ICF ACCICF Associate Certified Coach
The entry-level standard for professional coaches
CertPath Score
8
/10
About this certification
The ICF ACC is the International Coaching Federation's foundational credential, validating 60+ hours of coach-specific training and 100+ hours of coaching experience. Many L&D professionals pursue ICF credentials to add executive coaching and leadership development to their practice. ICF is the global standard-setting body for professional coaching.
What you'll validate
- ✓Active listening
- ✓Powerful questioning
- ✓Coaching presence and mindset
- ✓Goal setting and accountability
- ✓Leadership development coaching
- ✓Ethical coaching practice
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Gold standard coaching credential globally
- +Significant salary premium for executive coaching roles
- +Adds high-value coaching practice to L&D toolkit
Disadvantages
- −Expensive when including required accredited training
- −Requires significant practical coaching hours
- −Time-intensive to qualify
Who it's for
Best for
- →L&D professionals adding executive coaching to their practice
- →Leadership development specialists
- →HR business partners adding coaching credentials
Not ideal for
- ×Those without coaching program training and hours
- ×Pure instructional designers not in coaching roles
Career paths this unlocks
Study Resources
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Register for the exam
Apply at ICF.org after completing an ICF-accredited coach training program
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Jobs for ICF ACC holders
ICF ACC holders report $10k–$30k+ salary uplift on average.
Job links open external sites. Search results are live and not curated by CertPath.
Quick Facts
- Exam Cost
- $575 (Includes application and credentialing fees)
- Exam Duration
- 155 minutes
- Exam Format
- Multiple Choice
- Study Time
- ~150 hours
- Validity
- 3 years
- Salary Impact
- Strong ($10k–$30k+ uplift reported)
- Certified Globally
- 50k+ ACC holders
Prerequisites
- !60+ hours of coach-specific training from ICF-accredited program
- !100+ hours of paid coaching experience
- !10 hours of mentor coaching
Provider
International Coaching Federation
The global standard for professional coaching credentials
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