Maintaining Certification

• Upon passing the exam(s), the specialist will be certified by NFI for a period of three years from the month the exam was passed. For example, if an exam is taken and passed on January 10, 2006, the certification is valid through January 31, 2009.
• To renew a certification at the end of the three-year validation period, the specialist may EITHER take the current NFI exam OR have completed the requirements of the NFI Continuing Education Program. The specialist must also pay either a retesting or renewal fee. Details of the NFI Continuing Education Program are sent to each certified specialist and posted on this website.
• The NFI Continuing Education Program allows each specialist to renew a certification by attending the required number of accredited courses.
• All courses approved with NFI CEUs have been reviewed by the NFI CEU Committee. The NFI CEU Committee is a six-member committee comprised of industry members with varying backgrounds and expertise.
• The instructor/sponsor must notify NFI of all attendees. After completion of the sign-out process, the sponsor must verify that the attendance is correct with a signature and then fax the paperwork to NFI. NFI staff will record each CEU course attendance.

I. Requirements for Renewing Your Certification(s) By
Earning CEUs

• If You Hold One Certification
  Prior to the expiration of your certification you must earn and document 24 CEUs in the specific categories prior to the expiration of your certification.
  The requirements are as follows:
  Technical – Wood/Gas/Pellet 12 CEUs
  Safety, Health & Liability (SHL) 4 CEUs
  Elective 8 CEUs
  TOTAL 24 CEUs
• If You Hold Two or Three Certifications
  Prior to the expiration of your second or third certifications you must earn and document a total of 32 CEUs in the specific categories. If you have already renewed your first certification, that is the equivalent of an additional 8 CEUs (4 Technical; 4 Elective) prior to the expiration of your SECOND and THIRD certification.
  The requirements are as follows:
  Technical – Wood/Gas/Pellet 16 CEUs
  Safety, Health & Liability (SHL) 4 CEUs
  Elective 12 CEUs
  TOTAL 32 CEUs

II. CEU Categories

• TECHNICAL
  Product Knowledge
  Codes and Standards
  Venting Principles and Design
  Ventilation (House Pressure)
  Fuel Knowledge
  Installation Planning
  Installation Guidelines and Techniques
  Tools and Gauges
  Troubleshooting and Repair
• SAFETY, HEALTH & LIABILITY
  Workplace Safety
  Consumer Health and Safety (Hearth Product Issues)
  Liability
• ELECTIVES
  Additional Technical or Safety, Health & Liability sessions OR
  Business Management
  Sales & Marketing
  Service Department Organization and Management
  Communication Skills
  *Note: Extra Technical or SHL CEUs may fulfill Elective CEU requirements

III. CEU Rules and Regulations
A. General Rules

1. Usually, one hour of training/education equals one CEU.
2. Typically the maximum number of credits that are awarded for a one-day program is six (6).
3. Typically the maximum number of credits that are awarded for a multiple day program is sixteen (16).
4. For standard programs such as standard American Red Cross first aid, CPR, OSHA, prior and formal approval is not needed by the CEU Committee. Staff will award CEUs upon receipt of formal proof of attendance.
5. To earn CEUs a person must sign the sign-in sheet of a CEU accredited program and attend the entire program.
6. A person may not be later than 5 minutes from the start of the course.
7. A person may not leave before the course has been completed.
8. A person may not take any breaks other than those given by the instructor with the exception of 5 minute bathroom breaks.
9. Sponsors of training programs accredited with NFI CEUs are required to abide by NFI attendance rules. If the sponsor determines that a person has not been in attendance as required, the sponsor will not verify the person’s attendance and the person will not earn CEUs.
10. Proper conduct at CEU programs is required at all times. Sponsors of training programs accredited with CEUs have invested many hours preparing the program for their attendees. They do not want persons attending their programs just to earn CEUs. They want attendees who will pay attention, participate and conduct themselves properly.
11. A person is not required to earn technical CEUs in the technical field of the certification to renew (i.e. if a person holds a gas certification, that person is not required to take only gas technical courses).
12. All CEUs must be earned prior to the expiration date of the certification(s) being renewed.
13. Any extra CEUs earned during an initial certification period will not carry-over into the next certification period.
14. Upon request, NFI can synchronize expiration dates for 2 or 3 certifications if all fees are paid and all CEU requirements are met. The dates will be synchronized to the earliest certification’s expiration date.

