Credentials guide

What the letters after a coach's name actually mean.

Coaching is unregulated, which means anyone can call themselves a coach. Credentials are the field's answer — independent third parties verifying training, hours, and assessed proficiency. Here's how to read them.

ICF — the most common

International Coaching Federation

The largest coaching credentialing body. Three tiers — ACC (entry), PCC (professional), MCC (master) — distinguished by hours of training, hours of paid coaching, and the rigor of the performance evaluation. PCC is the practical floor for most experienced coaches.

ICF ACC

Associate Certified Coach

Entry-level ICF credential. Indicates 60+ hours of coach-specific training and 100+ hours of paid coaching experience.

ICF PCC

Professional Certified Coach

Mid-tier ICF credential. The standard most experienced professional coaches hold.

ICF MCC

Master Certified Coach

Highest ICF credential. Requires 2,500+ paid coaching hours and is held by a small minority of coaches.

Other coach-specific credentials

Beyond ICF

Other recognized coaching credentials — some specialty-focused (NBHWC for health and wellness), others methodology-specific (CPCC for Co-Active), or credentials issued by training schools (CPC, varying by school).

CCE BCC

Board Certified Coach

Credential issued by CCE, an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors. Common among coaches with counseling backgrounds.

NBHWC

National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach

The standard credential for health and wellness coaches. Approved curriculum and a board exam.

CPC

Certified Professional Coach

Generic credential issued by various coach training schools. Quality and rigor vary widely by issuing body.

CPCC

Certified Professional Co-Active Coach

Issued by CTI, one of the most respected coach training schools. Indicates training in the Co-Active methodology.

Adjacent credentials

Not coaching credentials, but useful context

Some coaches hold credentials from adjacent fields — counseling licenses, psychology doctorates, MBAs — that signal background and training even though they aren't coach-specific. Useful context when choosing a coach.