Certification Renewal

The importance of annual certification renewal:

To keep pace with developing trends and the ever-changing risk landscape, it is essential for IIA certification holders to regularly enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies through continuing professional development. Certification holders renew their certifications annually and demonstrate their commitment to keeping their knowledge current and their skills sharp by earning and attesting to continuing professional education (CPE) credit hours throughout the year. The IIA’s commitment to continued education helps to uphold the internal audit profession’s reputation for providing assurance and insight in an objective and ethical manner which serves to benefit all certification holders, their employers, and stakeholders alike.

Certification Renewal Requirements

Annual Certification Renewal opens 1 October each year. Log in to the Certification Candidate Management System (CCMS) to begin your renewal.

The renewal deadline is 31 December each year. Should you fail to renew your Active certification, it will enter a Grace status, and as a result, you are no longer approved to represent yourself as a certified individual. Individuals remaining in Grace for 2 years will enter a Revoked status and must reapply and retest if they wish to become certified again.

As an IIA certified or qualified professional, you are responsible for ensuring that your certification is renewed annually. You must log in to CCMS to complete your certification renewal. Get more information on certification renewal steps for Active and Grace status certification holders.

Looking for Ethics CPE credits?

Certification Status

What is changing? 

The most significant policy change is that once a certification is expired, it cannot be reinstated. The certification is revoked if the holder goes 3 years or longer without reporting CPE. If an individual with a revoked certification wishes to become certified again, they must reapply to the certification program and pass all required exams to recertify

• Any surplus of CPE acquired during a calendar year may be used for the following calendar year reporting cycle (20 hours max for CIA and 10 hours for other IIA designations can be rolled over)
• Grace period increased from 1 year to 2 years.
• A certification will be “revoked” if the holder goes 3 consecutive years without reporting CPE. A certification in “revoked” status cannot be reinstated; an individual with “revoked” certifications needs to retake the exams.
• If a certification holder enters into grace status, the holder may no longer use their designation. They may begin using the designation again when their status is returned to active.
• Once revoked, there is no provision to recertify for discontinued certification programs (CCSA, CFSA, CGAP, QIAL).
• A designation must be in Active status to be moved to Retired status. Individuals remaining in Retired status for more than two years will be required to recertify to restore their CIA or CRMA designation to an Active status.

Refer to table below for a summary of changes.

Summary of Changes

_{*(changes are BOLD)}

What are some benefits of certifications and continuing professional education? 

Earning any of The IIA’s certifications demonstrates to peers and employers that you have a strong foundation of professional competencies. Certifications can provide a boost in opportunities regarding job offers, salaries, and promotions. 

Your IIA certifications are much more than their exams. The profession of internal auditing is constantly evolving; through continuing professional development, your certifications demonstrate that your professional competencies are current with industry trends, technologies, and best practices in a rapidly changing risk landscape. 

Earning and reporting CPE credit hours signifies your investment in continuous learning. 

Continuing professional education ensures that your IIA certifications stay as valuable as the day you earned them.

Compli​mentary Reporting for North America IIA Members

Members of The IIA in North America and the Caribbean benefit from free certification renewal reporting. Learn more about IIA membership benefits.

Global Rules/Requirements

Certification renewal fees vary globally, based upon membership status, if you renew directly to The IIA through CCMS, or through your local affiliate.  Check with your local affiliate regarding pricing and the reporting process.

Visit the Fee Structure page of our website for the most current pricing information. IIA-certified professionals who fail to renew their certification by the deadline will automatically be placed in Grace status and may not use their designation nor be listed in the registry. Individuals remaining in Grace for 2 years will enter a Revoked status and must reapply and retest if they wish to become certified again.

Annual CPE Audit Activities

The Annual CPE Audit notifications are sent via email immediately following the completion of your renewal. If selected for an audit, individuals must provide evidence of CPE activities completed for the renewal cycle that meet the criteria described in the Annual Certification Renewal Policy. (If you self-claim CPEs, be sure to keep detailed records.)  If you are chosen for an audit, you will be given a six-month grace period to complete your audit. The deadline and requirements for returning supporting documentation will be included in the email.

_{*CPE reporting fees vary globally based upon membership status. Individuals from IIA Institutes should contact their local representatives for their CPE reporting process.}