Select a category to find answers to your questions.
How do I get started with the APC/DPAPC Program? You are eligible to pursue the APC if you are a personnel security adjudicator employed by the DOD and/or the DOD Intelligence Community (IC), Consolidated Adjudication Services (CAS), or a Federal Government employee working as a personnel security adjudicator employed by an agency accepted for participation in the APC Program. For additional information regarding the APC Program, or if you have any questions regarding the program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
How can I register for APC/DPAPC? The Adjudicator Professional Certification (APC) and Due Process Adjudicator Professional Credential (DPAPC) assessment registrations must be coordinated with your Component Service Representative (CSR). Review the steps to take a SPēD Assessment for more information on the process.
For additional information regarding the APC Program, or if you have any questions regarding the program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
Where can I test for the APC/DPAPC? All SPēD program assessments, including the Adjudicator Professional Certification (APC) and Due Process Adjudicator Professional Credential (DPAPC), are administered through Pearson VUE test centers. For additional information regarding the APC Program, or if you have any questions regarding the program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
Appeal Request Form
On what grounds may I appeal?
Appeals may be filed challenging the following:
For additional information regarding the SPēD Certification Program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
Within what timeframe must I submit an appeal?
You have up to 90 calendar days from the date of receiving an appealable decision or after completing your assessment, whichever occurs first, to submit an appeal.
How do I submit an appeal?
All appeals must be submitted via the Appeal Request Form and emailed to the SPēD Certification Program Management Office (PMO). You must provide your contact information, state the specific grounds, and provide all evidence with your appeal submission.
What happens after I submit an appeal?
The DOD SPēD Certification Program Management Office (PMO) conducts a preliminary review of all appeals within 15 duty days of receipt to ensure the appeal is timely, contains all required and pertinent information, and is based on allowable grounds. Allowable appeals are forwarded to the Certification Appeals Board for a decision on the appeal.
Certification Appeals Board decisions are made by majority vote. The Certification Appeals Board provides its decision to you, the DOD SPēD Certification PMO, and your Component SPēD Certification Program CSR. The Certification Appeals Board is the final decision authority, and there are no further appeals.
May I appeal a Certification Appeals Board decision?
No. The Certification Appeals Board is the final decision authority, and there are no further appeals.
I was certain I passed the certification assessment, but the assessment results show I did not pass. How can I have that verified?
Please complete and submit the Appeal Request Form to the SPēD Certification Program Management Office (PMO). Your certification assessment will be rescored automatically and you will be notified of the outcome.
What is the purpose of the SPēD Certification Maintenance?
The purpose of the SPēD Program Certification Maintenance is to:
How do I maintain my certification(s)?
For additional information regarding SPēD Certification Maintenance, please visit the CDSE Certification Maintenance page, refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) , Certification Renewal Quick Reference Guide , and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
What is a PDU? What counts as a PDU?
A Professional Development Unit (PDU) is a unit of continuing education and growth, including specific activities where one's experience has broadened by the preparation and/or presentation of the activity. There are six professional development categories through which you can obtain PDUs. These include the following:
Please note, any PDU obtained through training can only be earned once in a two-year maintenance cycle. Duplicate training will not be accepted. For additional information regarding the SPēD Certification Program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact your Component Service Representative (CSR).
What is a CRP? Where do I find the CRP?
The Certification Renewal Package (CRP) is used to record your professional development activities. To maintain and renew your certification(s), you must complete the required amount of Professional Development Units (PDUs) during your two-year maintenance cycle window.
A single CRP will be used to record all PDUs. A certification holder is responsible for submitting required amount of accrued PDUs into a completed CRP before the end of their two-year maintenance cycle window.
If you do not accrue the correct amount of PDUs within your two-year certification maintenance cycle window or fail to submit your CRP, your certification status will be deemed non-compliant and your SPēD certification will expire.
To find your CRP:
A CRP will not appear in your MSC account unless you are conferred a certification and you are in your current certification maintenance and renewal cycle window.
What happens after I submit my CRP?
Once you submit your Certification Renewal Package (CRP), your renewal date for all certifications you hold (including any certifications earned) is automatically extended two years from the date you submitted your CRP. This applies regardless of when you submitted your CRP during this cycle.
Below is a graphic depicting your two-year maintenance cycle. The option to start a new CRP will appear after your certification renewal date.
If you have any questions about meeting your two-year maintenance cycle, please contact your Component Service Representative (CSR).
What is acceptable documentation when submitting PDUs?
