National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification® (NCTRC®) knows how hard you worked to obtain the CTRS® credential. Continue your professional journey – recertify & reinvest in yourself.
Each Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist® (CTRS) is required to recertify every five years to demonstrate their continuing professional knowledge and competence in recreational therapy.
CTRSs who recertify and maintain certification will also retain their CTRS digital badge – allowing others to confirm the current authenticity of their certification.
To meet the requirements for continued certification, the CTRS must choose one of the following two options to recertify:
Work Experience: Minimum 480 hours of professional work experience in therapeutic recreation.
and
Continuing Education: Minimum 50 hours of continuing education credit related to the NCTRC Job Analysis.
Plan for recertification in order to meet the minimum requirements for continuing education credit related to the NCTRC Job Analysis.
The NCTRC Certification Exam is available to individuals who have current CTRS® status as a means to recertify. In this option, an individual must re-take and pass the NCTRC Certification Exam to demonstrate their continuing professional knowledge and competence.
Recertify and reinvest in yourself – start the exam registration process today by logging into your account at MY NCTRC LOGIN
Recertification occurs in the fifth year of the certification cycle. Individuals can recertify through (a) the Work Experience and Continuing Education option, or (b) by re-taking and passing the NCTRC Certification Exam.
Log into your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal to check your cycle and expiration dates.
The recertification application and fee are due by the posted expiration date on an individual’s MY NCTRC LOGIN account.
To maintain certification and keep your CTRS® credential active, log into your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal to check on your recertification expiration date and complete the application process on time.
CTRSs are sent recertification deadline reminders via email, so it is important for each individual to keep their MY NCTRC LOGIN profile up to date with their most current contact information.
The Recertification application must be submitted by the recertification due date. Log into your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal to access your “My Dashboard Profile” and select the Recertification – Education and Work Experience application under Applications for the CTRS. Follow the instructions posted on the Recertification application. Be sure to pay the required fees during the checkout process.
You may submit your Recertification application up to 12 months prior to the end of your five-year cycle. If you submit even 6 months early, you will be notified if you have not met the requirements and you may then earn additional continuing education credit before your certification expires.
Certificants may upload and save records of continuing education to their Recertification – Education and Work Experience application. Please note, if you save records of continuing education to this application as storage, NCTRC will not review the content unless the application is selected for audit.
CTRSs can log into their account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal and upload completed continuing education (CEU) certificates of completion to your dashboard at any time during your certification cycle.
This will help you maintain your CE records in case you are audited during the recertification process. It is the responsibility of the CTRS to acquire and maintain official documentation of continuing education credit (certificates of completion).
To meet NCTRC Certification Standards, the content of continuing education must relate directly to the current NCTRC Job Analysis.
Continuing education is measured according to actual instructional time as identified on documentation submitted. Each continuing education session must be 30 minutes or longer. Sessions of less than 30 minutes will not be accepted by NCTRC, regardless of the content. If you require clarification on converting your continuing education units/points to hours, contact NCTRC.
Review the NCTRC Certification Standards for complete details and requirements.
As part of the CTRS Recertification application process, a random percentage of applications will be selected for audit.
Here’s what you need to know about the audit process:
For more information, view and download the NCTRC Certification Standards.
NCTRC is committed to providing CTRSs with the resources necessary for recertification, including pre-approved continuing education opportunities. Learn in confidence knowing that NCTRC has pre-approved continuing education session content from various conferences, workshops, online and on-demand courses offered by a multitude of organizations and continuing education providers.
For continuing education that does not have valid NCTRC pre-approval status, it is the responsibility of the certificant to make sure the continuing education session content relates to the NCTRC Job Analysis and meets NCTRC Certification Standards. Consider using the optional Continuing Education Pre-Approval application for CTRSs to use in preparation for recertification. This application is available for CTRSs who are considering using the education and experience option for recertification. Read about this option below.
Check out the NCTRC collection of digital badges associated with NCTRC approved micro-credentials which provides CTRSs and learners from various professions the ability to earn digital badges from a wide variety of online education and professional development programs.
Earners are assured that a digital badge associated with an NCTRC approved micro-credential is a direct result of NCTRC pre-approved continuing education session content that meets NCTRC Standards and is directly related to the NCTRC Job Analysis.
Watch your inbox for email notifications from NCTRC regarding recertification review updates and decision notification.
RECERTIFICATION APPLICATION REVIEW: Upon submission of the recertification application, a random percentage of applications will be selected for audit. Please review the NCTRC Certification Standards for additional information regarding the audit process.
Once review of an application is complete, the certificant is informed of either (i) the decision to grant recertification to the certificant, or (ii) an adverse decision on the recertification application. The recertification decision will be emailed to the certificant after the completion of the review. Individuals who are denied recertification have the right to appeal the decision or regain their CTRS status via the Reentry program.
In the event of a denial notification, individuals may review and submit the NCTRC Appeal Application. Review the NCTRC Certification Standards for additional information regarding the Recertification Appeal Procedures.
NCTRC offers Exam Preparation Tools – these are exam content resources and study aids on computer-based testing.
They include:
Review the Exam information within the NCTRC Certification Standards.
RECERTIFICATION EXTENSION
EXTENSION OF RECERTIFICATION CYCLE
In the case when a serious health condition or extreme personal emergency has prevented an individual from completing all recertification requirements, a request for extension may be made in writing to the Standards Review Committee within 60 days of the recertification application deadline. Review the NCTRC Certification Standards for complete details.
Take advantage of the optional Continuing Education Pre-Approval application for CTRSs to use in preparation for recertification. This application is available for CTRSs who are considering using the education and experience option for recertification. NCTRC offers CTRSs the option to submit a Continuing Education Pre-Approval application for review prior to submitting their Recertification application. This application available on the dashboard profile through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal.
Here’s what you need to know:
NCTRC offers an approval process for pending or completed continuing education hours prior to the submission of a formal recertification application. NCTRC’s Continuing Education Approval Process allows certificants to submit continuing education prior to recertification to determine whether it meets current recertification requirements. This process will allow for early confirmation of continuing education to individuals who are not certain if previously completed education will count towards NCTRC Recertification requirements.
For complete details, refer to the NCTRC Certification Standards.
The NCTRC Certification Standards require that a CTRS® upload an official document (not a copy) documenting continuing education credit which indicates your name, attendance date (which must be within your 5 year cycle), title of the course or program and contact hours (it does not have to awarded in CEU credit).
If the CTRS is unable to obtain such a document, then the sponsor or instructor of the program must provide a written statement including all the necessary information mentioned above, on agency letterhead.
The title of the course or program, as listed on the official document, is critical to whether it can be utilized toward NCTRC Recertification. The title must relate to the NCTRC Job Analysis. The title must be clear and reflective of the program. If it is not, you will need to obtain and submit the program brochure with descriptive information.
For complete details, refer to the NCTRC Certification Standards.
Log into your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal. This application may be found on your dashboard profile page under Application for the CTRS; Continuing Education Pre-Approval Process (OPTIONAL).
Continuing Education Approval Process Review fee: $35.00
The required fees must accompany each NCTRC application or the application will be returned. All fees must be in U.S. dollars. If an individual resides outside of the U.S., the fees must be sent by credit card, money order or cashier’s check in U.S. dollars made payable to NCTRC. All certification review fees paid to NCTRC are non-refundable, regardless of review decision or withdrawal of the application during the review process.
Recertify and reinvest in yourself. Continue your professional journey by renewing your CTRS certification.
