How to Get Accredited for CE, CEU, CLE, CME, APA, CODA & AIA | Link Directory

Find Out How To Get Your Organization CE Accredited 

Your organization's continuing education (CE) offerings are crucial to your overall business plan. CE courses attract new members to your organization and offer critical opportunities for professionals looking to further their industry knowledge. 

For many participants, accredited continuing education credits are required to maintain specific licenses in different industries. Every accrediting body, as well as each state, has its requirements and regulations when it comes to accrediting providers. 

So this means you need to ensure your CE courses are correctly accredited so they make the most significant impact and attract the largest audience possible. 

The easiest way to get accredited is to visit your accrediting body's website and learn about their specific requirements. 

For example, if you want to offer continuing education credits to Psychologists, you would want to become accredited by the American Psychological Association and would register as an applicant in the APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) Portal. 

Table Of Contents

1. Lawyers

2. Doctors and Healthcare Professionals

3. Nurses

4. Psychologists and Mental Health Professionals

5. Social Workers

6. Dentists

7. Joint Accreditation

8. Accountants

9. Certified Financial Planners

10. Business Professionals (CPD)

11. Business Professionals (CEU)

12. Architects

13. Mortgage Brokers

14. How BeaconLive Can Help

15. Quick Reference Chart

16. Link Directory

Lawyers

CLE Accreditation

CLE, or Continuing Legal Education, accreditation is a type of professional education for legal professionals.

BeaconLive can manage all aspects of CLE accreditation applications, learner tracking, certificate issuance, and jurisdiction reporting. Our in-house CLE specialists will ensure your courses are applied for accreditation in each state or jurisdiction selected by your learners, track the status, and submit attendance reports where applicable.

Our LMS solution includes access to our CE Application Workflow Processor: one unified dashboard to automate the application, approval, tracking, and lifecycle process for CLE accreditation applications and audits. 

CE Application Workflow Processor:

What Is CLE Accreditation?

Once lawyers become a part of the bar association, they must complete a set amount of CLE to maintain their bar license. The ABA is not an accrediting body or regulatory agency but a member association and provider of continuing legal education to the legal community. 

CLE accreditation is given on a state-by-state basis. There is no nationwide accreditation since the state supreme courts administer the MCLE programs through a special CLE commission or board.

The amount of CLE and required courses vary from state to state. Find your state bar using this directory.

Who Is CLE Accreditation For?

CLE accreditation is for providers of continuing legal education who want to offer accredited courses to lawyers and other legal professionals looking to stay up to date on the latest developments in their field. 

Without CLE, lawyers cannot retain their license in their state and, therefore, cannot practice law in that state. 

Becoming an accredited continuing legal education (CLE) provider requires strict adherence to a state bar's accreditation process. To get your CLE course accredited, ensure that you follow the steps necessary in your specific jurisdiction. 

Each state's bar association follows its protocols for CLE accreditation. If you're attempting to have your course accredited in multiple jurisdictions, you'll need to follow the steps for approval in each state where you would like to be accredited and also ensure proper tracking of attendees for accreditation compliance. 

How To Get CLE Accreditation

Overall, the process for MCLE accreditation is lengthy, requiring about two to three months of preparation. Each state with an MCLE requirement administers its program with its distinct rules, regulations, and sponsor fees. 

Therefore, a CLE provider seeking MCLE accreditation of its programs must apply to each state individually, which BeaconLive's Accreditation Services team can handle completely and our LMS Workflow Processor can help streamline for providers who apply on their own.

In certain states, individual attorneys may "self-apply" after the program has taken place by providing course materials, a specific application, and possibly a small fee directly to the state. Within the BeaconLive LMS, there are various means to advise the attendees on each state's procedures.

To learn more, visit the Continuing Legal Education Regulators Association (CLEreg) website, which contains links to individual MCLE state websites where you can download or review the MCLE rules and regulations. You will also find contact names, addresses, and telephone numbers for jurisdiction regulators and a Uniform Application for Accreditation.

