In our continued effort to improve the certification program, we found that there were a couple areas where our members were confused regarding renewal requirements. Many were unsure of the term that their CIS designation was up to date. Some were asking how many years their designation was current and on what date it was based. The questions was, is it based on the date when the designation was earned or on their membership date. Not being clear about this left them unsure when they needed to renew and by what date they needed to complete the required continuing education to maintain their designation with the National Inventory Certification Association.

In addition, the required 12 CEUs every 2 years to retain designation as a CIS was also reviewed. Our research and discussions with our members and members of other associations have encouraged the following improvements:

• The 12 CEUs every 2 years easily translates to 6 per year. This number has been changed to a requirement of only 5 per year.
• The renewal of designation will now be annually instead of every 2 years, making it easier for everyone to remember and document their CEUs.
• Renewal CEUs will be based on the calendar year beginning the year after certification is achieved. Again, simplicity was the driving force on this decision. Therefore, if you achieved your certification in 2014, you have until the end of 2015 to renew. If you achieved your certification in 2015, then you will have the entire calendar year of 2016 to acquire the 5 CEUs to retain your designation.

There is no exam or cost associated with recording the renewal of your certification. The purpose of recording the renewal is to verify your participation in the continuing education program which helps you gain knowledge in the industry specifically, or business in general.

This process is simple! We will verify the CEUs you achieved through the NICA courses by reviewing your membership file, as this information is retained in your membership file. No effort on your part is required! If you achieved CEUs through the Inventory Institute or other accepted resources, an email confirming your 5 hours is all we need. Again – we chose a process that will be easy to manage for our office, and even easier for you! CEU opportunities that are available to renew your certification are listed on the NICA website.

These improvements take effect immediately, and everyone will be grandfathered into the new process. If you have any questions regarding your certification, or if this causes a hardship on you, please contact the NICA office to discuss your situation. We initiated these improvements in an effort to serve you better and we will work with you individually during this transition.