The ICF ACC Exam tests foundational coaching knowledge through 60 multiple-choice questions. Its 90-minute appointment includes instructions and an optional break, with two 39-minute question sections. ICF currently specifies the 2019 Core Competencies and 2020 Code of Ethics for this exam. Start with those editions, the three content areas and the official sample questions.
Check eligibility before planning your exam date
The Associate Certified Coach credential combines education, experience, mentor coaching, a performance evaluation and the ACC Exam.
ICF lists 60 hours of coaching education, 100 hours of coaching experience including at least 75 paid hours, and 10 hours of mentor coaching over three months. Read the Candidate Guide for the documentation and conditions attached to your application path.
For the Level 1/Level 2 path, the performance evaluation is included in the accredited program. The Portfolio path requires a recorded coaching session and transcript with the application. ICF reviews the application before inviting you to schedule the exam.
Sources: ICF ACC exam: current structure, outline and applicable competency versions — Official ICF ACC exam page, retrieved 2026-09-13; ICF ACC eligibility and application paths — https://coachingfederation.org/credentialing/icf-credentials-overview/acc/; Criteria for Assessing ACC Credential | Certification Guide — https://coachingfederation.org/credentialing/performance-evaluations/criteria-for-assessing-acc/
Study the editions named for the ACC Exam
ICF currently identifies the 2019 Core Competencies and the 2020 Code of Ethics as the versions used for this examination.
The ethics code used for exam preparation differs from the current practice code: ICF states that a newer Code of Ethics took effect on April 1, 2025. Use the exam page to select your study edition and the current code for professional practice.
Read the complete applicable documents, then use ICF’s ACC sample questions to see how knowledge is assessed. Its listed resources also include the ACC Minimum Skills Requirements and guidance on referring clients to other supporting professionals.
Sources: ICF ACC exam: current structure, outline and applicable competency versions — Official ICF ACC exam page, retrieved 2026-09-13; ICF 2020 Code of Ethics resource — https://coachingfederation.org/resource/icf-code-of-ethics-2020/
Format, scoring, and delivery
Sixty multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, taken on a computer under proctoring, and scored on a 200–600 scale with 460 needed to pass.
Each question has four answer options and one correct response. Wrong answers carry no penalty. Results use a 200–600 scaled score, with 460 required to pass; dividing 460 by 600 does not give the required percentage correct.
The exam is a proctored, computer-based written test. You can take it in person at a Pearson VUE testing center or online through Pearson's OnVUE remote platform.
The 90 minutes are divided into two sections with an optional break midway. The full timing works like this:
- Exam instructions: 2 minutes
- Section 1 (30 questions): 39 minutes
- Optional scheduled break: 10 minutes
- Section 2 (30 questions): 39 minutes
- Total: 90 minutes including the optional break
What the exam tests: three content areas
The exam assesses three broad categories: Coaching Ethics (30%), Definition and Boundaries of Coaching (30%), and Coaching Competencies, Strategies, and Techniques (40%).
Use the official category descriptions to identify gaps in your preparation. The 40% competencies category is the largest, while ethics and boundaries together account for 60%.
| Content category | Weight | Study emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Coaching Ethics | 30% | Ethics codes, conflicts of interest, confidentiality boundaries |
| Definition and Boundaries of Coaching | 30% | Coaching versus adjacent professions, referral triggers |
| Coaching Competencies, Strategies, and Techniques | 40% | Agreements, Core Competencies, goals, techniques and tools |
Read confidentiality together with the agreement and its limits
The 2020 ethics code addresses agreements with clients and sponsors, information exchange, confidentiality and circumstances in which information may need to be disclosed.
Standards 1–5 require clarity about the engagement and how information is shared. The fact that a sponsor pays for coaching does not, by itself, define what session information may be released. Read the agreement and the code together, including their legal and safety-related limits.
Practice question
Original ethics exercise: a company pays for an employee’s coaching. The written agreement permits the coach to share attendance only. The sponsor asks for detailed session notes. Assume there is no client consent to release them and no applicable disclosure exception. Does the sponsor’s payment authorize sending the notes?
Show answer
No. Payment alone does not authorize releasing the session notes under the stated agreement.
The agreement limits reporting to attendance. Standards 3–5 of the 2020 code address confidentiality, information exchange and disclosure conditions. The scenario expressly rules out consent and exceptions; these assumptions matter. A real situation involving a disclosure obligation would require considering the relevant conditions.
Practise explaining why an answer fits the source
Use the official sample questions and the free Pearson VUE tutorial to practise the content and the testing interface.
After a practice question, identify the competency, definition or ethical standard supporting the answer. Explain how the facts in the question affect your choice. This is a study suggestion, not a scoring formula.
Avoid rules such as “an open question is always right” or “return to the agreement in every scenario.” A response needs to fit the actual context. Review the referral guidance as a whole rather than trying to diagnose a client from a short vignette.
Use practice results to decide which content areas need more work. No particular course or study system is required to qualify or prepare for ICF certification.
Sources: ICF ACC exam: current structure, outline and applicable competency versions — Official ICF ACC exam page, retrieved 2026-09-13; ICF Code of Ethics 2020, revision 25 June 2021 — https://coachingfederation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ICF-Code-of-Ethics-2020.pdf
Budget for the application route you use
ICF’s ACC page lists different application prices for accredited-program and Portfolio routes.
These are credential application prices. Confirm the amount and any retake or additional service charges in your application and scheduling instructions.
| Application path | ICF member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1/Level 2 | USD 175 | USD 325 |
| Portfolio | USD 475 | USD 625 |
Schedule within your invitation window
After approval, the exam invitation gives you 60 days to schedule and complete the test. You can select a Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE remote delivery.
For remote delivery, run the required system test on the computer you will use. ICF recommends doing this at least 24 hours before your appointment. Follow the confirmation email for check-in, identification and workspace requirements.
The exam is available in English and 15 additional languages. ICF provides an automatic 30-minute extension for candidates taking it in English as a secondary language when their primary language is unavailable and they reside in a non-English-speaking country. Check the official support arrangements when booking.
Preliminary results appear after the exam. ICF says official results are added to your record within one week, with an email confirming the next steps or explaining how to retake.
Sources: ICF ACC exam: current structure, outline and applicable competency versions — Official ICF ACC exam page, retrieved 2026-09-13; ICF exam scheduling and test-day instructions — https://coachingfederation.org/credentialing/icf-credential-exams/how-to-schedule-your-exam/
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