How to Maintain Your Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) Certification and Record CEUs

To maintain your certification, you must renew every three years from the date you initially pass the certification exam and become certified.

What are the requirements for renewal?
You must earn and report a minimum number of CEUs for each PCM® certification you hold before you will be allowed to renew your credential. Below are the minimums for each PCM® certification.

PCM® Certification	CEUs Required for Renewal
PCM® Marketing Management	30
PCM® Content Marketing	30
PCM® Digital Marketing	30
PCM® Advanced Digital Marketing	40

What is considered a CEU?
You can accumulate your CEUs in multiple ways. Go to the “What Counts as CEU” section for more information!

Is there a renewal fee?
Yes. You must pay a $75 renewal fee at the end of your three-year certification cycle.

How do I renew my certification?

• Login to your AMA.org account
• Select MY ACCOUNT on the top right of the page
• Select CERTIFICATIONS from the menu on the left. If on mobile, select Dashboard to reveal the drop-down menu with the Certifications option.
• Select VIEW CERTIFICATION DETAILS
• Select your PCM Certification
• Select PURCHASE RECERTIFICATION

Will you remind me of the expiration date as it approaches?
Of course! We will send you an email reminder before your certification expires, but we encourage you to add this to your calendar, too.

Remember to record your activities as you complete them. As an AMA Professional Certified Marketer, you manage your certified status and maintain records to reflect your professional development efforts accurately.

What happens if I don’t renew by the expiration date?
Your certification will expire, and you will be required to retake and pass the certification exam — adhering to the exam policies, procedures and fees as first-time exam takers — to become recertified.

Note: You can choose to recertify by taking the exam rather than accumulating CEUs. If you choose this option, you will retake the exam at the full price before the end of your three-year cycle.

All CEUs you record must contribute to your proficiency and professional growth in marketing. One (1) CEU is awarded for each physical hour of continuing education. Scroll to the bottom of this webpage to get started!

You are encouraged to pursue your CEUs through various sources, including:

Self-Paced Courses or Programs
You can record a maximum of 25 CEUs in this category during your 3-year certification period.  Activities include:

• Webinars
• eLearning courses
• Video conferences and events
• Podcasts
• Reading research articles to expand your understanding of the discipline

Instructor-Led Courses or Programs
You can record a maximum of 25 CEUs in this category during your  3-year certification period. Activities include:

• College and university courses
• Instructor-led training or workshops (online or in-person)

Conferences and Seminars
You can record a maximum of 20 CEUs in this category during your 3-year certification period.

• Instructor-led seminars
• Conferences

Speaking and Instruction
You can record a maximum of 10 CEUs in this category during your 3-year certification period. Activities include:

• Teaching a course/leading a workshop outside of your workplace
• Teaching a course at a university
• Making a presentation at an industry conference

Research and Publishing
You can record a maximum of 10 CEUs in this category during your 3-year certification period. The content must contribute to the advancement of the discipline or professional growth. Activities include:

• Publishing a paper in a journal or periodical (newsletters are not eligible)
• Writing and publishing a book on a marketing topic
• Co-authoring an article or text
• Developing a course that supports the goal of CEUs

Annual AMA Membership
You can record three CEUs in this category during your 3-year certification period (one CEU for each year of membership).

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Note: CEUs / hours tallied do not include time not spent on the actual activity — i.e., in travel, breaks, networking, pre-work or setup.

If you have participated or plan to participate in a marketing-related activity that may not fit into one of the categories listed above, please contact the American Marketing Association at pcm@ama.org.

You must report your CEUs online through the AMA system. You are encouraged to report CEUs as they are earned, but all CEUs must be reported by no later than the expiration date on your certificate.

To record your CEUs:

1. Log in to MY ACCOUNT

2. Select Certifications from the menu on the left. If on mobile, select Dashboard to reveal the drop down menu with the Certifications option.

3. Select VIEW CERTIFICATION DETAILS.

4. Select your PCM certification.

5. Select Add CEU Activity.

6. Enter in CEU Details and select Save.

7. Review your entered CEUs.

If you hold multiple PCM certifications, you may report CEU activities for multiple certifications. However, the event must contain information directly related to both certifications’ Bodies of Knowledge.

Note: Only CEUs earned within the 3-year period prior to your expiry date count toward renewal (provided they do not exceed the maximum allowable units per category).

As you record your CEUs, you must show proof of CEU completion, such as certificates of completion, copies of the articles, or other third-party attestation of your participation in the activity. 

The documentation should include your name, activity title, date(s) of the activity, number of hours attended or CEUs earned, and sponsoring organization. 

A copy or link to the publication is sufficient documentation for the research and publishing category.