Acceptable supporting documentation include a PDF of your passed SPēD certificate(s), an email indicating you passed a SPēD certification assessment, or a screen shot from your My SPēD Certification (MSC) account showing you passed.
For training/education PDUs, acceptable supporting documentation can be certificates or training/educational transcripts saved as PDFs.
For meeting and conferences, acceptable supporting documentation can be a copy of the registration, agenda, or opening pages of your presentation, all saved as a PDF. We do not need complete presentations.
For experience and achievements, acceptable supporting documentation can be a letter of appreciation or a memorandum signed by your government supervisor that states your accomplishment, saved as a PDF.
All supporting documentation, must contain your name, the date of the document, and the document title. Please do not upload any For Official Use Only (FOUO), Sensitive, or Classified documents into the system.
Please note, any PDU(s) attained through training can only be achieved once in a two-year maintenance cycle. Duplicate training will not be accepted. For additional information regarding acceptable documentation, please contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
How long do I have to complete my certification maintenance?
Your certification maintenance and renewal cycle window is a two-year process and is based on your most recent renewal activity (passing a SPēD certification or accruing required amount of PDUs). Your certification expiration date is available on your My SPēD Certification (MSC) home page.
How is my two-year renewal date calculated?
Your certification maintenance period is based on your most recent renewal activity or event (Obtaining a new a SPēD program certification or submitting required amount of PDUs).
There is only one expiration date for SPēD program certifications and credentials.
Your certification expiration date(s) is available on your My SPēD Certification (MSC) home page.
Where can I find my certification status?
To find the status of your certification or expiration date,
Your certification expiration date is available on your MSC home page. For any questions regarding certification status, please contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
What does a pending status on a CRP mean?
Your Certification Renewal Package (CRP) may be undergoing an audit. If you submitted your CRP within 30 days of expiration, the SPēD Program Management Office (PMO) conducts 100 percent review of all. In addition, the SPēD PMO also audits 10 to 30 percent of all CRPs submitted.
For any questions regarding certification status, please contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
What happens if I fail to maintain my certification(s)?
Failure to obtain the required amount of Professional Development Units (PDUs) and submit your Certification Renewal Package (CRP) within your two-year certification maintenance cycle window will cause all of your certifications to expire. To obtain your certification(s) and/or credential(s) again, you will need to retest and pass each SPēD program certification and credential assessment.
Do I need to submit two separate CRPs for APC and SFPC?
No, all active certifications are based on the PDUs you submit for any CRP.
My certification expired. How do I get it back?
If you fail to maintain your certification(s) and wish to become certified again, you must retest and pass each SPēD certification assessment.
Can I get a waiver extension to complete my certification maintenance?
All waivers must be submitted before expiration. Supporting documentation, such as unclassified duty orders or a doctor's note, must accompany your Certification Maintenance Waiver Request Form.
You may request an extension to complete your maintenance requirements due to deployment, hospitalization or other medical leave, or other extraordinary reason.
If you are a Department of Defense (DOD) employee or contractor, or one of its Components, agencies, or companies, submit your Waiver Request Form to your SPēD Certification Program point of contact (POC).
If you are an employee or contractor for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), Industry, or other participating agency without a SPēD Certification Program POC, submit your Waiver Request Form through the DOD SPēD Certification Program Management Office (PMO) (dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil).
All waiver requests must be submitted before expiration. Supporting documentation, such as unclassified duty orders or a doctor's note, must accompany your Waiver Request Form.
You will be notified of a decision within 20 duty days after the appropriate authority has received your waiver request.
Those conferred with a Security Fundamentals Professional Certification (SFPC) are authorized to use the SFPC designation on business cards, resumes, and signature lines. SFPC credential holders may use this designation as long as they maintain active status. The designation "SFPC" should appear in all capital letters after a comma following the credential holder's name (i.e., John Doe, SFPC). Those conferred with a Security Asset Protection Professional Certification (SAPPC) or Security Program Integration Professional Certification (SPIPC) are authorized to use the SAPPC or SPIPC designation in the same manner as described above for SFPC. Because the SFPC must be earned to obtain the SAPPC or SPIPC, holders need only list SAPPC or SPIPC (i.e., John Doe, SPIPC). For additional information regarding the SPēD Certification Program, please refer to the DOD Professional Certification and Credentialing Handbook (Nov 2023) and/or contact dcsa.spedcert@mail.mil.
The SPēD Certification Program does not recognize equivalents and cannot confer SPēD certification(s) based on other credentials achieved by an individual. Each SPēD certification is or will be nationally accredited by an external accreditation organization. The standards for certification program accreditation prevent equivalencies and grandfathering except in narrow and predefined scenarios.
