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AICP Reinstatement

How to Maintain Your AICP Membership

Earning AICP membership is a significant professional accomplishment and the actions required to maintain it are few but important:

AICP membership will lapse for any member who does not fulfill these requirements. If APA notifies you that your AICP membership has lapsed or if you are were granted Temporary Inactive Membership Status:

  • You may no longer claim or use the AICP credential (e.g. with your signature, or on business cards, letterhead, resumes, or online profiles).
  • You will no longer enjoy AICP member benefits or have access to your personal CM log and other sections of the APA website where access is restricted to AICP members.

Reinstating Your AICP Membership After a Lapse

If your AICP membership lapses, we hope you will choose to reinstate. The process for doing so depends on why and how long ago the lapse occurred. Both the reason and the effective date appear in the notification letter from APA. If you are uncertain of your AICP membership lapse date, please email AICPCM@planning.org to request confirmation of the lapse date and your appropriate route to reinstatement.

Once you have determined the effective date and reason for your membership lapse, find the scenario below that matches your circumstances and follow the steps to reinstatement.

Your AICP Membership Lapsed Four or Fewer Years Ago for Nonpayment of Dues

Take the following steps in order:

  • Email AICPCM@planning.org and request access to your CM log.
  • Log sufficient CM credits to complete unmet requirements (if applicable).
  • Notify AICP at AICPCM@planning.org when you have logged all required CM credits (if applicable). Request a reinstatement invoice.
  • Pay a $50 reinstatement fee and AICP back dues in full and current APA, AICP, and Chapter dues, if applicable. APA will send you an invoice that shows the dues you owe based on your specific situation.
  • When you return your reinstatement invoice, with payment, confirm that you did not act in violation of the AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct or use the AICP credential at any time after becoming aware of the lapse.

Your AICP Membership Lapsed Four or Fewer Years Ago Because You Did Not Fulfill CM Requirements

Take the following steps in order:

  • Email AICPCM@planning.org and request access to your CM log.
  • Earn and log the required number of CM credits. Your CM log will list your required CM credits in addition to the credits already logged.
    Note: Any registered CM activity that you attended or course that you completed from the time the reporting period began until the time reinstatement is completed is eligible. You also may self-report CM credits.
  • Notify AICP at AICPCM@planning.org when you have logged all required CM credits. Request a reinstatement invoice.
  • Pay a $50 reinstatement fee and AICP back dues in full. Your reinstatement invoice will show the back dues you owe based on your specific situation.
  • When you return your reinstatement invoice, with payment, confirm that you did not act in violation of the AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct or use the AICP credential at any time after becoming aware of the lapse.

Your AICP Membership Lapsed Between Four and Eight Years Ago

You may either:

  • Retake the AICP Certification Exam, or
  • Appeal to the AICP National Membership Standards Committee.

Retake the AICP Certification Exam

You will automatically be approved to sit for the exam. You will not be required to re-apply for AICP Certification. You may register for the next exam.

Take the following steps to register for the AICP Certification Exam:

  • Before you contact APA, go to your APA Profile to check the status of your APA and chapter memberships. You may not register for the AICP Certification Exam if your APA and chapter dues are not paid in full.
  • Email AICP@planning.org and request to take the exam.
  • When AICP has approved your request, register for the exam and pay the fee. You must pay online with a credit card. (The fee is subject to change.)
  • Pass the exam.
  • Pay initial AICP dues. Note, all newly certified members must pay the $100 initial dues.
  • Receive your new AICP certification number and AICP membership start date.

Appeal to the AICP National Membership Standards Committee

An appeal for reinstatement of AICP membership will be considered valid only within a specific timeframe (between 4 and 8 years) following the lapse of your AICP membership. The appeal window extends from the expiration of AICP membership up to a maximum of eight years thereafter.

Any appeal submitted beyond the eight-year timeframe from the expiration of AICP membership will not be accepted or considered by the AICP Membership Standards Committee.

This policy is implemented to ensure fairness and consistency in the AICP membership reinstatement process, providing a reasonable opportunity for members to rectify their lapsed membership status while also upholding the integrity of the AICP certification.

The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) recognizes the importance of continued professional development and engagement within the planning community. Members are encouraged to stay informed about renewal requirements and to take proactive steps to maintain their certification status within the designated timeframe.

There are two criteria on which to base an appeal:

  • Extreme hardship — The member experienced extreme hardship before the lapse of their AICP membership or within the four-year reinstatement window. Factors that determine an extreme hardship may include the inability to pay basic and reasonable living expenses, homelessness, death of an immediate family member, prolonged unemployment beyond one year, or a physical or mental health situation that affects the member or an immediate family member for whom the member is the immediate caregiver.
  • Administrative error: There was an administrative error made by APA before the lapse of their AICP membership or within the four-year reinstatement window. This would include APA data processing errors such as incorrect data entry information, incorrect computer programming, or data analysis errors.

Take the following steps to submit an appeal:

The AICP National Standards Committee and the AICP Commission will review your appeal. APA staff will notify you of the outcome.

If your appeal is approved, you will be required to:

  • Pay a non-refundable $100 reinstatement fee;
  • Pay AICP dues for four years of membership;
  • Document that you earned four years' worth of CM credits (64 total credits including three each on the topics of law and ethics).

If your appeal is not approved, you must retake the AICP Certification Exam. (See "Retake the AICP Certification Exam," section above.)