B. Special Circumstances

1. A person attending an exam review course for HVAC, CSIA, or other reasonably related certification program may earn CEUs for attending the course if the proper application procedures are followed (call NFI for more information).
2. A person who takes and passes the NFI exam without participating in a review course prior to passing the exam may earn 5 Technical CEUs for taking the course at a later date.
3. If a person is 4 CEUs or less short of meeting the CEU requirements for renewal, the person may attend the full-day NFI review course to complete their requirements.
4. A person does NOT earn CEUs for attending the NFI Review Course just prior to taking the exam. However, if the content of the 6-hour review course is included within a longer training program (i.e. three day program with hands-on), CEUs may be accredited to the program using this formula: the total number of content hours less 6 hours (which represent the normal review course length).
5. A person may earn CEUs by publishing a paper or article, to be awarded on a case-by-case basis.
6. If a person attends an education program within seven (7) days prior to taking and passing the NFI exam, the person may earn CEUs for that course attendance.
7. There are no retroactive CEU credits. However, if appealed, NFI Staff will review on a case-by-case basis. The burden of proof for course content and attendance will be with the person making the request and/or the instructor/sponsor.

C. CEUs for Industry Trainers

1. NFI Review Course instructors may earn five (5) CEUs for teaching a full-day NFI review course ONCE in a three year certification validation period. Five (5)
   CEUs each for gas, woodburning and pellet.
2. Instructors may receive credit for teaching any program approved with NFI CEUs but may receive credit for teaching the course only once within a three year certification period.

D. Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)/NFI Reciprocity Agreement

1. NFI Certified Specialists attending CSIA courses on or after May 12, 2005 may receive full NFI CEU credit.
2. CSIA Certified persons attending NFI courses on or after May 12, 2005 may receive full CSIA CEU credit.

E. Instructor/Sponsor Responsibilities

1. The instructor/sponsor is responsible for ensuring that NFI Certified participants sign in and sign out for the program (NFI will provide a standard attendance sheet upon request). Only those participants who are NFI Certified should sign the CEU Sign-in sheet.
2. The instructor/sponsor must monitor the comings and goings of attendees.
3. Aside from a 5 minute restroom break, participants are required to be present for the duration of the education program.

F. Tracking CEUs

1. NFI Certified Specialists are required to keep track of their attendance/progress. However, NFI does track the CEU attendance history for each person. Each NFI Specialist’s CEU history is available on the NFI website.
2. Should there be a discrepancy between NFI records and individual certified specialist records, NFI certified specialists must submit proof of attendance to gain the CEUs.

G. Publishing CEU Courses
As long as CEU applications are submitted on a timely basis, NFI will post all upcoming CEU programs on the www.nficertified.org website. NFI will also publish the names and contact information of CEU course sponsors at different times throughout the year.

IV. Requirements for Renewing Your Certification(s) By Taking an Exam
If you do not have the required number of CEUs to renew your certification, or if you just prefer to pass the new version of the exam to renew your certification:

1. Purchase the NFI renewal exam package
2. Submit a new digital photograph (if you want a new photograph on your new ID card).
3. Pass the appropriate NFI exam at least ONE MONTH prior to the expiration of your current NFI certification. You have the option of either testing at a
   LaserGrade location or at an NFI sponsored event.

Note:
*If you do not renew your certification, you and your employer forfeit the right to any use of NFI Certification recognition materials. If there is evidence of misuse, NFI has the right to take legal action against you and/or your employer.

*NFI will also remove your name and contact information from the NFI website and we will inform the appropriate individuals, companies and/or organizations (i.e. employer, CSIA, HPBA Affiliate) that you are no longer certified.