For certification renewal, the SPēD Program Management Office (PMO) may recognize other credentials and professional development events as Professional Development Units (PDUs).
The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code is a five-character ID number used within the federal government. Industry security professionals not affiliated with the DOD need to enter their CAGE code on My SPēD Certification when requesting authorization to test in order to link the individual with their associated facility. Contact your Facility Security Officer (FSO) if you do not know your CAGE code.
After a MSC account is active and updated, and before scheduling a SPēD certification or credential assessment, candidates must obtain authorization from their employing Component or agency to take a SPēD certification assessment.
Some users experience problems with connecting to websites using Internet Explorer 8. To correct this problem, use the following instructions to enable the view compatibility function for IE8.
If this method doesn't work, contact your IT support for assistance.
To reset your password, select “Forgot your password” on the MSC homepage. Input your username (usually your email address) and click “reset password”.
If this does not solve your issue, try the following:
If you continue experiencing technical difficulties, or if you still need assistance, contact your IT support.
1. Sign in to your MSC Account (https://dcsa.useclarus.com) . 2. Under the username dropdown located on the top-right of the page, click “Profile”. 3. Select “Update profile”. 4. Once complete, click “Save Changes” located at the bottom of the page.
Select the Prepare for SPēD Certification link and choose the desired certification to find Competency Preparatory Tools and Resources. Competency Preparatory Tools (CPTs) help you prepare for your SPēD certification assessment. The CPTs consists of a series of open-ended questions in each of the security areas to assist you in increasing your proficiency. Outside of Competency Preparatory Tools (CPTs), there are no other official training materials or courses for SPeD Certifications or Credentials. Candidates should be cautious of any entities offering such products.
To cancel or reschedule an assessment, sign in to your Pearson VUE testing account. At your homepage, click on the appointment you wish to cancel or reschedule and follow the system prompts. You may also call Pearson VUE at 1-888-477-0284 to cancel or reschedule.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before your appointment or do not appear at your scheduled time, you will be required to wait 90 days before resubmitting a request for authorization to test.
Please note, cancellations or rescheduling cannot be made through the test center, your DOD SPēD Component Service Representative (CSR), or the SPēD Program Management Office (PMO). All changes must be made through Pearson VUE.
Assessment results are provided immediately upon completion of your test.
A copy of your score report is also available in your My SPēD Certification account. Click the "Schedule Exam" link on the left navigation, then select "View Score Reports" under "My Account."
The Angoff method is used to set the minimum passing score for the core SPēD Certification assessments. The Angoff method has a well-established history of determining creditable passing standards for multiple-choice examinations. The method involves two basic elements: conceptualization of a minimally competent examinee and using subject matter experts (SMEs) to estimate whether a minimally competent examinee will answer an item correctly.
Given this, a panel of SMEs makes predictions for each item on the SPēD Certification assessment, and the average ratings given by the SMEs on each item sets the minimum passing score for the assessment. Results of the Angoff method establish the foundation for the provisional cut score. The provisional cut score is then calibrated using data collected during the beta test phase.
No. CDSE has authorized over 1,000 sites worldwide, including on many DOD bases, with our commercial testing vendor. Please request an authorization to test from My SPēD Certification (MSC).After approval, log in to your MSC account and click on the "Schedule Exam" link on the left navigation to schedule your assessment. Alternatively, you may contact Pearson Customer Support at 888-477-0284 to schedule your assessment. Is there a cost to take an assessment? At this time, SPēD Certification Assessments come at no cost to eligible candidates of participating components. However, CDSE reserves the right to change this posture should new information arise.
Waiver Request Form
You may request a Certification Maintenance Waiver for an extension to complete your maintenance requirements due to deployment, hospitalization or other medical leave, or other extraordinary reason. All waivers must be submitted before expiration.
You may request a waiver through your employer for an extension in attaining or maintaining your certification for the following documented reasons:
If you are an employee or contractor of the Department of Defense (DOD) or one of its Components, agencies, or companies, submit your Waiver Request Form to your SPēD Certification Program point of contact (POC).
If you are an employee or contractor for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), Industry, or other participating agency without a SPēD Certification Program POC, submit your Waiver Request Form through the DOD SPēD Certification Program Management Office (PMO). Supporting documentation, such as unclassified duty orders or doctor's note, must accompany your Waiver Request Form.
You will receive notification of your waiver decision within 20 duty days of receipt of your waiver request by the appropriate authority.