Renewing Certification

How do I renew?

An INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional Certification is valid for a period of three years for CSEP and five years for ASEP. It is renewable for three or five year periods, respectively. Extensions are renewed at the same time as the base certification renewal, regardless of when the extension was earned. Renewal is not required for ESEP, but ESEPs do need to maintain their INCOSE individual, senior, or student memberships. The actual period of certification will commence on the date that INCOSE issues the initial certification.

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Steps for INCOSE Certification Renewal

INCOSE Systems Engineering Professionals (SEPs) should be tracking their professional development activities throughout their certification period.  They should keep a log of these activities and additional supporting information in case they are audited.  Upon completion of certification or renewal, SEPs should download the latest forms to assist with their next renewal activity. For a step-by-step guide for renewing, please click below.

Certification Renewal Guide

Step 1 -  Review the list of qualifying activities for earning Professional Development Units (PDUs).  Identify those you are doing already and those you can add to further your professional development.

Step 2 - Download the Log of Continuing Education Credits and insert your personal information.  Record your professional development activities.

Step 3  - As you approach the end of your certification or renewal period, download the Application for Renewal of SE Certification and Instructions for Renewing SE Certification.  Complete these forms with your personal information.

Step 4  - Login to portal.incose.org. Click on "Certifications." Click on "View My Certification." Click on hyperlink for your SEP. Click on "Apply/Renew." Follow the prompts to upload Form 13 (PDU Log).

Renewal Requirements by Certification Level

The following table lists the renewal requirements for the Certification Levels:

For a renewal application to be valid and processed, it must be dated (electronic or post marked) and paid no later than the expiration date of the current certification. For example, if the applicant received his/her CSEP certification on August 16, 2005, then his/her certification expires on August 15, 2008; and the renewal application must be dated (electronic or post marked) no later than August 15, 2008. Renewal applications that are dated (electronic or post marked) after the expiration of the current certification will be subject to the late fees described below.

Certification Level	Renewal Requirements
ASEP	120 PDUs Every Five (5) Years Must maintain INCOSE individual, senior, or student membership
CSEP	120 PDUs Every Three (3) Years Must maintain INCOSE individual, senior, or student membership if application payment was received after 31 December 2015
ESEP	No renewal required, but must maintain INCOSE individual, senior, or student membership

Qualifying Activities for Earning PDUs

The requirement for continuing professional development is intended to reinforce the need for lifelong learning in order to stay current with changing technology, equipment, procedures, processes, and established standards. Systems Engineering Professionals are encouraged to select meaningful courses/activities which will be of benefit in the pursuit of their chosen areas. Detailed renewal requirements are listed in CER-PROC-01.

View CER-PROC-01

General Requirements

All activities for which PDU credits are claimed must be relevant to the practice of systems engineering and may include technical, ethical, or managerial content. These activities should advance the professional or technical competence of the professional. PDUs are earned for activities that exceed normal on-the-job experience.

Qualifying activities may be sponsored or presented by college or universities, by employers, by government agencies, by nationally affiliated engineering or professional societies (such as INCOSE), or by other organizations.

INCOSE's Professional Development Portal gathers links to educational training, webinars, and documents useful for learning more about systems engineering. It also produces a report of completed activities, which can be used to verify participation in those activities.

INCOSE does not pre-approve courses for PDU credit. It is each individual's responsibility to assure that the activities in which you participate meet the requirements.

A PDU credit is roughly equivalent to one clock hour of instruction or volunteering and should be rounded to the nearest half hour.

Typical Qualifying Activities

Typical Non-Qualifying Activities

Completing or attending qualifying courses, seminars, instruction, in-house programs, or training;
Attending technical or professional society meetings when an engineering topic is presented as a principal part of the program and covers topics within your area of practice;
Preparing and teaching a course for the first time or if substantial time has been spent in updating material if previously taught;
Attending satellite video courses where attendance is verified and program material meets the requirements;
Attending language courses or software instructional courses which relate to improvement of one's business or profession.

Regular employment;
Personal estate and financial planning;
Courses in self-study or personal self-improvement; service club meetings or activities;
Equipment demonstrations or trade shows;
Topics not relevant to engineering;
Enrollment without attendance in courses or seminars, etc.;
Repetitive teaching of the same course without updating the course material;
Attending committee and business meetings of any non-technical organization;
Attending conversational language courses for personal use.

