About the ICF ACC Exam

About the ICF ACC Exam

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential is the entry-level credential in the ICF's three-tier system (ACC, PCC, MCC). Earning it signals that a coach has moved beyond training and into demonstrated, ethical, client-centered practice. The final step in earning the ACC is the ACC Exam, a standalone knowledge-based assessment that the ICF launched in November 2024 to evaluate a candidate's understanding of the ICF Core Competencies (2019) and the ICF Code of Ethics (2020).

It is essential to distinguish the ACC Exam from the ICF Credentialing Exam used for the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC) levels. That exam is a 78-item Situational Judgment Test (SJT) that asks candidates to identify the single BEST and single WORST response to coaching scenarios. The ACC Exam is a different, shorter instrument entirely: a traditional knowledge-based multiple-choice test in which each question has exactly one correct answer out of four options. Confusing the two exam formats is one of the most common mistakes ACC candidates make when preparing, so this guide focuses exclusively on the ACC Exam's actual structure and content.

---

Eligibility Requirements Before Sitting the ACC Exam

Before a candidate can apply for authorization to schedule the ACC Exam, the ICF requires proof of four foundational requirements:

1. Coach-Specific Education

At least 60 hours of coach-specific education focused on the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics.

2. Coaching Experience Hours

At least 100 hours of coaching experience, all logged after coach-specific education begins:

• A minimum of 75 hours must be paid coaching (paid client work, barter arrangements, or coaching performed as part of paid employment). The remaining hours may be pro-bono.
• The hours must be distributed across at least 8 distinct clients.

3. Mentor Coaching

At least 10 hours of Mentor Coaching, completed over a minimum of three months, with at least 3 hours delivered one-on-one (the remaining hours may be one-on-one or group, capped at 10 participants). The mentor must hold an active ACC (having completed at least one renewal), PCC, or MCC credential.

4. Performance Evaluation

Depending on the application pathway, candidates submit a 20-to-60-minute audio recording of a coaching session with a word-for-word written transcript, which an ICF assessor reviews to confirm demonstrated competency at the ACC level.

Only once these four requirements are documented and the ICF approves the application does a candidate receive authorization to schedule the ACC Exam — the final gate before earning the credential.

---

Application Pathways and Fees

The ICF offers three pathways to the ACC credential. For the Level 1 and Level 2 pathways, the application fee includes the candidate's first ACC Exam attempt — the exam is not purchased separately at this stage:

1. Level 1 Pathway: For graduates of an ICF-accredited Level 1 training program, where mentor coaching and performance evaluation are already built into the curriculum.
2. Level 2 Pathway: For candidates who completed ICF-accredited coach-specific training hours outside a full Level 1 program; these candidates independently document mentor coaching and submit a performance evaluation.
3. Portfolio Pathway: For candidates trained through non-accredited programs or a combination of courses. This pathway requires the most extensive documentation review of training content and therefore carries a higher application fee than Level 1 or Level 2.

• Level 1 / Level 2 application fee: $175 USD for ICF members, $325 USD for non-members — this single fee covers document review and the first ACC Exam attempt.
• Portfolio application fee: Higher than the Level 1/Level 2 fee, reflecting the additional review required to validate non-accredited training.
• ACC Exam retake fee: If a candidate does not pass on the first attempt, each subsequent exam-only retake costs $105 USD.
• Retake waiting periods: Candidates must wait 14 days after a first failed attempt, and 30 days after any subsequent failed attempt, before retaking. Candidates may attempt the ACC Exam up to 6 times within a rolling 12-month period.

Because the exam fee is bundled into the initial application, candidates should treat the application submission itself as the first meaningful step toward the exam — there is no separate "exam registration" purchase for a first attempt.

---

Exam Snapshot

The next section covers the ACC Exam's format and content domains in full detail, but the essentials every candidate should know from the outset are:

• 60 knowledge-based multiple-choice questions, each with four answer options and exactly one correct answer.
• No penalty for incorrect answers — candidates should answer every question rather than leaving items blank.
• A 90-minute total appointment, delivered through Pearson VUE, either at a physical test center or remotely via OnVUE online proctoring.
• Scaled scoring from 200 to 600, with a passing score of 460.

---

Credential Maintenance and Renewal

Earning the ACC is not a lifetime certification. Every three years, credential holders must renew by documenting:

• 40 Continuing Coach Education (CCE) units, including at least 24 units in Core Competencies and at least 3 units in Coaching Ethics.
• For the first renewal only, an additional 10 hours of Mentor Coaching completed during the three-year cycle.

This renewal cycle ensures ACC holders continue to refine their skills and stay current with evolving ICF standards long after passing the initial ACC Exam.