Doctors and Healthcare Professionals

CME Accreditation

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

What Is CME Accreditation?

CME accreditation is meant to facilitate opportunities for lifelong learning for professionals in the medical community. One hour of continuing medical education equals one CME credit. 

Since medicine is constantly evolving, medical professionals must learn new skills to reflect the best possible medical care for their patients. 

This will allow them to improve their performance and save lives with new techniques. 

Who Is CME Accreditation For?

CME Accreditation is for any provider of CME courses. CME courses are geared towards doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals who require certification or licensure to practice medicine. 

These medical professionals must complete a specific amount of CME credits to keep their licenses for a specific time. 

There are also specific topics in their CME, such as mental health, substance abuse awareness, and patient care updates. 

The timeframe and required credits vary from state to state, so professionals must inquire with their accrediting body. 

Physicians can use the online resources provided by The American Medical Association, or AMA, to log and track their CME activities. This allows professionals access to their continuing medical education records to keep tabs on which classes they need to complete. 

How To Get CME Accreditation

The ACCME accredits organizations that provide continuing medical education. The ACCME does not accredit individual educational activities.

BeaconLive, through our partner, The Tennessee Medical Association, an ACCME accredited provider of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, can offer "joint providership" accreditation and oversight for your programs. 

You can also seek ACCME accreditation yourself. For initial applicants, the accreditation process takes 12-18 months. The ACCME accredits organizations that provide CME, not individual educational activities.

To begin and support your process, please review the educational information about ACCME accreditation and expectations found on this FAQ webpage. 

Nurses

NCPD Accreditation

Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD)

What Is NCPD Accreditation?

Accreditation in NCPD recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in the ability to deliver nursing continuing professional development or approve organizations or individuals that have demonstrated excellence in the ability to deliver NCPD.

Private and public healthcare organizations rely on ANCC credentials to promote excellence in nursing and healthcare globally.

Who Is NCPD Accreditation For?

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) recognizes the development and delivery of high-quality NCPD by organizations worldwide, including health ministries, nursing organizations, employers, and education providers.

Since nurses are on the front lines and work directly with patients daily, they must stay current on any updates to the medical field and their specialty area. 

How To Get NCPD Accreditation

Eligibility requires an organization to use ANCC criteria for at least 6 months prior to application. Start by using the NCPD Accreditation Self-Assessment Tool to assess your readiness to apply. 

If the qualifications for application are met, follow the steps to Become an Accredited Provider.

Applications are accepted 3 times annually, known as application cycles. First-time applicants may be accredited for up to 2 years. Renewing applicants may be accredited for up to 4 years. Organizations must reapply prior to the end of each term.

Psychologists and Mental Health Professionals

APA CE Sponsor

American Psychological Association (APA) CE Sponsor Approval

What Is APA Continuing education sponsor approval (CESA)?

The Office of CE Sponsor Approval (CESA) was created by APA to facilitate psychologists’ access to CE programs, and works in conjunction with the Continuing Education Committee (CEC). CEC meets twice per year—each spring and fall—to collectively review the applications received for both renewing sponsors and new applicants seeking to become APA-approved sponsors of continuing education to psychologists. More info can be found on the APA website.

Who Is APA CESA For?

APA CESA is for providers of continuing education courses for psychologists and other mental health professionals. 

How To become an APA ce sponsor?

To begin the APA CESA application process you should visit the CESA Application page. You can also submit a draft application for review.

Social Workers

NASW Accreditation

National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

What Is A NASW Accreditation?

National Association of Social Workers (NASW)-Approved CE accreditation is a program that enables continuing professional education for social workers.

By consistent participation in continuing education beyond the entry-level professional degree, social workers can maintain and increase their proficiency.

Who Is NASW Accreditation For?

NASW-Approved CE accreditation is for National Associations/  or Organizations that offer formal continuing education (CE) programs relevant to social workers. 

NASW's CE Approval Program is endorsed by more than 46 state licensure boards without restrictions. Please check the Social Work Licensure Board Endorsements to find your state board's requirements.