Documentation and Audits

SEPs must submit the summary log of continuing education as part of their renewal documentation, prior to their certification expiration date. Material, such as detailed course descriptions and certificates of completion, may be requested to check the quality of the courses/activities on the log of continuing education.

PDU Credits Carried Forward

PDU credits for renewal must be earned during the certification period. If more than 120 PDU credits are earned in a period for re-certification, then a maximum of 30 PDUs may be carried forward into the next period. Activities completed before a certification period, such as certification exam prep courses taken prior to getting certified, are not eligible for renewal of that period.

Upon transition from ASEP to CSEP the PDU count "resets" and the CSEP then has until their new certification expiration date to earn the required 120 PDUs. None of the PDUs earned while an ASEP can be carried forward.

Late Renewals

Individuals who do not submit their completed log of PDU activities and renewal fee will be subject to additional fees and/or have to re-start the certification process. Late renewals will re-start the certification time window, with subsequent renewal deadlines based on that renewal date. We have created a grace period to accommodate special cases.  That grace period is described below:

Prior to the renewal deadline: submit log showing 120 or more PDUs and renewal fee through incose.org profile home.
After the renewal date: Using the chart below; you will need to calculate the required minimum PDUs you need to renew, based on when you certification lapsed. Complete and submit the Form 13 PDU log, through your member profile home page. You will then be prompted to pay the reinstatement and renewal late fee. If you have any questions, please contact sep-renewal@incose.net

For ASEP

If within 6 months after deadline: submit log showing 132 or more PDUs, renewal fee, and reactivation fee of $50 USD
If greater than 6 months but less than 12 months after deadline: submit log showing 144 or more PDUs, renewal fee, reactivation fee of $100 USD
If greater than 12 months past renewal deadline: may renew with PDU submissions or may pass exam and pay reactivation fee of $150 USD once their INCOSE membership is reactivated (if expired). Renewal application fee is required in addition to the reactivation fee.

For CSEP

If within 6 months after deadline: submit log showing 140 or more PDUs, renewal fee, and reactivation fee of $50 USD
If greater than 6 months but less than 12 months after deadline: submit log showing 160 or more PDUs, renewal fee, reactivation fee of $100 USD
If greater than 12 months past renewal deadline: may renew with PDU submissions or may pass exam and pay reactivation fee of $150 USD once their INCOSE membership is reactivated (if expired). Renewal application fee is required in addition to the reactivation fee. Experience and education documents need not be resubmitted and CARs will not reassess someone who had already previously been approved as a CSEP. 
All late renewals require INCOSE memberships to be active.

For ESEP

ESEP's remain valid as long as their INCOSE membership is active. If an ESEP is lapsed due to membership, there will be a reactivation fee in order to reinstate the certification. See below for the fees chart. 
Current individual INCOSE membership is required to renew.

Reactivation Fee

Reactivation Fee is based on how many months after the certification expiration date. This fee is in addition to the certification renewal fee:

	>0-6 Months (M) Late	>6-12 M Late	>12 M Late
	$50 USD	$100 USD	$150 USD

Extra PDU requirements are based on how many months after the certification expiration date. These PDUs are in addition to the certification renewal requirements:

	>0-6 M Late	>6-12 M Late	>12 M Late
ASEP	12	24	24 per year expired
CSEP	20	40	40 per year expired

Note: The SEP examination may be retaken in lieu of PDUs for late renewals.

Renewal FAQs:

Can I get a renewal extension due to a family illness?

Yes, deferments from the continuing education requirements for hardship reasons, such as extended periods of illness or family leave, must be submitted in writing to the Certification Program Office for a decision. If you apply for a hardship deferment, your supporting documentation must specify the time period for meeting the continuing education requirements, must be included with your renewal form, and is a part of the material covered by your signed affidavit.

Can I put my certification on-hold while I am working in a field other than systems engineering?

Yes, if you wish to put your active certification “on hold” prior to its expiration, you may submit a written request to the Certification Program Office. You will not be able to advertise yourself as an INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional at any level while your certification is on hold. You must maintain INCOSE membership during the hold period. When you are ready to reactivate the certification, reach out to the Certification Program Office. Upon paying a $100 reactivation fee, you will be allowed to claim your certification for the duration of time that remained when it went on hold. For instance, if you put your CSEP certification on hold two years after you were first certified, you would have one year of active certification left.

What forms are needed for renewal?

Form 13 is the only form needed for certification renewal. Forms 6 and 7 have been retired.

For more FAQs click here

Systems Engineering Certification