The American Board of Audiology (ABA) requires that each audiologist who holds the ABA Certified credential renew the certification each year. The recertification requirements are designed so that those who are ABA Certified continue to expand their knowledge in the field of audiology and stay current on changes in the field.
Summary of Recertification Requirement
At each annual renewal, certificants must meet the following recertification requirements:
- Completion of 20 hours of continuing education, with 5 of these hours at the Tier 1 level and 1 hour in professional ethics.
- Adherence to the ABA Codes of Ethics and state licensure/registration regulations for the practice of audiology, where applicable
- Payment of required fees.
Hours earned in excess of the hours required in each annual renewal period may not be carried over for credit to the next year.
Fees
| Certification Type | Academy Member | Non-Member |
| ABA Certified Annual Recertification Fee | $75 | $200 |
Random Audit of Continuing Education
Five percent of certicants are randomly selected for a Continuing Education Audit after each quarter’s renewals are completed. If you are selected for an audit and do not have sufficient CEUs documented in your online transcript, you will be asked for documentation of any non-AAA approved continuing education programs that you had not previously self-reported.
Maintaining and recording accurate recording of continuing education is the certificant’s responsibility. All documentation should be retained by certificants.
Reminder About ABA Certified Credential Renewals
In spring 2019, ABA changed the certification period for the ABA Certified credential from three years to one year and grouped all of the expiration dates into quarterly cohorts.
Since it’s been over a year since e-mail messages explaining the process were sent out and we have been getting questions from certificants concerned about their renewal dates, we want to highlight again the renewal schedules.
| Previous Expiration Dates | New Expiration Date | First Renewal Notice Date |
| Jan 31, Feb 28, Mar 31 | Mar 31 | On or about Feb 1 |
| Apr 30, May 31, June 30 | June 30 | On or about May 1 |
| July 31, Aug 31, Sept 30 | Sept 30 | On or about Aug 1 |
| Oct 31, Nov 30, Dec 31 | Dec 31 | On or about Nov 1 |
Depending on how recently you became ABA Certified or renewed your certification for three years prior to the spring 2019 change, many of you have already transitioned to an annual renewal cycle. Those who have not will be transitioning over the next year so that by September 30, 2021, everyone will be on an annual renewal cycle.
If you have any questions about the timing of your certification renewal, please contact ABA at aba@audiology.org or 800-881-5410.
Online Renewal Options for all ABA Certificants
All ABA credential holders have access to the Academy member database platform to complete their renewals online and update their profile information at any time.
You do not have to be an Academy member to use all of the functions built into the platform for ABA. You start by clicking on the blue For Members button in the upper right corner of the www.audiology.org home page. If you have any questions about logging in to the platform, please contact ABA at aba@audiology.org or 800-881-5410.
Expired Status
If your renewal statement and payment are not received by the recertification deadline, your certification will enter “Expired status.” Your name will no longer appear in ABA “Find a Certified Audiologist” directories, and your certification will be reported as inactive should any inquiries be made to the ABA office. If your certification is not renewed within sixty (60) days of expiration it will be “Closed.”
Once your certification has Closed you may apply for reinstatement of your credential within five (5) years of expiration. After five (5) years, you must re-apply for certification as a candidate for initial certification.
Failure to receive a notice of the need to recertify or simple failure to submit a recertification form in no way changes the expiration of the credential.
Credential holders with questions or concerns about their certification status should contact ABA at aba@audiology.org or 800-881-5410.
