NCCT (NCMA) Recertification: What You Need to Know

Maintaining your National Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) credential through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) requires annual recertification and continuing education.

Unlike certification organizations that use two- or three-year renewal cycles, NCCT requires NCMA certificants to renew every year. Staying organized with your annual fee, continuing education, and documentation can help prevent your certification from becoming inactive.

How Often Does an NCCT NCMA Need to Renew?

NCCT uses an annual recertification cycle for NCMA certificants.

Your recertification requirements must be completed each year to maintain active certification. NCCT allows recertification applications to be submitted up to six months before your certification expiration date.

Your individual expiration date should be checked through your NCCT account.

What Is the NCCT Recertification Fee?

The current recertification fee for a single NCMA credential is $89 annually.

If you maintain multiple NCCT credentials, a discounted multi-certification fee may apply.

Because fees can change, always verify the current amount through your NCCT account before submitting your recertification application.

How Many Continuing Education Hours Are Required?

NCCT requires 14 contact hours (CH) each year for NCMA recertification.

Because the requirement is annual, it can be helpful to spread your education throughout the year rather than waiting until your expiration date.

For example, you could set a goal of completing approximately one to two contact hours each month.

This is simply a planning strategy—not an additional NCCT requirement.

When Is the NCCT Renewal Deadline?

Your recertification application must be completed by your active certification expiration date.

One helpful feature of NCCT's renewal process is that applications can be submitted up to six months before expiration.

This gives certificants plenty of time to complete their CE, organize their documentation, and submit their application before their credential expires.

Don't wait for the final week.

Completing your renewal early can give you time to address missing documentation or questions about outside continuing education.

Where Can You Earn NCCT Continuing Education?

NCCT accepts qualifying continuing education from several sources.

These may include:

• NCCT's online CE library
• Approved outside educational activities related to the profession
• Employer training
• Professional education activities that meet NCCT requirements

However, outside CE may be subject to review or audit.

If you are completing education outside of NCCT's CE library, verify that the activity meets NCCT's requirements before relying on it for recertification.

What Documentation Should You Keep?

Keep documentation for every continuing education activity you complete.

Your documentation should include important information such as:

• Certificate of completion
• Course title
• Date completed
• Provider name
• Number of contact hours earned

This documentation may be needed if NCCT reviews or audits outside CE.

A simple way to stay organized is to create a digital folder for each certification year and save your certificates as soon as you complete each course.

Remember:

If you can't document it, you may have difficulty proving you completed it.

Keeping your certificates is especially important when completing CE through an outside provider.

Does NCCT Audit Continuing Education?

NCCT may review or audit outside CE submissions.

Continuing education completed through NCCT's own CE library may be processed more quickly, while outside CE may require additional review.

This does not necessarily mean that outside education cannot be used. It simply means that you should make sure your outside education meets NCCT requirements and that you retain the appropriate documentation.

How Do You Submit CE Credits?

NCCT manages recertification through its online user account.

The general process is:

1. Log into your NCCT user account.

2. Open the Recertification Dashboard.

3. Complete NCCT CE courses or add eligible outside CE activities.

4. Verify that you have met the required 14 contact hours.

5. Submit your recertification application.

6. Pay the applicable recertification fee.

Submitting your information early can help prevent last-minute problems with your renewal.

What Happens If Your NCCT Certification Becomes Inactive?

If your certification becomes inactive, NCCT provides a pathway for returning the credential to active status.

Generally, this may involve:

• Completing missed recertification requirements
• Paying applicable missed annual fees
• Meeting other current NCCT requirements

The sooner you address an inactive certification, the better.

What happens after five years?

If the certification remains inactive for five years, it becomes invalid.

At that point, the individual must qualify again under the applicable current eligibility requirements and successfully pass the certification examination.

This is an important distinction: an inactive certification may have a pathway back to active status, while a certification that has become invalid after the applicable period may require the individual to start the certification process again.

Can You Renew by Examination?

For an active certification, NCCT's standard recertification process involves meeting the annual requirements.

However, if a certification becomes invalid after the five-year inactive period, the individual must meet the current eligibility requirements and successfully complete the certification examination again.

In other words, examination may be necessary to regain certification after the credential has become invalid.

Does NCCT Require a Professional Membership?

No separate professional membership is required.

Maintaining active NCMA status requires completing the annual recertification requirements and paying the applicable annual fee.

A Simple NCCT NCMA Renewal Strategy

Because NCCT requires renewal every year, creating a yearly routine can make the process much easier.

Throughout the year:

1. Track your 14 contact hours.
Keep a running total rather than trying to remember everything at renewal time.

2. Save your documentation.
Download certificates immediately after completing CE.

3. Verify outside CE.
Before completing outside education, make sure it meets NCCT requirements.

4. Check your NCCT account.
Review your expiration date and recertification status.

Six months before expiration:

This is a good time to begin your final renewal review.

Make sure you have:

• Completed your 14 required contact hours
• Recorded your CE activities
• Saved your certificates
• Confirmed your expiration date
• Prepared your recertification application
• Confirmed the current renewal fee

Before your expiration date:

Submit your completed recertification application and payment.

Don't wait until the expiration date if you can avoid it. Submitting early gives you more time to correct potential problems.

Why Annual Tracking Matters

An annual renewal cycle can make certification maintenance feel repetitive, but it also means your CE requirements are spread across shorter periods.

Instead of thinking about 14 contact hours as a once-a-year deadline, consider making continuing education part of your regular professional development.

Completing a small amount of education throughout the year can be much easier than trying to find 14 qualifying contact hours immediately before your certification expires.

Quick Reference: NCCT NCMA Recertification

Requirement	NCCT NCMA Information
Recertification fee	$89 annually*
Renewal cycle	Every year
CE requirement	14 contact hours annually
Application window	Up to 6 months before expiration
Renewal deadline	Active certification expiration date
Documentation	Keep certificates and supporting CE records
Outside CE review	May be audited or reviewed
Separate membership required?	No
Inactive certification	May be returned to active status by meeting applicable requirements
After 5 years inactive	Certification becomes invalid
Examination after invalidation	Current eligibility requirements and examination apply
CE reporting	NCCT User Account → Recertification Dashboard
Multiple credentials	Discounted multi-certification fee may apply

*Fees are subject to change. Verify the current fee through NCCT before submitting your renewal.

Where Can You Renew Your NCCT NCMA Certification?

NCCT manages certification and recertification through its online user account.

NCCT User Portal:
https://www.ncctinc.com/

Important Reminder

Certification fees, continuing education requirements, inactive-status policies, and recertification procedures can change. Always verify the current requirements directly with the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) before completing CE or submitting your recertification application.

This article is intended as an educational overview and should not replace NCCT's official certification policies and requirements.

References:

1. National Center for Competency Testing. (n.d.). National Center for Competency Testing. https://www.ncctinc.com/