FAQ / Q&A
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Certification Q&A
Yes, if you've taken an approved online or live course, or are re-taking an exam. Please note, the application with paid exam fee must be submitted to AEE before a remote exam can be taken.
For more information, visit www.aeecenter.org/remote-testing-center-procedures-locations
A holder of an AEE certification may use the designation with name on organization letterhead, business cards, and all forms of address. Certification is for individuals only. The certification designation may not be used to imply that an organization or firm is certified. See Use of Certification Logo.
We can issue replacement certificates for current certifications. To request a replacement certification certificate, please click here. For international certification holders, please send your request to the training provider through which you took the exam.
An original application must be submitted for each certification. Employment verification needs to be specific to the certification applied for. You do not need to submit another copy of your transcripts. Professional References are dependent on the year of original submission.
These programs do not require supporting documentation: CEP, CPQ, BEP, CMVP, CEA, CRM, CSDP, DGCP, CBCP, PCF, and EEP. It is recommended that you contact your Certification Director if you have any uncertainty.
• Certification is part of total quality management. When an individual becomes certified in a designated field, his or her professional achievement is recognized in the eyes of colleagues, government agencies, present and prospective employers, and clients.
• Certification establishes a standard of professional competence which is recognized throughout the industry.
• Certification fosters development of the individual's capabilities through encouragement of long-term career goals.
• Certification promotes quality through continuing education to assure a high level of competence within constantly changing fields.
Utilities, major real estate management companies, government agencies, manufacturers, engineering and architectural firms.
All certifications are in effect for 3 years.
After you have achieved a passing score on the exam, have paid the application fee, and your file is complete, including all supporting documents, your file will be submitted to the Certification Board for final review. At the time of submission to the Board, you will be notified that you may expect to learn the Board's approval or denial within sixty days.
For international certification candidates, you will be notified of board approval within 30 days of AEE receiving all documentation from the training provider.
No. For security reasons we do not post scores online.
You will be notified 30 days after the date you test. Your application fee must be paid before your score can be released. For international certification candidates, you will be notified of your score within 30 days of the exam materials being received by AEE from the training provider.
Yes! Although all materials must be printed and organized in a binder. Computers, tablets, cell phones may not be used on the exam.
Allowed Calculators
You may use any scientific, business/financial or graphing calculator, unless it has internet capability. For example, TI 30, 30x, 35 and 35x range will work well. Business/Financial calculators offer the ability to quickly check ‘time value of money’ computations.
Prohibited Calculators
- smartphones, tablet, or laptop computers, including PDAs
- electronic writing pads or pen-input devices
- calculators built into cell phones or any other electronic communication devices
Reference materials not included in the course can be purchased online at www.aeeprograms.com/books or through the book department prior to the course. Resource materials included with the course are not available until you arrive onsite.
5-Day BEP Course Exam 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5-Day CEM Course Exam 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5-Day CBCP Course Exam 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
2-Day CLEP Course Exam 8:00 am – 12:00 pm (Exam on morning of Day 3)
All other 2-Day Course Exams 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (Exam on morning of Day 3)
All 2.5-Day Course Exams 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Exam Registration/Sign-In begins 30 minutes prior to exam!
For international certification candidates, please contact your training provider.
All exams can be taken at remote testing centers. Remote testing centers are available outside the U.S. and Canada; however, they only offer the US version of the exam. For the international (SI) version, please contact your training provider.
If a candidate has failed to acquire sufficient points to be recommended for the certification for which they are applying, the candidate may be re-examined at a subsequent examination period and/or resubmit an updated application at a later date. Examination scores will be kept on file by the Certification Director for a period of 3 years. Applicants have 3 years to follow up and complete their certification application; after 3 years, applicants must resubmit the application and retake the exam.
No. As of July 1, 2009, all certifications require mandatory training prior to examinations.
Yes. When you arrive at the exam site you will need to sign a waiver and pay the required test fee. No scores will be handed out until the application and fee are in the AEE office. For international certification candidates, please contact your training provider.
Yes, the deadline date is flexible. Contact the Certification Director responsible for your exam for assistance. For international certification candidates, please contact your training provider.
Renewal Q&A
1) Sponsoring Organization (Name of the Training provider)
2) Course name and brief course content description and/or skills to be addressed
3) Location
4) Date of Activity
5) Duration (Hours of training)
6) Instructor/Speaker/Facilitator’s name (if applicable)
7) Number of Continuing Education Units (CEU) or Professional Development Hours (PDH) earned.
For U.S. certification holders, please contact Priscila Rivere. For international certification holders, please contact the training provider through which you took the exam.
Professionals who do not complete requirements for recertification by the certification expiration date will be notified in writing of their suspension from using the certification designation and will no longer be listed as a holder of that certification in any AEE publication until the professional:
- Retakes the certification exam OR,
- Acquires make-up points at a cumulative total, equal to 3.5 credits per year for every year since the most recent activation date of certification (This is only an option if fewer than three renewal cycles have lapsed since the certification's expiration date)
**If an individual allows their certification to lapse more than once, then they are required to retake the exam**
Certification will be terminated for professionals who do not accumulate the required professional credits, unless, in the judgement of the certification board, extenuating circumstances exist and the deficiency can be readily overcome. The certification board reserves the right to revoke certification due to violation of AEE's ethical standards.
The fee for certification renewal varies based on certification type. The fee will be billed to you for each 3-year renewal cycle of your certification. If AEE does not receive your paid renewal by the renewal deadline, a reinstatement fee of $50 will be assessed in addition to the renewal fee. In some cases, it may be necessary to retake the certification exam. Please be sure to inform AEE if your address changes, as failure to do so may delay your receipt of your renewal notice.
A total of 10 renewal credits are required.
