Background:

In 2014 a Five-Year Future Cash Flow Analysis was completed by ACVREP that included projected revenue, ordinary operating expense and the need for capital investment in certification exams and operating systems such as the updated website and database.  It was determined, at that time, that without raising fees, ACVREP would not have the funds to invest in the exams on a best practices basis or in the needed website and database.  At that time, the Board made the very necessary, but difficult decision to raise fees which had not been raised for many years.  Fees were raised by 15% in order to ensure the financial sustainability of the organization and to ensure that your certifications were reviewed and updated based on national best practices standards.

Over the past 5 years, the Board has worked very hard to meet the commitment to certificants promised at the time that fees were raised.  ACVREP has made capital investments of just over $200,000 in updating the COMS, CLVT and CVRT exams and developing the new CATIS exam. $60,000 was invested in the new website and database that has allowed online tracking of recertification points and online processing of all applications for certification and recertification enabling faster processing times.  Additionally, ACVREP has made investments of over $45,000 in trademark and copyright protections to be able to defend the value of your certifications against unauthorized use by individuals who do not meet the certification requirements. That is a total capital investment of $305,000 in the last five years.  None of these would have been possible if the Board had not raised the fees in January of 2015.  In 2020 ACVREP will invest another $60,000+ in updating certification exams bringing total capital investment to over $365,000 since January 2015.

The Board also made the decision in 2014 to regularly review the fee structure and to make certain that fees at least keep pace with inflation while at the same time working to ensure that recertification fees would not be changed more than once during a recertification cycle period. The inflation rate for the period of 2015-2019 YTD has been 8.8%.  As a result of the five-year cumulative inflation rate, the Board has made the difficult, but necessary decision that fees need to be increased, as outlined below, in order to maintain best practices.

What this Means: Effective January 1, 2020

Recertification Application Fee for COMS, CVRT and CLVT: will increase by $30 from $345 to $375 equal to an increase of $6 per year.  $6 per year is the equivalent of 4 cups of McDonald’s coffee or 3 Grande cups of Starbuck’s coffee.  This increase will allow ACVREP to be able to continue to invest in your certifications and continue to make improvements to the database to improve our service to you.

Recertification of More than One Certification within 48 hours: the application fee will increase from $275 to $300. The discount on more than one recertification application will save you $75 rather than the current savings of only $70.

Recertification Application Fee for CATIS: will increase by $10 to from $140 to $150 per 2 year recertification cycle equal to $5 per year increased cost.

Please note that anyone whose recertification date is March 31, 2020 or thereafter will pay the increased fee even if you recertify early in 2019.

Certification Fees: Currently the Certification fees total $680.  The total fees for certification will increase by 8.7% equal to a $55 increase to a cost of $735.

However, in analyzing the certification costs, we noted that exam delivery fees have increased substantially.  As a result, the Board has made the decision to maintain Eligibility and Certification Application Fees at their current levels of $130 and $115 respectively and increase the Exam Registration Fee for two takes of the exam from $435 to $490.

Please note that anyone who has applied for Eligibility prior to 12/31/2019 will NOT pay the increased exam fee for their first Exam Registration.  For all applicants as of 12/31/2019 who pass the exam the first or second time, your total certification fees will still be the current total fee of $680. 

If, however, you need to take the exam a third or fourth time, you will pay the increased Exam Registration fee when registering for the exam for the second time after January 1, 2020. 

For any applicant applying for Eligibility after 12/31/2019 you will pay the higher exam registration fee on your first exam registration.

FOR A DETAIL LISTING OF THE FEE CHANGES Click Here to download