Apply Here to Become a CPCE

Professional Experience Requirements

Candidates will be required to meet the following requirements in professional experience. Catering and event industry professional experience is defined as being employed full‐time in a position with responsibilities and decision‐making authority that impacts the results of events. Full-time employment is defined as an average of at least 30 hours per week over the past 12 months.

Full‐time position(s) as a professional or instructor in the catering and events industry, with the following:

• Within the past 5 years, a minimum of 36 months full-time experience or 24 months full-time experience following graduation from an accredited college with a hospitality degree
• Full-time employment in the catering and events industry in the past 12 months
• If an instructor, one year of professional experience in the industry is required within the past 5 years

Documentation of Professional Experience

Professional experience is verified by the candidate's supervisor. If the candidate is a business owner or does not currently have a supervisor, two of the following items may be submitted.

• Business License
• Client Testimonials
• History of business from website
• Resume
• LinkedIn Profile

For application approval, candidates will be required to have documentation for a minimum of 30 educational contact hours. These hours are accumulated from education programs aligned with one or more of CPCE’s seven core competencies. Attendance must have occurred within the past 5 years.

CPCE educational contact hours are the direct amount of time spent as an attendee of educational programs. Networking, meals, teaching, reading, writing, committee service, and facilitation of events are ineligible. Educational contact hours are calculated to the quarter hour. For example, 75 minutes of education = 1.25 contact hours. Also, 0.1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 1 CPCE educational contact hour.

Candidate Agreement

I have read the eligibility requirements and understand that I am responsible for knowing its contents. I certify that the information given in this application is accurate, correct, and complete. I authorize NACE to make whatever inquiries and investigations that it deems necessary or appropriate to verify my credentials and professional standing in order for me to qualify to sit for the certification exam for which I am applying. Further, I understand that the NACE will treat the contents of this application as well as all documents relating to certification as confidential, except as necessary to administer the certification program. I understand that after earning the credential, I am responsible for complying with all obligations for maintaining the credential, including obtaining the required educational contact hours within the specified time period and for making application for renewal of my certification. I further understand that it is my responsibility to inform NACE Headquarters of any changes in my contact information. I have read and understand the information provided in the eligibility requirements and will abide by the same. I declare that all information provided on my application is true. I understand that false information may be cause for denial or loss of the credential. I understand that I can be disqualified from taking or continuing to sit for an examination or from receiving examination scores, or I may have my examination scores disqualified, if NACE, in its sole judgment, determines through either proctor observation or statistical analysis that I engaged in collaborative, disruptive, or other inappropriate behavior related to administration of the examination. I further authorize NACE to release my current certification status at any time post‐certification upon request, written or verbal. I acknowledge that it is the policy of NACE not to release information regarding the scores obtained on the exams or to release information regarding the number of times a candidate has sat for the exams.

Exam Policies

Your CPCE application will be reviewed in the next week. NACE staff will contact you regarding your CPCE application.

If your application is approved, you will have one year to pass the CPCE exam. The CPCE exam has a separate exam fee of $295. Study materials are available for purchase.

If the application is incomplete, the application will expire 90 days after submission. Incomplete applications may be due to insufficient educational contact hours, insufficient documentation, incomplete forms, or incomplete payment. NACE staff will communicate with candidates regarding the specific reasons why the application is incomplete or expired. Expired applications will require candidates to complete a new application and payment. Approved applications will expire one year from the date of approval if candidates do not pass the exam.

Confidentiality Policies

The identity of and all information concerning CPCE candidates is considered confidential. Information concerning a candidate’s status is only communicated to the candidate directly by NACE staff. Application and exam results are not provided over the phone or to any third party. Writing letters of support, making telephone calls, or attempting to influence the application approval or exam process in any way by any person is unacceptable.