Your AICP Membership Lapsed More Than Eight Years Ago

Your only step to recertification is to take and pass the AICP exam. You will not be required to submit an assessment. Exam dates and fees can be found on our website.

Retake the AICP Certification Exam

Follow these steps for recertification:

  • Go to your APA Profile to check the status of your APA and chapter memberships. You may not register for the AICP Certification Exam if your APA and chapter dues are not paid in full.
  • Register for the exam when the registration window opens. You must pay online with a credit.
  • After you register, contact APA so your record can be flagged as only needing to take the exam. Please include your APA ID.
  • Pass the exam.
  • Pay initial AICP dues. Note: all newly certified members must pay the $100 initial dues.
  • Receive your new AICP certification number and AICP membership start date.

Contact aicp@planning.org with any questions.

Reinstating your AICP membership After Temporary Inactive Membership

If you were granted Temporary Inactive Membership status, you must reinstate your AICP membership within four years to avoid retaking the exam.

Your Temporary Inactive Membership Status Began Four or Fewer Years Ago

Take the following steps to reinstate your membership:

  • Email AICPCM@planning.org to verify that you have been on inactive membership status for no more than four years and to request a reinstatement invoice.
  • When you receive an invoice from APA:
  • Pay 20 percent of AICP member dues accrued during the inactive period;
  • Pay current AICP member dues; and
  • Pay APA and chapter dues if you are at the end of your annual billing cycle.
  • When you return your reinstatement invoice, with payment, confirm that you did not act in violation of the AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct or use the AICP credential at any time after your membership became inactive.

AICP will assign a new two-year CM reporting period when your membership is reinstated. Note: Excess CM credits from the previous, closed two-year reporting period will not carry over to your new reporting period.

Your Temporary Inactive Membership Status Began Between Four and Eight Years Ago

You may either:

  • Retake the AICP Certification Exam, or
  • Appeal to the AICP National Membership Standards Committee.

Retake the AICP Certification Exam

You will automatically be approved to sit for the exam. You will not be required to re-apply for AICP Certification. You may register for the next exam.

Take the following steps to register for the AICP Certification Exam:

  • Before you contact APA, go to your APA Profile to check the status of your APA and chapter memberships. You may not register for the AICP Certification Exam if your APA and chapter dues are not paid in full.
  • Email AICP@planning.org and request to take the exam.
  • When AICP has approved your request, register for the exam and pay the fee. You must pay online with a credit card. (The fee is subject to change.)
  • Pass the exam.
  • Pay initial AICP dues. Note, all newly certified members must pay the $100 initial dues.
  • Receive your new AICP certification number and AICP membership start date.

Appeal to the AICP National Membership Standards Committee

An appeal for reinstatement of AICP membership will be considered valid only within a specific timeframe (between 4 and 8 years) following the lapse of your AICP membership. The appeal window extends from the expiration of AICP membership up to a maximum of eight years thereafter.

Any appeal submitted beyond the eight-year timeframe from the expiration of AICP membership will not be accepted or considered by the AICP Membership Standards Committee.

This policy is implemented to ensure fairness and consistency in the AICP membership reinstatement process, providing a reasonable opportunity for members to rectify their lapsed membership status while also upholding the integrity of the AICP certification.

The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) recognizes the importance of continued professional development and engagement within the planning community. Members are encouraged to stay informed about renewal requirements and to take proactive steps to maintain their certification status within the designated timeframe.

There are two criteria on which to base an appeal:

  • Extreme hardship — The member experienced extreme hardship before the lapse of their AICP membership or within the four-year reinstatement window. Factors that determine an extreme hardship may include the inability to pay basic and reasonable living expenses, homelessness, death of an immediate family member, prolonged unemployment beyond one year, or a physical or mental health situation that affects the member or an immediate family member for whom the member is the immediate caregiver.
  • Administrative error: There was an administrative error made by APA before the lapse of their AICP membership or within the four-year reinstatement window. This would include APA data processing errors such as incorrect data entry information, incorrect computer programming, or data analysis errors.

Take the following steps to submit an appeal:

The AICP National Standards Committee and the AICP Commission will review your appeal. APA staff will notify you of the outcome.

If your appeal is approved, you will be required to:

  • Pay a non-refundable $100 reinstatement fee;
  • Pay AICP dues for four years of membership;
  • Document that you earned four years' worth of CM credits (64 total credits including three each on the topics of law and ethics).

If your appeal is not approved, you must retake the AICP Certification Exam. (See "Retake the AICP Certification Exam," section above.)

Your Temporary Inactive Membership Status Began More Than Eight Years Ago

You will automatically be approved to sit for the exam. You will not be required to re-apply for AICP Certification. You may register for the next exam.

Retake the AICP Certification Exam

Take the following steps to register for the AICP Certification Exam:

  • Before you contact APA, go to your APA Profile to check the status of your APA and chapter memberships. You may not register for the AICP Certification Exam if your APA and chapter dues are not paid in full.
  • Email AICP@planning.org and request to take the exam.
  • When AICP has approved your request, register for the exam and pay the fee. You must pay online with a credit card. (The fee is subject to change.)
  • Pass the exam.
  • Pay initial AICP dues. Note, all newly certified members must pay the $100 initial dues.
  • Receive your new AICP certification number and AICP membership start date.