Maintaining Your Credentials

Maintaining your CWP credentials allows you to:

• Showcase your credibility and your competence in the five domains of the Wellness Promotion Competency Model
• Be at the forefront of advancing wellness practices across multiple professions, industries, and disciplines
• Promote your designation publicly with the CWP credentials and a digital badge
• Ensure you continue to apply current and relevant methods in your work
• Have your name listed in the Certified Wellness Practitioner Online Directory

Plus, as an active CWP, you have access to:

• Opportunities to serve as a wellness subject matter expert
• Virtual and in-person networking and connection opportunities
• An online Professional Development Journal for tracking your continuing education (CE) activities

To ensure continued use of your CWP credentials, you must meet all recertification requirements by the end of your current certification cycle. Certification cycles begin on February 1 (January exam), June 1 (May exam), or October 1 (September exam). You may view your current CWP status and expiration date under the “My CWP” menu when you log in to your account.

Before your certification cycle ends, you must:

• Document a total of 30 continuing education (CE) credits earned, at least 10 of which must be from Category 1 CE activities, and
• Pay the current recertification fee.

Once recertified, you will begin a new three-year certification cycle.

To ensure a well-rounded and professional level of continuing education, CE credits required for recertification are organized into the following categories:

Category 1 CE Activities
Minimum required = 10
Maximum accepted = 30

Category 1 CE activities are automatically entered into your Professional Development Journal upon completion and include:

• activities pre-approved by the Council on Wellness Certification Excellence (CWCE) as listed in the Wellness Alliance Learning Center.
• academic coursework taken during your current certification cycle and supported by transcripts.

Category 2 CE Activities
Minimum required = 0
Maximum accepted = 20

Category 2 CE activities must be submitted through the CWP CE Credit Submission Form and include all other CE activities that:

• have not been pre-approved by the CWCE and are not academic coursework,
• align with the Wellness Promotion Competency Model,
• are intended for an audience of wellness professionals, and
• are not part of your daily job requirements.

Refer to the CWP Category 2 CE Credits document for additional details.

Note: A minimum number of 10 CE credits must be earned through Category 1 CE activities; the remaining 20 CE credits may be earned through Category 1 or Category 2 CE activities.

Category 1 CE credits earned through pre-approved activities will automatically be documented in your Professional Development Journal by the Wellness Alliance and applied toward recertification if the activity is attended in full and the program evaluation form is submitted, or the academic-course credit has been approved by the CWCE.

All Category 2 CE credits (and Category 1 CE credits earned through academic coursework) must be submitted via this CWP CE Credit Submission Form. CWPs should document all CE credits earned within 90 days of completing the activity and prior to their certification expiration date.

As a professional, it is your responsibility to track your CWP recertification status and submit all Category 1 (from academic coursework) and/or Category 2 (from any outside activity) CE credits in a timely manner. You may view the total number of CE credits you have accumulated toward recertification and view/print a transcript when signed in to your Professional Development Journal. By way of back up, we strongly encourage all CWPs to maintain personal records documenting the number and types of continuing CE activities achieved and submitted during each recertification cycle.

Should you not be able to meet the recertification requirements by the end of your 3-year certification cycle (and pay all associated fees), your credential will be revoked and you must discontinue public use and promotion of the CWP designation (e.g., on your résumé or C.V., website, social media, presentations).

If you are unable to document the total number of required CE credits by the end of your current certification cycle, you will enter a 30-day grace period. During this time, you may continue to use the CWP credentials while you acquire and record your remaining CE credits.

If you require additional time beyond the initial 30-day grace period and you have paid your recertification fee, your certification will be placed in “pending” status for up to 60 more days while you acquire and record your CE credits. Upon completion of your required credits, you must pay a reinstatement fee (currently $75); upon review and approval, you will begin a new 3-year certification cycle based on your original recertification date (February 1, June 1, or October 1).

Current CWP Recertification Rates:

• Wellness Alliance Member: $150
• Nonmember: $200

All current fees associated with the CWP credential can be viewed on the CWP Rates Chart. Contact [email protected] if you are within 90 days of your CWP recertification date and have not received the link to pay your recertification fee.

No, membership in the Wellness Alliance is not included in any Certified Wellness Practitioner fees nor is it required to earn or maintain your CWP credentials. You may learn more about membership, join the Wellness Alliance, and gain access to all available benefits (including free and discounted Category 1 CE activities and reduced CWP recertification fees) on wellnessalliance.org.

For additional questions about Wellness Alliance membership, please contact [email protected].

If you have CWP recertification questions not answered here, please submit a CWP Recertification Support ticket.