How Do You Maintain a LEED AP Credential?
Earning a LEED AP credential demonstrates advanced knowledge of a particular LEED rating system. But earning the credential is not the end of the process. LEED AP professionals must maintain their credential through continuing education and regular renewal.
This guide explains the current LEED AP credential maintenance requirements, including CE hours, LEED-specific requirements, eligible activities, reporting, renewal fees and what happens if you miss your renewal date.
- What is the LEED AP maintenance requirement?
- How does the two-year reporting period work?
- How many CE hours does a LEED AP need?
- What are LEED-specific CE hours?
- Which activities can earn CE hours?
- How do you report LEED AP CE hours?
- Do you need to keep proof of your CE hours?
- How much does LEED AP renewal cost?
- What happens if you miss renewal?
- What if you hold more than one LEED AP specialty?
- Do LEED GA CE hours transfer to LEED AP?
- Frequently asked questions
What Is the LEED AP Maintenance Requirement?
According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) , LEED AP with specialty credential holders must earn a minimum of 30 continuing education (CE) hours during each two-year reporting period.
The purpose of credential maintenance is to help LEED professionals demonstrate continued competency and remain up to date with changes in green building and the LEED rating systems.
How Does the Two-Year Reporting Period Work?
LEED AP credentials are maintained in two-year reporting cycles. The reporting period begins when the credential is earned and ends two years minus one day from the start date.
For example, if you earn your LEED AP BD+C credential on August 30, 2026, your reporting period would run from August 30, 2026 through August 29, 2028.
You can check your individual reporting period and renewal date by logging into your USGBC Credentials account .
How Many CE Hours Does a LEED AP Need?
A LEED AP with specialty must earn 30 CE hours every two years to maintain the credential.
The 30-hour requirement is divided between LEED-specific CE and general CE.
At least 6 hours must be LEED-specific and directly related to the specialty held by the credential holder.
The remaining 24 hours can be general green-building education or additional LEED-specific education.
What Are LEED-Specific CE Hours?
LEED-specific CE hours are continuing education activities that have a direct connection to the LEED specialty associated with your credential.
For example, a LEED AP BD+C credential holder needs LEED-specific activities related to the LEED BD+C rating system.
Similarly, a LEED AP O+M holder needs LEED-specific activities relevant to LEED O+M, while a LEED AP ID+C holder needs activities relevant to LEED ID+C.
USGBC states that LEED-specific education courses must be GBCI-approved and designated as LEED-specific to count toward the LEED-specific CE requirement.
Which Activities Can Earn LEED AP CE Hours?
USGBC recognizes four professional development activity types for credential maintenance:
- Education courses
- Project participation
- Authorship
- Volunteering
1. Education courses
Education courses are one of the main ways LEED AP professionals can earn continuing education hours.
General CE hours can come from GBCI-approved education or eligible non-GBCI-approved courses related to green-building concepts.
However, for the specialty-specific requirement, the course must be GBCI-approved and designated as LEED-specific.
You can explore eligible learning opportunities through the official USGBC education listing .
2. Project participation
Active participation in qualifying LEED projects can generate CE hours. USGBC states that credential holders can receive 1 LEED-specific CE hour per credit worked on when the project is in the rating system associated with their credential.
For example, a LEED AP BD+C professional working on a registered or certified LEED BD+C project can report qualifying project participation toward the LEED-specific requirement.
Work on a project under a different rating system can count toward general CE hours rather than the specialty-specific requirement.
Work on charrettes and precertification is not acceptable for credential maintenance reporting.
3. Authorship
Authorship can also qualify for continuing education.
USGBC states that eligible authorship is worth 3 CE hours per published article and 10 CE hours per published book.
For the publication to qualify for LEED-specific hours, it must contain technical content related to the relevant LEED rating system or standard.
4. Volunteering
Eligible volunteering can generate 1 CE hour per hour of participation.
However, volunteering can account for no more than 50% of the total CE hours required.
For volunteering to count toward LEED-specific hours, the activity must be directly related to LEED technical content.
How Do You Report LEED AP CE Hours?
CE activities are reported through your USGBC Credentials account .
You can submit eligible CE activities during your current reporting period and monitor how many hours you have completed.
The activities must have taken place during the applicable reporting period in order to be reported for that period.
