HRCI AND SHRM RECERTIFICATION GUIDE FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
Congratulations on earning your HR certification credential or credentials with HRCI or SHRM! It's quite an accomplishment. In order to maintain your HR certification credentials, you must recertify with SHRM or HRCI every three years. This means gaining new work experiences and seeking out educational courses to further grow as an HR professional.
There are many ways to go about earning those certification credits and that process can be complex, which is why we've put together a comprehensive HR recertification guide for all HR certifications including the aPHR, PHR, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP designations.
Choose Which HR Recertification Program You Want to Learn About
Select your HR recertification preference with the options below or scroll to learn about both HRCI and SHRM recertification programs.
Overview of HRCI Recertification Programs
NO. OF RECERTIFICATION CREDITS REQUIRED BY HRCI
aPHR
PHR
SPHR
GPHR
Understanding Different HRCI Recertification Credit Types
Different credentials require different educational credit types and often these credits, particularly Business, Global and California credits are hard to come by. Summarized below are the four main credit types for the aPHR, PHR, SPHR and GPHR. Each different credential requires different types of recertification credits which are dependent on the certification earned. You can learn about more about HRCI Recertification by accessing their official handbook.
- General Credits - These educational credits are general in nature covering the basics of human resources. While each of the above certifications will accept a certain number of "general" credits, they are not highly specialized.
- Business Credits - In the past HRCI referred to these as strategic credits. The Business credit is an educational credit as part of the recertification requirement for the SPHR certification. These topics or experiences include measuring the impact of HR to the business, experiential learning focused on leading and aligning the with HR strategy to people and mentoring, change management, coaching, relationships and risk mitigation. Educations courses that meet a Business credit requirement must meet qualifications to be about the broader business needs and how HR supports the business. Details are outlined in the SPHR body of knowledge.
- Global Credits - These credits are tied to educational topics that teach or train on a global scope of HR commonly outside of the United States and North America. Other topics include global leading teams and workforce planning as well as global staffing, talent development, compensation and benefits and balancing business operations as well as navigating different cultural environments. These educational recertification credits are required to recertify as part of the GPHR.
- Ethics Credits - A new requirement since 2021, HRCI now requires at least one education recertification credit to be on the topic of ethics for the aPHR, PHR, SPHR, and GPHR. Workology offers a single course to satisfy the HRCI recertification ethics requirement.
When Is the Deadline to Recertify?
You must recertify with HRCI every three years on the last day of your birth month.
Visit HRCI's website to log into your profile and see your specific due date information for recertification.
How Can I Earn HRCI Recertification Credits?
You must recertify with HRCI every three years on the last day of your birth month. The two buckets to recertify with HRCI for your aPHR, PHR, SPHR, and GPHR fall into three different key recertification areas. You can earn recertification credits three different ways: Continuing education, work experience or other areas like volunteering.
Professional Development
Professional Achievement
HRCI Recertification Credit Maximums and Activity List
How Much Does It Cost to Recertify with HRCI
In order to access the HRCI portal, visit their website and be prepared to enter in information for your recertification credits. If adding educational sessions, webinars and courses, have session dates, title and a description or the recertification org number handy. Above is a short video on how to enter in the information into the HRCI recertification platform.
Recertification Fees with HRCI
| Number of Designations | Price |
| One designation | $169 |
| Two designations | $219 |
| Three designations | $269 |
| Four designations | $319 |
| Five designations | $369 |
Other Recertification Fees
| Other Fees | Price |
| Suspended Status Fee | $100 |
| Emeritus Status | $150 |
HRCI accepts payment via their online portal and accepts most major credit cards as payment.
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Overview of SHRM Rertification Programs
RECERTIFICATION CREDITS REQUIRED BY SHRM
SHRM-CP
SHRM-SCP
Understanding Different SHRM Credit Types
While SHRM offers two different HR certification programs, the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP, they do not have different recertification requirements by HR certification. HR leaders have the flexibility to explore programs and find ways to earn recertification without relying on specific courses.
Ways to Earn SHRM Recertification PDC's
PDC's are referred to as professional development credits as outlined by SHRM. Your SHRM recertification is due every three years on the last day of your birth month. The three buckets your PDC's are fall into three different areas. You can earn recertification credits three different ways:
Advance your profession
Advance your organization
Advance your education
1) Advance your profession - Thirty (30) hours maximum PDCs per 3-year recertification cycle. Example activities and PDCs can include: Speaking or presenting at a conference - 2 PDCs, authoring a book - 20 PDCs, SHRM volunteer on a national board or officer - 5 PDCs per year, Taking a SHRM survey - .25 PDCs, or mentoring in a formal HR program - 3 per year.
2) Advance your organization - Thirty (30) hours maximum PDCs per 3-year recertification cycle. PDCs are calculated based on time spent working on the project. Options are listed below. To be awarded credits you must provide a brief write-up detailing the specifics of the project. A template and what to include in your SHRM recertification project summary is available. PDCs are awarded in the amount of .25 for every 1 hour of your project. Normal projects range from 10-30 PDCs awarded.
3) Advance your education - This includes conferences, courses by Workology, online classes and webinars, or HR and business reading books. There is no PDC maximum for this category. Example activities can include: Reading a SHRM-approved book, attending a webinar with Workology's UpSkill HR, or college courses or a continuing education program.
Access more resources on what SHRM constitutes as qualifying activities.
SHRM Recertification Credit Maximums
How Much Does It Cost to Recertify with SHRM?
Like HRCI, SHRM offers you to recertify by also taking your exam in the final year of your SHRM recertification cycle. SHRM costs and fees for recertification are more concise in part due to the fact you can only hold one SHRM certification at a time. They also offer SHRM member pricing where you can save money on recertification.
Recertification Fees with SHRM
| Recertification Fees | SHRM Member Price | Non-SHRM Member Price |
| Regular | $100 | $150 |
| Late | $150 | $200 |
7 TIPS TO EARN RECERTIFICATION CREDITS
Leverage your work experience
Dual certified? Double dip your HR credits
Online learning is your secret weapon
Teach, Train or Write to earn credits
Consider manual credit submission
Volunteer work can earn credits
Spreadsheets to manage recertification
HOW WORKOLOGY HELPS YOU WITH HR RECERTIFICATION & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
We offer HR recertification and personal development that ACCELERATES YOUR LEARNING while working with your busy schedule. COURSE PRICES START AT $39 per MONTH.
Easy access on learning portal or mobile app
Topics and learning that grow your knowledge
Affordable course options that work
WORKOLOGY'S HR RECERTIFICATION OFFERINGS
Click on each course offering to be directed to a new page sharing more about the course offering with Workology's HR personal development and recertification program(s).
WHAT OUR HR PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS ARE SAYING...
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