How To Get NASW Accreditation

National Organizations that want to offer continuing education programs for professional social workers must apply electronically via email to the NASW CE Approval Program for review and consideration. 

Program types include but are not limited to workshops, conferences, and internet-based distance-learning education.

Individual Practitioners should seek approval through their state board and/or local NASW chapter.

Dentists

CODA Accreditation

The Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA)

What Is A CODA Accreditation?

CODA stands for The Commission of Dental Accreditation. They accredit educational programs in the dental field. 

This includes advanced and allied dental education courses in the United States. 

It's essential because they establish, maintain, and apply standards that guarantee high-quality and continuous improvement in the dental field.  

Who Is CODA Accreditation For?

CODA accreditation is essential for dentists, dental hygienists, orthodontists, and other professionals in the dental field because it shows an independent leader has vetted their medical education in the industry. 

CODA is an independent organization whose only goal is to standardize and elevate dental care across the country. So it's like a gold star to be accredited. 

This accreditation is optional, but dental professionals may only be eligible for licensure in their state if their education program is CODA accredited. 

How To Get CODA Accreditation

Any dental CE course provider can apply for CODA accreditation, even if the program isn't up and running. Your CE offerings can work through several levels of educational accreditation programs. 

After initial accreditation, most CODA-accredited programs must do a follow-up site review every seven years, with surgical programs needing a review every five years. 

However, the highest accreditation level is without reporting, meaning the program meets or exceeds the essential requirements and doesn't need to be reviewed as often as other programs. 

Read through the Portal Instructions for Accreditation Application and email your discipline-specific manager to request an application via the Staff Directory.

Joint Accreditation 

What Is A Joint Accreditation?

Three founding accreditation organizations — Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) — joined together to offer one path to joint accreditation for all of your interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) programs for health professionals.

Joint accreditation lets you gain the benefits of increased efficiency and program quality while reducing excess headaches for you and your team.

Who Is Joint Accreditation For?

Joint accreditation is for continuing education course providers who serve healthcare licenses professionals across multiple disciplines including athletic trainers, dentists, dietitians, nurses, optometrists, physician associates/physician assistants (PAs), pharmacists, physicians, psychologists, and social workers.

Jointly accredited providers may choose to award single profession or interprofessional continuing education credit (IPCE) to healthcare providers without needing to obtain separate accreditations. 

How To Get Joint Accreditation

Interested organizations should review the Joint Accreditation Framework that summarizes all the components of Joint Accreditation.

Once the Framework is reviewed and if still interested, the applicant team should contact Joint Accreditation to schedule an initial conference call with Joint Accreditation staff. The call will serve to answer any questions from the applicant’s team and for staff to inquire about the applicant’s program with respect to interprofessional continuing education.

Begin by Submission of intent to apply form that includes eligibility screening questions and payment of the eligibility review fee. The process takes approximately 12 months to complete. 

Accountants

NASBA Accreditation for CPE

Continuing Professional Education, or CPE credits, are points professionals earn for participating in specialized instruction and training in accounting. 

Its purpose is to ensure that all professionals in the field stay current on significant developments that directly impact their work. They allow companies to remain competitive and enable employees to further their careers.  

What Is CPE Accreditation?

CPE accreditation allows professionals in accounting (CPAs) to maintain professional status. CPE courses can include training workshops, online classes, continuing education webinars, and conferences. 

Programs vary in length, but no matter the approach, CPE is a necessity for professionals looking to further their existing careers. 

Who is CPE Accreditation For?

The target audience for CPE accreditation is accounting professionals (CPAs) and other technology-based fields. However, other professional sectors also use continuing professional education to cover their development opportunities. 

Earning CPE credits is vital because they look great on a resume and allow professionals to continue growing in their field. Some CPE activities are brief and focused, while others are lengthy and involve an overview of a new skill, practice, or technology. They range from formal courses led by instructors to self-paced virtual professional development opportunities.

