The information below has been reposted from the Council of Professional Recognition website at: https://www.cdacouncil.org/credentials/renew-cda.  The Child Development Associate Credentialing program is administered by the Council of Professional Recognition. Please contact the Council of Professional Recognition for further information regarding the renewal of your CDA Credential.

CDA Renewal

Your CDA is valid for three years from the award date so it is very important for you to renew your CDA Credential before it expires to remain an active CDA. The Council must receive your application by the expiration date to be accepted. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions or extensions.

If your CDA Credential expires, you will have to reapply to obtain a new credential.

• Candidates should submit their renewal application on or before their expiration date.
• Candidates can submit their renewal application up to 6 months before their expiration date.

For detailed instructions, see the CDA Renewal Guides provided by the CDA Council 

Applying for your CDA Renewal

45 Clock Hours of CDA Training

All professional education hours must be awarded by an agency or organization with expertise in early childhood teacher preparation. These can be classroom courses or online courses. Keep in mind:

• You will need to document completion of one of the following:

            o 4.5 CEUs, or
            o A three (3) credit hour college course from an accredited college or university, or
            o 45 clock hours of training in Early Childhood Education and/or Child Development.

• All coursework/training must have been completed after the issue date of your most current CDA Credential.
• Courses/training attended before your previous CDA® will not be accepted to meet the educational requirement.
• Do not re-take the same courses/training you studied when applying for your original credential or for previous renewals.

All renewal coursework/training must be specific and relevant to your CDA Credential type.

Membership in a national or local early childhood professional organization
​You will need to show proof of current membership in an early childhood professional organization. The field of early childhood education includes an abundance of organizations that support the professional development of early childhood educators and promote improvements in services to young children. ECE professionals become members of these associations to help them grow professionally, stay current on early childhood issues, and participate in group efforts to promote positive change.

Continued Work With Children 

Recommendation from an ECE Reviewer

• Recommendation from an ECE Reviewer Select an early childhood education professional to serve as your Early Childhood Education (ECE) Reviewer. This person must meet the experience and education requirements included in the Information for the Early Childhood Education Reviewer booklet.
• The ECE Reviewer you select must have current (within the past year) firsthand knowledge of your skills and abilities working with children in the setting of your original credential. The ECE Reviewer can be an education coordinator, a co-worker, a center director, or a member of an early childhood organization to which you belong.
• The recommendation verifies that you have worked at least 80 hours with children within the past year and is based on your performance with children in relation to the six CDA® Competency Goals and 13 Functional Areas.

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Recommendation and Verification of 80 Hours of Work Experience
A valid CDA® Credential indicates you have maintained your competence in educating and caring for young children. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a current experience working with young children, even if you no longer work directly with them. 

• Within one year prior to submitting your renewal application, you must have worked a minimum of 80 hours with children in the setting of your original credential.
• Your ECE Reviewer will verify your 80 hours of work experience as part of the recommendation process.
• To apply on line, you will need your ECE Reviewer’s email address. You will be prompted by the online application system to send your ECE Reviewer a recommendation request. The ECE Reviewer submits their recommendation via a link sent to them in the recommendation request email.
• If applying with a paper application, your ECE Reviewer completes your recommendation by completing Section D of the CDA Renewal Application.
  • A separate recommendation letter written by your ECE Reviewer may be submitted, however, Section D of the application must still be completed in its entirety.
  • The 80 hours must be verified by the ECE reviewer, a separate letter verifying employment will not be accepted. 
• These hours may be volunteer or paid.

Training and Membership Documentation

1. ​Training and Membership documentation should not be submitted to the Council. Instead, you will need to select a Verifier to review your training and membership documentation. Select a staff person, within the center/program who has the authority to review your training record. The Verifier can be an education coordinator, a center director, assistant director, or other authorized staff person. Your ECE Reviewer can also serve as your Verifier. The Verifier will NOT be the organization that you took your training from. 
2. To apply online, you will need to have your Verifier’s email address. You will be prompted by the online application system to send your Verifier a Training and Membership Verification request. The Verifier submits the verification via a link sent in the request email.
3. If applying with a paper application, the Verifier completes and signs Section E of the CDA® Renewal Application. No other documentation should be submitted.
4. Conflicts of Interest: The person that you select as your Verifier may not be related to you by blood, marriage, or other legal relationship and may not work in the same classroom as a co-teacher with you on a daily basis.
5. ​There is more information provided about who can be a Verifier on the CDA Council website at https://www.cdacouncil.org/credentials/renew-cda 

First Aid and Infant and Child (Pediatric) CPR Certification

You will need to submit proof of valid and current certification in First Aid and both Infant and Child (Pediatric) CPR. Certification must be current at time of submission of CDA® Renewal Application.

The Council accepts training offered by nationally recognized training organizations (such as the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association) as well as training provided through smaller training agencies. Documentation of training must include the following to be accepted:

• Training agency’s name
  
• Training agency official seal or logo and/or mailing address
  
• Renewal Candidate’s name
  
• Issue date and expiration date (“or valid for” timeframe)
  
• Instructor’s Signature
  
• Instructor certification number (not required if the instructor is an RN or paramedic)
  

If training is obtained through a nationally recognized training organization, the documentation submitted MUST follow the official documentation guidelines of the organization to be accepted.

The Council will accept the following forms of verification for First Aid and Infant and Child (Pediatric) CPR certification:

• Completion card
  
• Certificate of completion
  
• Letter on the training agency’s official letterhead (see template letter provided)
  

All forms of documentation must verify certification in First Aid and Infant and Child CPR.

Online training and training provided by an individual consultant is not accepted.

CDA Renewal Application Process

1. ​Download a Renewal Procedures Guide for free on the CDA Council website. If you would like a printed CDA Renewal Procedures Guide to be mailed to you, please call the Council at 800-424-4310.
2. Once you have prepared for your renewal, you can submit your application and payment online using the YourCouncil online application system along with the $125 application fee.
3. For more information on renewing your CDA, contact the CDA Council at https://www.cdacouncil.org/contact-us 
   

Child Development Associate Credential Renewal Training 
45 Hours / 4.5 CEU's

Select Your CDA Credential Setting

CDA Renewal Pay-As-You-Go

Individual Courses