Manage Your IRC Renewal

When all renewal requirements have been met (required 30 PDUs and applicable fee) and the renewal application approved, certificants should be receiving a confirmation email, a digital certificate, and a digital badge showing the new certification expiration date.

IRC certificants must refer to the renewal program structure for detailed description of relevant PDUs and their assigned values.

If the renewal fees and application are not submitted by the certification expiration date, or the rejected application was not resubmitted on time, the certification will be placed under inactive status up to one year. If renewal application and applicable fees are not submitted by the end of this grace period, the certification will be revoked. During the inactive state, the IRC designation may not be used in any form of communication.

By the end of one full year after the expiration date of a certification, if the renewal application and applicable fees have not been received, certification will be revoked. Once certification has been revoked, it will be necessary to take the certification examination again to regain certification. Certificants have a 60-day deadline to submit the request to reinstate a revoked certification if extenuating circumstances prevented them from meeting the deadline.

The reactivation fee applies if materials are submitted after the renewal due date. This reactivation fee should be paid along with the applicable renewal fees and the renewal application must be submitted for the initial three-year cycle. Failure to pay the reactivation fee will result in the certification remaining in an inactive state, even if the renewal fees and application have been submitted. To reactivate an inactive certification, the standard renewal policy must be followed, with the same experience and continuing practice requirement needed to renew certification.

Should a certificant, leave active employment in the investor relations field of practice to pursue other interests, career, or for major medical reasons, s/he may request to place the certification under retired status. If the status is granted, there is no need to submit the renewal application. There is a retired status fee to retain certification under this status for the three-year cycle. The status change request form and applicable fee must be submitted before the expiration date. Certificants holding the retired status will be listed as “IRC-R,” and designation may not be used in any form of communication during this period. Retired status will be allowed for two renewal cycles only.

Should a certificant wish to return to active status in the future, notify certification@niri.org of the return date to active employment. The renewal application and regular fees need to be submitted at the time of the next regularly scheduled renewal (based on the original certification year).

Eligible candidates must submit the status change request form and meet one of the following requirements:

• Retired from full-time employment in the IR profession, with total number of years certified, when added to their years of work experience in the IR profession, of greater than or equal to 30 years; or;
• Retired from full-time employment in the IR profession and attained at least 15 years of continuous active certification status.

As part of the renewal application audit process, the NIRI Certification Council, certification staff and certification program committees have the sole and exclusive right to:

• Verify any and all of the PDUs submitted with the renewal application.
• Verify any and all documentation submitted by contacting appropriate sources including individuals and organizations referred to in the documentation.

Certificants are not required to send documentation supporting completion of their PDUs when submitting renewal applications. A random audit will be conducted to verify compliance and will request proof and supporting documents. Certificants should retain a personal file of documentation to support completion of their PDU activities and be ready to provide if needed. PDU documentation must be submitted in accordance with the following guidelines and may include the following:

• Membership letter or card from an investor relations association.
• Course registration.
• Certificate of completion issued and signed by the provider that includes your name, provider name, program name, dates of program, credit awarded.
• Certificate of attendance issued and signed by the provider that includes your name, provider name, program name, dates of program, and credit awarded.
• Letter signed by an authorized representative of the program, sponsor, or presenter attesting to the certificant’s participation.
• Copy of books or publications covers.
• Marketing materials or other published materials which identifies the specific title, author and publisher, name of instructor, presenter, and any other appropriate documents distributed by the activity sponsor which identifies the certification as a participant.
• Professionally printed material that provides a detailed description of the program attended. Include an hourly schedule, and clearly mark all lectures that were attended.
• Self-study: All instructional materials as received from the program provider. These materials should include an explanation of the subscription process, how to use the learning materials, the testing mechanism, and provisions for learner feedback. This material must be professionally printed, not a statement submitted by the individual.
• Item Submittal Form.
• Mentoring/Coaching Form.
• Other available documents.

Certificants are encouraged to list their professional development activities as they are earned in the renewal application, and save all supporting documents electronically until submission due date.

IRC renewal requirements may be waived in special circumstances such as:

• Military service
• Serious illness or disability
• Severe financial hardship

Waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis. The request should be sent to certification@niri.org by appropriate documentation. Being too busy at work, changing jobs, relocating, or being temporarily unemployed are NOT considered special circumstances and will NOT be approved. Waivers apply to renewal fees only.