Home ›

Maintain Your LEED Credential

This guide reviews how to maintain your LEED credential after you have passed the exam.

Download the latest fact sheet and learn the answers to these commonly asked questions regarding maintaining one's LEED Green Associate or LEED AP Credential:

What is the Credential Maintenance Program?

The Credential Maintenance Program (CMP) was launched in August 2009. It was implemented so that LEED Green Associates and Accredited Professionals continue to expand their knowledge of green building after passing the LEED exam. On a continuing 2-year cycle, LEED GA’s and AP’s must accumulate a certain number of Continuing Education (CE) hours.

When is the reporting period?

For LEED Green Associates and LEED AP’s who passed a specialty exam after August 3, 2009, the two-year reporting period begins on the date of the exam. For those who passed the exam before August 3, 2009, the reporting period end date is August 2, 2011.

What are the requirements?

LEED Green Associates

LEED Green Associates must complete and report 15 CE hours each reporting period. 3 of these hours must be LEED specific. These hours may come from any of the 8 methods listed below (See “How to Obtain CE Hours”). There is also a biannual $50 fee.

LEED AP's Without Specialty

For those who passed the LEED AP exam prior to July 1, 2009, GBCI provides an enrollment window between fall 2009 and October 27, 2011. Enrollment is a one-time process through which you will earn a specialty designation based on the exam you took. For instance, if you passed the LEED NC v2.2 exam and enroll in the LEED Credential Maintenance Program, you will earn the LEED BD+C Specialty (the current version of NC). During this enrollment period, you must either pass a new specialty exam OR complete prescriptive CMP requirements within a specialty. After you earn a specialty, you will be required to maintain it every two years.

Do I have to enroll if I do not have a specialty? Enrollment is optional. If you choose not to enroll, there is no fee and you will continue to be listed as a LEED AP without specialty in the LEED Professional Directory and will hold the credential in perpetuity.

Why enroll? Obtaining a specialty and participating in credential maintenance will keep you up-to-date with changes in green building technology and the LEED Rating System. It will also allow you to market yourself using a specialty logo. There is no telling at this point how the market will respond, but having a specialty may give you an edge as the pool of 130,00+ LEED Green Associates and LEED AP’s continues to grow. If you decide to get your specialty after the enrollment period has ended, you will have to retake both portions of the exam, not just the specialty portion.

How to enroll: You may enroll through “My Credentials” on the GBCI website. (https://ssl11.cyzap.net/gbcicertonline/login/). Select “Enroll in the LEED AP with Specialty Credential.” The normal $50 maintenance fee is waived when you choose to opt into a specialty for the first time.

Retesting: If you choose to become a LEED AP with specialty by retesting, you must register for the exam prior to October 27, 2011. You will have to pay the application and exam fees, but only the specialty exam will be required. After passing the exam, you will still have to maintain your credentials every two years or continue to maintain your credential through retesting (see below).

LEED AP's with Specialty

LEED AP’s must earn 30 hours (minimum of 6 must be LEED-specific) of continuing education (CE) during the 2-year period following the date they are awarded their credential. If requirements are not met or not reported, your credential will expire. You will then have to retake both parts of the exam. There is a $50 fee, due within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. Furthermore, ONLY LEED APs who enroll must meet the specific CE minimum requirements spelled out in the chart below. The CMP requirements for “new” APs and those who enroll after their initial 2-year reporting period are non-prescriptive (no minimum requirements in the 7 categories below).

Specific CE Minimum Requirements for Specialties

CategoryLEED AP BD+CLEED AP ID+CLEED AP O+M
I. Project Site Factors4 CE Hours1 CE Hour3 CE Hours
II. Water Management3 CE Hours3 CE Hours4 CE Hours
III. Project Systems and Energy Impacts6 CE Hours6 CE Hours6 CE Hours

IV. Acquisistion, , Istallation & Management of Project materials

3 CE Hours5 CE Hours4 CE Hours
V. Improvements to the Indoor Environment5 CE Hours6 CE Hours4 CE Hours

VI. Stakeholder Involvement & Innovation

2 CE Hours1 CE Hour2 CE Hours
VII. Project Surrounding & Public Outreach1 CE Hour2 CE Hours1 CE Hour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** These minimum requirements add up to 24 hours. The additional 6 hours come from LEED-specific CE hours. These may be earned in any category.

Can I maintain my credentials through retesting instead of earning CE Hours?

Yes, LEED GAs and AP’s with specialty may also choose to retest instead of reporting CE hours. LEED GAs must retake the Green Associate Exam; LEED AP’s must retake the LEED specialty exam only. You must register for the exam between 12 months after the start date and 3 months from the end of your reporting period (months 13-21). This can be done on the GBCI website through “My Credentials.” You are responsible for all standard exam fees.

What kind of activities fulfill the requirements?

Professional Development / Continuing Education

All professional development/continuing education courses submitted must be approved by an Education Reviewing Body (ERB) in order to be accepted by GBCI.

  • Courses or content to enhance and broaden skills and knowledge

  • Includes ERB-approved courses, workshops, career training, workforce training, etc.