- Continued employment in energy management / energy engineering activities
- 1 credit per year of renewal cycle (3 max)
- 2 credits per year of renewal cycle for CEA Only
- Membership in a professional membership organization -- Not Valid for CEA Certification Renewal
- 1 credit per year of renewal cycle (3 max)
- Continuing education: energy-related seminars and college courses (includes in-house or online seminars)
- 2 credits per:
-1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) earned (e.g. 1.6 CEU = 3.2 credits)
-1 College Credit Hour earned - 1 credit per:
-5 Professional Development Hours (PDH)
-5 Contact Hours - Please refer to the For Certified Professionalssection below for how to submit trainings on your renewal form
- 2 credits per:
- Energy Conference Attendance
- Number of credits awarded is dependent on the show
- Professional awards or papers presented and published (must be about energy or related to improving energy efficiency)
- 2 credits each
- Offices held in a professional membership organization
- 1 credit per year of renewal cycle (3 max)
A certified professional, upon retiring and reaching the age of sixty-five, will be designated as Retired, will no longer be required to pay renewal fees, and will no longer be listed in our directory of actively practicing certified professionals. No further reporting is necessary except to notify the Certification Renewal Director of meeting the age requirement by sending a copy of the retired certified professional's Driver's License.
Contact the certification director via email to request details on how to reinstate. If your certification has lapsed less than 3 renewal periods, you must submit 3.5 credits per year for every year since your most recent activation date of certification. If your certification has lapsed more than 3 renewal periods or 9 years, you will need to take the exam to reinstate.
No, each certification must be renewed individually, unless the certification was received under a “grandfather clause” (CSDP, BEP, EBCP).
Please allow 30 days for processing of all certification renewals. All U.S. renewals are due in the AEE office by December 31st of the year the renewal is due. All renewals must be submitted with proper payment and sufficient renewal credits. Incomplete renewals will not be processed until the individual submits missing information. Once the renewal has been processed a new certificate will be mailed.
For international certification holders, AEE receives renewals from the training providers in batches and processes them within 30 days of receipt. Please contact your training provider for more information on submission dates.
No, the AEE Certification Department is not responsible for keeping track of credits earned during a renewal cycle, but they do provide this spreadsheet template as a tool for you to use to keep track of your credits yourself. Please keep all documentation until the certification renewal is due and submit it at the time of renewal with the appropriate renewal fees.
For a total amount of renewal credits, divide the total number of training or contact hours by 5. For example, 15 contact hours / 5 = 3 renewal credits.
1 Hour of Training, or 1 Contact Hour = 1 PDH = 0.1 CEUs = 0.2 Renewal Credits
10 Hours of Training, or 10 Contact Hours = 10PDH = 1.0 CEU = 2.0 Renewal Credits
It will be accepted as a “contact hour.” Any contact hours must be educational training directly related to your certification and you must be able to verify your attendance. Sales meetings and non-educational meetings do not qualify. Please be sure to include training title, date(s) of training, and the hours that you attended the training. The submission is subject to review and approval by the AEE certification board.
PDH = Professional Development Hour | CEU = Continuing Education Unit | 10 PDH = 1 CEU
Serving on a board or a committee of a professional engineering society. For example, serving as President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Awards Committee Chair, etc. You can only receive credit for holding a position during the years of your renewal cycle.
No, AEE annual membership and AEE certification are two separate entities. AEE membership is due on an annual basis, where certification is due every three years.
No, you can only earn one credit per year of membership in a professional engineering society even if you hold multiple memberships at multiple societies. For example, if your renewal is due in 2017, you can only get one credit for membership in 2015, one credit for membership in 2016, and one credit for membership in 2017.
No, it’s not required, but does give you credit towards your recertification. *Please note, the CEA certification renewal does not accept membership as a recertification credit.
Yes, as long as the membership is current during the years of the renewal cycle. Other examples of Professional Engineering Membership Societies are ASHRAE, IEEE, USGBC, ASME, etc. *Please note, the CEA certification does not accept membership as a certification renewal credit.
You only get credit for employment during the 3 year renewal cycle, so the maximum number of credits you can earn is 3.
Once you have submitted your certification renewal online, which is subject to approval in the following 30 days, you will be able to see a note in your certification profile that states that you have no certifications to renew. This indicates that you have successfully submitted your application for renewal.
For international certification holders, please contact your training provider to verify the status of your renewal.
Retest Q&A
You can submit your application anytime after receiving official notification from AEE, up to three weeks prior to the exam date. For international certification candidates, please contact your training provider.
You have to wait a minimum of 60 days prior to retaking the exam. You can schedule your exam as soon as you receive your exam score letter, but it must be a minimum of 60 days from your previous exam date.
There is no limit to the number of times that you can retake the exam. The certification board will only see your final, passing, score.
Exam applications are kept on file for a period of three years. As long as you retest within that three-year period, the only form that needs to be submitted is your retesting form.
No. As long as you complete the retest within three years of completing the seminar, you do not need to retake the seminar.
U.S. exams can be taken at remote testing centers. Note: you must complete and submit the retesting application to the certification program manager prior to retest.
International exams are only available through the local training provider and are not available in a computer format.
You may choose to retake the exam at either a live seminar or at an remote testing center. Remote testing centers are available outside of the U.S. & Canada; however, they only offer the U.S. version of the exam. For international (SI) version, please contact your training provider.
The reduced fee is $100 to retest in conjunction with a live seminar and $150 to retest at an remote testing center, except for with the CMVP the retest fee is $200 at live session and $300 at remote testing center.
Effective July 1, 2018, the retest fee for paper and pencil exams held with live seminars and remote testing center computer based exams will be $200.00.
For international certification candidates, please contact your training provider.