Even CPE assessment tools allow you to determine if the continuing education activity or course meets the requirements for your next certification renewal cycle. 

How To Get CPE Accreditation

The first step to becoming a National Registry Sponsor is to complete and submit an Interest Form indicating the delivery methods your organization plans to offer. 

The delivery methods include live instruction, internet-based classes, QAS self-study, blended learning, and nano-learning. An email containing a link to the initial online application will be sent to the contact listed on the interest form.

The contact for your organization should review the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs and gather supporting documentation that must be submitted as part of the initial application.

The initial application contains help text to assist in the completion of required elements. Sample templates of necessary documents are available on the NASBA website.

Certified Financial Planners

CE Sponsorship for CFP 

Continuing Education (CE) for Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

What Is CE sponsorship?

Continuing Education (CE) sponsorship allows sponsors the opportunity to reach more than 95,000 Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professionals nationwide, most of whom complete their required CE through CE Programs registered with CFP Board by CE Sponsors.

CE Sponsor registration is by calendar year and must be renewed annually. 

Who is CE Sponsorship For?

The target audience for CE sponsorship is both profit and non-profit organizations in the financial planning field.

Earning CE credits is not required for CFPs but it helps them to deepen a commitment to financial planning or complement their other qualifications. 

Eligible program content relates directly to one or more of CFP Board's Principal Knowledge Topics.

How To Get CE Sponsorship

Organizations can register online to become a general CE Sponsor.

The annual sponsorship rate is $250 for non-profit organizations and $500 for profit organizations. If registering as a non-profit you will be required to provide your IRS Tax ID number and upload proof of non-profit status. Sponsorship fees are not prorated.

The first step is to read the Terms & Conditions for a sponsor offering General or Ethics CE. Then you can register your organization by creating an online account.

Business Professionals (CPD)

CPD Accreditation

CPD, or Continuing Professional Development, refers to a set of activities that help with the maintenance of current skills and the development of new knowledge.

They range from formal courses led by instructors to self-paced virtual professional development opportunities. 

CPD also refers to the Continuing Education required by legal professionals in Canada. 

What Is CPD Accreditation?

Continuing Professional Development is more than a training program. Its goal is to expand skills and knowledge for the future. 

At the end of a CPD course, participants receive a certificate to demonstrate what they've learned. This documentation can be included in a job application to give them a leg up on the competition or shown to an employer to show they've acquired a new skill.

Who Is CPD Accreditation For?

CPD accreditation is required for many professions, including anyone in a regulated business sector, such as accounting, financial services, or banking. 

A member of an accrediting body will most likely have CPD requirements attached to their profession by a governing institution or employer. 

If CPD is formally regulated, professionals must track their progress and CPD activities to be CPD accredited in that area. Employers typically formulate CPD plans to help employees take a targeted approach to continuing professional development. 

How To Get CPD Accreditation

Obtaining CPD accreditation will vary by profession and state. However, you can contact the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training to become an IACET-accredited provider.

You can download the Accreditation Readiness Calculator and Guide to IACET Accreditation to understand what to expect from the accreditation process and policies, fees, and timelines. 

Business Professionals (CEU)

What Is CEU Accreditation?

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a general credit type/term used by various industries.

Each accrediting body requires a certain amount of CEUs in specific categories. These requirements vary depending on certification type and state. 

Who Is CEU Accreditation For?

CEU Accreditation is for a wide variety of industries and professions such as professional engineers, certified health and safety professionals, wastewater operators, and management professionals.

IACET (International Accreditors for Continuing Education & Training) CEUs are recognized by a wide range of organizations, including professional associations, regulatory boards, corporations, and universities.

How To Get CEU Accreditation

The Accredited Provider (AP) application and review is a rigorous process that involves extensive hands-on evaluation by the IACET Commission. 

Its thorough nature ensures that AP status is valued in the marketplace and that organizations approved as an IACET Accredited Provider are the best. 

The IACET application process is entirely online. You can find the application on the IACET website.

