ICF ACC Credentialing
Gaining an ICF credential is a sign of professionalism and commitment to high coaching standards. It's also a meaningful personal achievement that reflects your development as a coach.
Whether you're building your coaching practice, working within an organisation or looking to develop your coaching skills, an ICF credential demonstrates your commitment to ethical and professional coaching. It can strengthen your confidence, open new opportunities and connect you with a global community of coaches.
Benefits of Gaining an ICF Credential
Builds confidence – Validates your coaching skills and helps you feel more grounded and assured in your practice.
Establishes credibility – Shows clients, employers and colleagues that you meet globally recognised coaching standards.
Supports professional growth – Deepens your coaching through feedback, reflection and ongoing development.
Opens doors – Can increase opportunities for organisational coaching roles, corporate contracts and partnerships.
Strengthens your professional identity – Supports your sense of purpose and ethical grounding as a coach.
Enhances trust with clients – Demonstrates your commitment to professional standards and accountability.
Connects you to the profession – Links you with a global community of credentialed coaches.
ACC Credential Requirements
The Associate Certified Coach (ACC) is ICF's first level of professional coaching credential.
To gain your ACC, you need to meet ICF's requirements for coaching education, coaching experience, Mentor Coaching, demonstrated coaching competence and the ACC Exam.
There are two main application pathways.
1. Coaching Education
Option A: Level 1 Path – The Simpler Path
Complete an ICF-accredited Level 1 coaching education programme.
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At least 60 hours of coach-specific education
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Includes the required Mentor Coaching
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Includes evaluation of your coaching skills against the ICF Core Competencies
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On completion, you receive a Level 1 certificate to support your ACC application
This is generally the most straightforward pathway because your Mentor Coaching and coaching evaluation are included within your education programme.
Option B: Portfolio Path
This pathway is for coaches who have completed coaching education outside a full ICF-accredited Level 1 or Level 2 programme.
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At least 60 hours of eligible coach-specific education
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Documentation demonstrating that your education meets ICF requirements
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Completion of the required Mentor Coaching separately
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Evidence of coaching competence through the applicable ICF evaluation process
The Portfolio Path involves additional documentation and requirements.
2. Coaching Experience
For either pathway, you need:
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100 hours of coaching experience, including at least 75 paid hours
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Experience coaching at least 8 clients
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At least 25 coaching hours completed within the 18 months before submitting your application
Your coaching experience can begin accumulating after you start your coach-specific education.
3. Mentor Coaching
You must complete 10 hours of Mentor Coaching over a minimum of three months.
At least three hours must be individual Mentor Coaching. The remaining hours can be completed individually or through Group Mentor Coaching.
Mentor Coaching focuses on developing your coaching skills through observation, self-reflection and feedback against the ICF Core Competencies.
If you complete an ICF-accredited Level 1 programme, the required Mentor Coaching is included.
If you apply through the Portfolio Path, you arrange Mentor Coaching separately.
Important change from 1 January 2027: New Mentor Coaching hours used towards an ICF credential must be completed with an appropriately qualified Mentor Coach holding the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS).
4. Demonstrating Your Coaching Competence
ICF is changing how coaching competence is evaluated for ACC and PCC applicants from 1 April 2027.
Level 1 Path
Your coaching skills are evaluated as part of your ICF-accredited coaching education programme. You do not need to submit a separate recording and transcript to ICF.
Portfolio Path
Until 31 March 2027, applicants are required to submit a recorded coaching session and transcript for an ICF Performance Evaluation.
From 1 April 2027, this separate Performance Evaluation will be replaced by an enhanced Mentor Coaching process.
Your qualified Mentor Coach will observe your coaching over time, provide developmental feedback and document your demonstration of the ICF Core Competencies.
The new process uses:
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Session Observation Forms (SOFs) – To record observations and developmental feedback from your coaching sessions.
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Competency Review Form (CRF) – To provide a cumulative review of your coaching competence.
For Portfolio applications under the new process, the CRF is submitted to ICF, while SOFs must be retained in case of an audit.
The intention is to support the development of coaching competence through observation, reflection, feedback and practice over time, rather than relying on a single recorded performance.
5. ICF ACC Exam
All ACC applicants must pass the ICF ACC Exam.
The exam assesses your understanding of coaching ethics, the boundaries of professional coaching and the application of the ICF Core Competencies.
It is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam delivered through Pearson VUE, either at a testing centre or online.
Exam format
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60 multiple-choice questions
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90 minutes, including an optional 10-minute break
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Two sections of 30 questions
Exam topics
Coaching Ethics – 30%
Understanding the ICF Code of Ethics, confidentiality, conflicts of interest and ethical decision-making.
Definition and Boundaries of Coaching – 30%
Understanding the coaching role, how coaching differs from other professions and when referral to another professional may be appropriate.
Coaching Competencies, Strategies and Techniques – 40%
Understanding and applying the ICF Core Competencies, including coaching agreements, listening, evoking awareness and facilitating client growth.
Read more about the ICF ACC Exam
Start Your ACC Journey with NZIC
Coaching for Transformation is NZIC's ICF-accredited Level 1 coaching education programme.
The programme includes 75 hours of coach-specific education, the required Mentor Coaching and evaluation of your coaching skills against the ICF Core Competencies.
You'll develop the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to coach professionally, while completing the education requirements for your ACC credential.
Our next programme runs live online from February to June 2027.
