CPIA Recertification

About CPIA Recertification
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About CPIA Recertification

CPIAs must recertify every five years in order to maintain their certification and to use the CPIA® designation after their name. Recertification may be achieved either by:

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.

Deadlines & Fees

Those who became certified (or recertified) on 2018 are due to recertify in 2023

Recertification by Continuing Education

Certification Date Recertification Application Due Date Certification Expiration Date
Spring 2018 June 1, 2023 June 30, 2023
Fall 2018 December 15, 2023 December 31, 2023

Recertification by Examination

Download the 2023 CPIA exam handbook for more information about the exam.

Member Fee* Nonmember Fee
$350 $475

*PRIM&R Membership includes a variety of benefits, including discounts on PRIM&R programs and certification fees. Learn more on our membership benefits page.

Submit a CPIA Exam Application

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).

Documentation   Download the CE Tracker Download the Recertification Application

CPIAs must complete 50 documented hours of continuing education (CE) that adhere to the recertification guidelines listed below. 

  • 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.
                      + 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).
  • No more than 30 continuing education hours may be earned in a single category with the exceptions of Category 2: participation in IACUC administration-related online training, conferences and webinars (no credit limit) and the additional restrictions noted under categories 9 (exam items) and 12 (local or regional IACUC administration-related networking group meetings).
  • Credit hours must be earned in at least two of the categories described in the "Acceptable Continuing Education Categories" section.

CPIAs must complete 50 documented hours of continuing education (CE) that adhere to the recertification guidelines listed below.

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 recently 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.

As of June 2020, the CPIA Council has lifted the credit restriction for Category 2: Online Training
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.

No more than 30 credits may be earned in a single category with the exception of category 2 (online training and webinars); there are additional restrictions noted under categories 9 (exam items) and 12 (local or regional IACUC administration-related networking group meetings). 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.		 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.

  • 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
Fax: 617.423.1185
Email: registration@primr.org 

 

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.

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.