  • Provide documentation of course completion

  • Have at least 50 minutes of instructional time

  • CE hours are unlimited for attendees

  • CE hours may be earned only once for attending or leading the same instructional program

  • CE hours earned as an instructor, discussion leader, speaker or panelist may not exceed 50% of the total CE hours per 2-year reporting period

  • Instructors and developers of courses may earn up to 2 additional CE hours per course for developing content

  • Earn 1 CE hour for first hour of the activity, 0.5 hours for each additional full half hour

Live Presentations

  • One-time events where content is delivered either in-person or through broadcast technology

  • Must be between 50 and 90 minutes long.

  • Includes non-ERB-approved conference sessions, brown-bag lunches (excluding product-related sessions) and employer training.

  • CE hours are limited to 5 per reporting period for attendees.

  • CE hours earned as an instructor, discussion leader, speaker or panelist may not exceed 50% of the total CE hours per 2-year reporting period.

  •  Instructors and developers of courses may earn up to 2 additional CE hours per course for developing content.

  • Earn 1 CE hour for first hour of the activity, 0.5 hours for each additional full half hour.

Self-Study

  • Independent review of material.

  • Includes content delivered in webinars, books or articles, digitized lectures and written or online exams at least 60 minutes long.

  • Only LEED-specific hours must be approved by an ERB .

  • Supply exact pages of material read and linkages to specific topics.

  • Does not include exam prep or product-related overviews.

  • CE hours are limited to 5 per reporting period.

  • Earn 1 CE hour for first hour of the activity, 0.5 hours for each additional full half hour.

College and University Courses

  • Courses offered by accredited institutions that are part of a curriculum.

  • Both credit and non-credit courses accepted.

  • Any LEED-specific hours in this category must be approved by an ERB.

  • CE hours are earned at a rate of 1 CE hour per classroom hour.

  • CE hours are unlimited.

Certificates, Professional Licenses, and Credentials

  • Successfully passing examinations for certificates, professional licenses or credentials in related professions or industries.
  • Does not count towards LEED-specific hours.
  • Must be earned during the reporting period and are only counted when license is initially earned.
  • Earn 1 CE hour for certificates.
  • Earn 3 CE hours for professional licenses and credentials.

Committee and Volunteer Work

  • Participation in USGBC or GBCI Board of Directors, steering committees, working groups, credential exam writing or job task analysis; local USGBC chapters or other volunteer organizations that support the LEED system. Official recorded minutes must be kept.
  • Does not count towards LEED-specific hours.
  • CE hours are limited to 4 hours per reporting period.
  • Earn 2 CE hours for holding leadership position (chair, vice chair, president, vice president or chapter advocacy program leader or serving on USGBC or GBCI Board of Directors).
  • Earn 0.5 hours per meeting for attendance.

Authorship

  • Authoring published articles or books related to the Appendix A topics that contribute to the competency of LEED professionals.
  • Articles and books are automatically audited.
  • Can contribute to LEED-specific hours if linkage to rating system is demonstrated.
  • Work must be published during the 2-year reporting period.
  • Earn 3 CE hours for published articles.
  • Earn 10 CE hours for published books.
  • There is no limit on hours earned through authorship.

LEED Project Participation

  • Paid or unpaid work related to credit implementation and documentation.
  • Project must be registered under LEED but certification is not required.
  • Earns LEED-specific hours.
  • Verified through LEED-Online and/or project manager and/or client or employer attestation.
  • CE hours limited to 10 per 2-year reporting period.
  • Earn 1 CE hour per LEED credit or prerequisite worked on.
  • Earn 2 CE hours per project for project administrators.

How to obtain LEED-Specific CE Hours

  • Green Associates must earn at least 3 LEED specific hours
  • LEED AP’s with one specialty, or those opting in to the specialty program, must earn at least 6 LEED-specific hours
  • LEED-specific hours may be earned through ERB- or GBCI-approved activities, project participation and/or authorship.
  • All other non LEED-specific hours are referred to as general green building hours. GAs may earn up to 12 of these general hours, and AP’s may earn up to 24.

Can I earn CE Hours though events and trainings at NEXUS?

The Green Roundtable / NEXUS is a USGBC Education Provider. We offer Net Zero Energy, LEED Implementation, Sustainable Practice, Product & Material, and other events to help you maintain your LEED Green Associate or LEED AP Credential. Many of the trainings qualify for LEED-specific CE hours. Trainings that qualify for GBCI CE say "(LEED CMP)" in the title. Learn more at www.nexusboston.org/events.

How do I document CE Hours?

  1. Go to “My Credentials” on the GBCI website (www.gbci.org)

  2. Select the category to which the CMP activity applies and select “Add”

  3. Enter the activity date, subcategory, delivery methods, description, details, content type and CE hours earned

  4. You may add to, delete, or print your hours at any time.

A step-by-step guide to documenting your hours is available on the GBCI website in the CMP toolbox (http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=228).

Haven't taken the LEED exam yet?  Check out our LEED Trainings and our Events Calendar for upcoming opportunities to prepare for the LEED exam at NEXUS.

For helpful and important information by the Green Building Certification Institute, please visit http://www.gbci.org/. For more assistance visit NEXUS during our open hours or email the NEXUS Help Desk at nexus@greenroundtable.org.

Thanks to PPI for their generous donation of LEED study materials to NEXUS. Visit NEXUS to study for the LEED Green Associate or LEED AP Specialty Exams. See what upcoming LEED trainings are being offered at NEXUS.