Architects

AIA Accreditation

AIA, or the American Institute of Architects, is a professional association that offers accreditation. 

This accreditation program helps architects obtain valuable skills they need to meet the requirements of their licensing jurisdiction. 

What Is AIA Accreditation?

American Institute of Architects accreditation is meant to help advance American's quality of life and allow architectural professionals to uphold health and safety in their designs. 

Who Is AIA Accreditation For?

AIA accreditation is for architects looking to establish credibility as trusted industry members. 

You can also earn this accreditation if you're enrolled in an intern development program or currently work under the supervision of a licensed architect.

AIA accreditation helps them build meaningful relationships with clients and allows them to stand out from registered architects, or R.As. 

How To Get AIA Accreditation

Architects seeking this accreditation need a combination of education, experience, and good exam scores to add the professional title after their name. 

Read through the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs to understand provider responsibilities and requirements and complete the online application. 

Once they have processed and approved your subscription application and payment, you will receive access to the CE dashboard to submit your courses for review. 

Mortage Brokers

NMLS Licensing

The Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​What Is NMLS Licensing?

The Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) is a licensing and registration system for the non-depository financial services industries.

The goal of NMLS is to employ the benefits of local, state-based financial services regulation on a nationwide platform that provides for improved coordination and information sharing among regulators, increased efficiencies for industry, and enhanced consumer protection.

Who Is NMLS Licensing For?

49 state agencies use NMLS for mortgage licensing, while 55 use the system to manage licensing for other nonbank entities (e.g., money services businesses, consumer finance, and debt).

Each state, including the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, has its own state licensing requirements. 

How To Get NMLS Licensing

Before applying to be a course provider, visit the NMLS Course Provider Resources Page for information on how to submit your application, submit courses for approval, and access other resources.

Follow the Course Provider Application Process. Prepare the required documentation, submit the online application to the Education Management System, and upload the required documents to the NMLS Course Approval Portal. 

How BeaconLive Can Help

• Provide customizable workflow processes to help track and store all of the assets (presentation assets, invitation/agenda, speaker bios, external attendance reporting, CE applications & CE application results, etc.) needed for approval and future audits - saving you time and replacing the multiple systems needed to track all assets

• Generate the applications for the accrediting bodies that still require a paper application - saving you time on manual processes

• Track approved vs applied for vs pending credits throughout the lifecycle of the event - eliminating spreadsheets and providing you with reports within seconds

• Once accreditation is achieved, we also manage compliance through our integration with Litera's CE Manager.

Quick Reference Chart On How To Get Accredited 

Link Directory

For Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Accreditation

ABA, MCLE, and Continuing Legal Education Regulators Association (CLEreg)

CLEreg Interactive CLE Directory Map 

https://www.clereg.org/directory 

The ABA is not an accrediting body or regulatory agency, but a provider of continuing legal education to the legal community at large. CLE accreditation is given on a state-by-state basis. There is no nationwide accreditation since the MCLE programs are administered by the state supreme courts through a special CLE commission or board.

Overall, the process for MCLE accreditation is a lengthy one, requiring about two to three months of advance preparation. Each state with an MCLE requirement administers its own program with its own distinct set of rules, regulations, and sponsor fees. Therefore, a CLE provider seeking MCLE accreditation of its programs must apply to each state individually, which BeaconLive’s Workflow Processor can help streamline.

Individual attorneys may also request accreditation from their particular states after the program has taken place by providing course materials, a special application, and possibly a small fee. Again, each state has its own procedure. To learn more, visit the website of the Continuing Legal Education Regulators Association (CLEreg), which contains links to individual MCLE state websites where you may download or review the MCLE rules and regulations. You will also find contact names, addresses and telephone numbers for jurisdiction regulators, and a Uniform Application for Accreditation.

