. You must maintain a current certification if you wish to continue using the CPIA® credential after your name. Recertification may be achieved either by:
For guidance on submitting a recertification application, watch this short video!

Deadlines & Fees

Those who became certified (or recertified) in 2019 are due to recertify in 2024.

Recertification by Continuing Education

Candidates should submit their recertification by continuing education application before the due date so there is enough time to process your application and to ensure you have enough eligible continuing education credits before the deadline. Candidates’ credentials are valid during the review process
Certification Date
Recertification Application Due Date
Certification Expiration Date
Spring 2019
June 1, 2024
June 30, 2024
Fall 2019
December 1, 2024
December 31, 2024

Recertification by Examination

Candidates may submit their exam applications on a rolling basis. After candidates’ exam applications are approved, they will be sent an email eligibility notice that contains their 90 day authorization window in which they may test.
Certification Date
Date of Testing must be no later than
Certification Expiration Date
Spring 2019
June 30, 2024 
June 30, 2024
Fall 2019
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2024
Download the CPIA® Exam Handbook and view our CPIA exams webpage for more information about the exam. If you are ready to recertify by exam, submit your application here.
Member Fee*
Nonmember Fee
$350
$475
Note: Beginning January 1, 2025 the pricing for PRIM&R’s certification fees will be $425 for all candidates.
*PRIM&R Membership includes a variety of benefits, including discounts on PRIM&R programs and certification fees. Learn more on our membership benefits page.

Recertification by Continuing Education

Those wishing to recertify by CE should download and complete the CPIA® recertification by CE application and the CE Tracker (recertification candidates should complete the CE Tracker tab on this spreadsheet; credit hours will automatically populate in the credit hours tab).
CIPA® Recertification by Continuing Education Documentation
Download the Recertification Application
Download the CE Tracker

Guidelines At-A-Glance

CPIAs must complete 50 documented hours of continuing education (CE) that adhere to the recertification guidelines listed below.
  • At least 40 hours must be on topics within the CPIA® Body of Knowledge/ Content Outline as it relates to IACUC administration.
CPIA® Body of Knowledge/ Content Outline
  • Up to 10 hours can be on professional development topics not directly related to IACUC administration (examples include leadership/management training and general laboratory animal science topics).
  • All CE credits must be earned after the date the examination was passed, but before the date the certification expires. For those recertifying by CE for a consecutive time, CE credits for the most recent recertification cycle must be earned after the renewal date of the preceding certification term.
  • Credit hours for Categories 1 and 2 are awarded on an hour to hour (1:1) basis, meaning that every hour of classroom learning is equivalent to one continue education credit. Credits are quartered in .25 increments, meaning every 15 minutes is equal to .25 credit hour.
  • No more than 30 continuing education hours may be earned in a single category with the exceptions of Category 2 (online training, conferences, and webinars) and there are additional restrictions noted under categories 9 (exam items) and 12 (local or regional IACUC administration-related networking group meetings).
  • There are no credit restrictions for Category 2 (online training, conferences, and webinars). This allows recertification candidates to earn all their credit hours by participating in eligible webinars, online courses, and virtual meetings. Candidates must still earn 50 eligible continuing education hours in order to recertify; credit limits for other recertification by continuing education categories remain in place.
  • Credit hours must be earned in at least two of the categories described in the "Acceptable Continuing Education Categories" section.
  • The Council for Certified Professionals in IACUC Administration has the discretion to determine the acceptability of continuing education credits.

Acceptable continuing education credits for the 50 hours may include:

Category
Description
Credit Hours Earned
1
Attendance at IACUC administration-related educational programs
1 per hour attended
2
Participation in IACUC administration-related online training, conferences, and webinars
1 per hour attended
3
Participation as an invited speaker in an IACUC administration-related educational program sponsored by a local or national organization
1 per half hour presented
4
Service as a site visitor (e.g. AAALAC or OLAW)
5 per site visit per day
5
Authorship of articles relevant to IACUC administration in peer-reviewed journals (e.g. ILAR, JAALAS, Lab Animal)
10 per published article
6
First authorship or presenter of posters relevant to IACUC administration presented at a meeting
5 per poster
7
Authorship of opinion articles or articles which are not peer-reviewed in journals and are related to IACUC administration (e.g., Contribute an article to ALN or publish a response in Lab Animal magazine's "Protocol Review" column)
2 per published article
8
Authorship of published book chapters relevant to IACUC administration
15 per chapter
9
Item writing for the CPIA exam 2 per 5 questions accepted
(maximum of 10 credits)
10
Attendance at a CPIA exam item review session
10 per entire session
11
Retired

12
Participation in an IACUC administration-related local or regional networking group*
1 per 2 hours attended (maximum of 15 credits)
13
Participation in a self-study program, such as PRIM&R’s Research Ethics Digest animal care and use quiz, AALAS Learning Library modules, and CITI modules. Digest animal care and use quiz, AALAS Learning Library modules, and CITI modules.
1 per quiz; .5 hours for each module (maximum of 10 credits
*Candidates must provide either a certificate of attendance signed by the host/leader of the meeting showing topics and total hours, or a copy of the minutes from the meeting showing attendees, topics, and total hours.

Unacceptable continuing education activities:

  • Accreditation preparation activities
  • Hours spent attending IACUC meetings
  • Training conducted as part of IACUC meetings

Submitting Your Recertification by CE Application

Recertification candidates should email their recertification application, documentation, and CE tracker to certification@primr.org for fastest processing. Please note that candidates’ credentials are valid during the application review process.
If you are recertifying by check, please make out the payment to PRIM&R and send it to the PO Box listed below. Please email your application, documentation, and CE tracker to certification@primr.org and note that payment is forthcoming.
Payment Address: P.O. Box 849502, Boston, MA 02284-9502 Email: certification@primr.org 

Review of Educational Programs for Continuing Education Credit

The CPIA Council is available to review educational programs for continuing education credit. In order to be eligible for CPIA® recertification credit, programs must be on topics found within the CPIA® Body of Knowledge/Content Outline, as it pertains to IACUC administration. Please use this form to submit a review request. While every effort is made to turn these requests around as soon as possible, please allow two weeks for a determination to be made. Please note that submitting a request through this form is the quickest way for your program to be reviewed.
Submit Form

CPIA® Denial of Recertification

Those who are denied recertification by CE because of improper/incomplete documentation may appeal that decision by writing to the Council for Certified Professionals in IACUC Administration, in care of PRIM&R. The letter must clearly describe the reasons why the candidate believes that recertification was improperly denied and include all documentation to support such a claim. This appeal must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the postmark date of the original denial letter. The appeal will be considered by the CPIA Council and written notice of the final decision will be sent to the candidate.  There are no refunds if an audit reveals a problem with the application.