Do You Need to Keep Proof of Your CE Hours?
Yes. You should retain documentation supporting the CE activities you report because GBCI may review credential maintenance records.
Depending on the activity, documentation can include:
- Certificates of course completion
- College or university transcripts
- Documentation of qualifying project participation
- Evidence of eligible volunteering
- Copies or links supporting published authorship
USGBC provides activity-specific documentation requirements in its official CE reporting guidance .
How Much Does LEED AP Renewal Cost?
The current LEED credential maintenance renewal fee is $100, with different rates depending on when you renew.
According to the official USGBC LEED credential renewal guidance :
- Early renewal: $85
- On-time renewal: $100
- Late renewal: $150
The applicable fee depends on your credential status and the timing of your renewal.
What Happens If You Miss Your LEED AP Renewal?
If you do not complete your required continuing education and renew your credential by the end of your reporting period, your LEED AP credential becomes inactive.
You then have a 12-month grace period to earn and report the missing CE hours and renew your credential.
What happens after 12 months?
If the credential remains inactive for more than 12 months, it becomes expired and is no longer valid.
To regain a credential after expiration, you must register and retest as a new candidate and pay the applicable fees.
If a LEED AP credential expires, the credential holder must cease using the credential and its associated logo until the credential is reinstated.
See the official USGBC Credential Renewal Policy for the current rules.
What If You Hold More Than One LEED AP Specialty?
Some professionals hold more than one LEED AP with specialty credential. In that situation, the maintenance requirements are different from maintaining a single specialty.
USGBC states that a professional holding multiple LEED AP specialties must complete the applicable specialty-specific CE requirements for each additional specialty.
USGBC also states that credential holders with multiple LEED AP specialties are not charged an additional renewal fee for each specialty. The credential maintenance renewal fee is $100.
You can read the detailed requirements in the official USGBC guidance on maintaining multiple credentials .
Do LEED GA CE Hours Transfer to LEED AP?
No. LEED Green Associate and LEED AP with specialty are separate credential maintenance programs.
CE hours earned while maintaining a LEED Green Associate credential do not transfer to a newly acquired LEED AP with specialty credential.
This is important if you are planning to progress from LEED Green Associate training to LEED AP BD+C training .
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE hours does a LEED AP need?
A LEED AP with specialty must earn 30 CE hours during each two-year reporting period. At least 6 of those hours must be LEED-specific and relevant to the specialty held.
How many LEED-specific CE hours are required for LEED AP?
A LEED AP with specialty must earn at least 6 LEED-specific CE hours during each reporting period. These hours must be relevant to the specialty associated with the credential.
Can general CE hours count toward the LEED AP requirement?
Yes. The remaining 24 hours can be general CE hours or additional LEED-specific CE hours.
Can LEED AP project participation count as CE?
Yes. Eligible participation in LEED projects can generate CE hours. Participation in a project under the rating system associated with your specialty can count toward your LEED-specific requirement.
Can volunteering count toward LEED AP CE hours?
Yes. Eligible volunteering can generate 1 CE hour per hour of participation, but volunteering can account for no more than 50% of the total CE hours required.
Do I need to keep proof of my LEED AP CE hours?
Yes. Credential holders should retain documentation supporting their reported CE activities because GBCI may review credential maintenance records.
How much does LEED AP renewal cost?
The standard renewal fee is $100. Early renewal is $85, while renewal more than 30 days into the inactive grace period is $150.
What happens if my LEED AP credential becomes inactive?
You have a 12-month grace period to earn and report the missing CE hours and renew your credential. If it remains inactive for more than 12 months, the credential expires.
Do LEED GA CE hours transfer to LEED AP?
No. CE hours earned as a LEED Green Associate do not transfer to a newly acquired LEED AP with specialty credential.
What if I have more than one LEED AP specialty?
Additional LEED AP specialties require additional specialty-specific CE hours. For example, holding both LEED AP BD+C and LEED AP O+M requires 36 CE hours during the reporting period.
Official Sources
For current LEED credential maintenance requirements, always refer to the official USGBC/GBCI information.
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Looking to progress from LEED Green Associate to LEED AP BD+C? 3FOLD Training offers structured LEED GA + AP BD+C training with live online classes, LMS access, study materials, practice questions and mock exams.
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