Quimbee

CLE Accreditation Requirements by State

https://www.quimbee.com/resources/cle-accreditation 

Becoming an accredited continuing legal education (CLE) provider requires strict adherence to a state bar’s accreditation process. If you’re seeking to get your CLE course accredited, ensure that you follow the steps necessary in your specific jurisdiction. Each state’s bar association follows its own protocols for CLE accreditation. If you’re attempting to have your course accredited in multiple jurisdictions, you’ll need to follow the steps for approval in each state in which you would like to be accredited. This page contains a summary of the CLE accreditation process for each U.S. state.

For Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accreditation

Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)

https://www.accme.org/become-accredited 

For first-time or initial applicants, the accreditation process takes twelve to eighteen months. To begin and support your process, please review the educational information about ACCME accreditation and expectations, found on this FAQ webpage. 

The ACCME accredits organizations that provide continuing medical education for physicians. The ACCME does not accredit individual educational activities.

For Continuing Professional Education (CPE) / Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Accreditation

National Registry of CPE Sponsors

https://www.nasbaregistry.org/preparing-to-apply 

The first step to becoming a National Registry Sponsor is to complete and submit an Interest Form indicating the delivery methods your organization plans to offer. The delivery methods include group live, group internet based, QAS self study, blended learning and nano learning. An email containing a link to the online initial application will be sent to the contact listed on the Interest Form.

The contact for your organization should review the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs and gather supporting documentation that is required to be submitted as part of the initial application.

The initial application contains help text to assist in completion of required elements. Sample templates of required documents are available on the NASBA website.

CPE Requirements by State

https://www.nasbaregistry.org/cpe-requirements 

All jurisdictions accept courses from Registry sponsors to a certain extent. However, some jurisdictions have additional requirements. You can see which jurisdictions have these requirements by using the Filter feature on this page.

Click on the jurisdiction name on this page to see a summary of requirements. Use the slider bar to the right of the requirements list to view additional requirements.

National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

https://nasba.org/stateboards/ 

Here you will find the contact information, as well as a listing of statutes, for the State Board of Accountancy in each of the 55 jurisdictions.

HR Certification Institute (HRCI)

https://www.hrci.org/ 

HRCI®, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is the premier credentialing and learning organization for the human resources profession. HRCI develops and offers world-class learning, as well as the administration of eight global certificates and is dedicated to helping professionals achieve new competencies that drive business results. 

An independent nonprofit organization, HRCI is dedicated to advancing the HR profession by developing and administering best-in-class certificates, including:

• Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR®)

• Associate Professional in Human Resources - International (aPHRi)

• Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®)

• Professional in Human Resources - California® (PHRca®)

• Professional in Human Resources - International™ (PHRi™)

• Senior Professional in Human Resources® (SPHR®)

• Senior Professional in Human Resources - International Professional™ (SPHRi™)

• Global Professional in Human Resources® (GPHR®)

Request info on exams

Become and Approved Provider (AP) or Conference Provider (CP) by getting started here.  

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Accreditation

International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)

https://www.iacet.org/ce-t-accreditation/application-process/ 

The Accredited Provider (AP) application and review is a rigorous process that involves extensive hands-on evaluation by the IACET Commission. Its thorough nature ensures that AP status is valued in the marketplace and that organizations that have been approved as an IACET Accredited Provider are the best of the best. 

The IACET application process is completely online. Application can be found on the IACET website.

For Joint Commission, CARF, COA, EAGLE and IACET Accreditation

Accreditation Guru

https://accreditationguru.com/accreditation-programs-2/ 

Accreditation Guru offers a variety of ways to help your organization on the road to accreditation. Below is a list of their current offerings. For more information click on the links provided. 

Accreditation Preparation

Post-Survey Corrective Action

Maintenance of Accreditation

Reaccreditation

Continuing and Higher Education Accreditation

Hourly or Project Specific Help

Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition

(Dental and other Healthcare Providers)

Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition (CCERP)

https://ccepr.ada.org/en

The Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition serves the public, the dental profession, and other healthcare providers by developing and implementing standards that promote excellence in continuing dental education to support professional competence and continuous improvement of patient care.

The CCERP application process is completely online. The application can be found on the CCERP website.