Maintenance & Reinstatement Audits

What is an audit? NCC reviews every maintenance, alternate maintenance, and reinstatement application. Applications that don't meet the requirements are selected for audit, and an additional 10% of all maintenance applications are selected at random. An audit is not a penalty; it's a request for documentation that verifies what was submitted.

How Candidates are Notified

After submission application, NCC sends an audit notice by email, typically within 24 to 72 hours. That email outlines the audit process and the completion deadline.

• It is the candidate’s responsibility to check for this email. Candidates should monitor their inbox after submitting the application.
• Once you are in audit, it is important to monitor your email until the audit process is completed.
• All emails sent by NCC and all emails sent to NCC are also stored in the candidate’s NCC account.
• Candidates are responsible for keeping their contact information current in their account.

 What an Audit Requires

The license upload must show all five of the following: The candidate’s name, license number, license type, issuing authority, and the specific expiration date. The license must be unencumbered. Information for unencumbered licenses can be found HERE. 

If candidates do not have a current copy, they must contact the state or national licensing board for a verification document. Nurses can also obtain one at nursys.com.

 How the CE Is Reviewed

NCC CE that is completed before submitting the application, and that meets the core competencies for the candidate’s certification, is uploaded automatically and appears in the application. NCC CE is never audited.

All other CE is reviewed for the date earned and for correct coding against the core competencies. During review, a CE activity may be:

• Approved — the activity stands as submitted.
• Recoded — the activity is valid but applies to a different core competency than the candidate selected.
• Denied — for example, if the candidate can't upload the CE certificate, or the activity doesn't meet a core competency for the certification.

If the CE is corrected due to miscoding or denied during the review or audit, creating a deficit in one or more core competency codes, you will be given time to meet any core competency CE needs using NCC CE to complete your application. If a candidate has the CE certificate but not the course agenda/description, the candidate should submit the certificate anyway. NCC will review whether the CE title on the certificate provides enough detail to meet the competency and code. Without a CE certificate, the activity cannot be approved.

Fees and refunds: Once a candidate has paid and submitted a maintenance, alternate maintenance, or reinstatement application, no CE discounts can be applied to NCC CE the candidate subsequently needs because of an audit. There are no refunds on any submitted application.

 If Maintenance or Alternate Maintenance Application Is Audited

1. Read the audit email and NCC's comments carefully. The initial email for maintenance applications will request all your documents. For alternate maintenance applications, it will list what's missing or needs to be replaced.  The emails will provide the deadline.
2. Upload CE documentation. Submit CE certificates plus the course description or conference agenda for every non-NCC CE activity. (Alternate maintenance applicants provided these at submission.)
3. Verify the license upload. Confirm it shows the name, license number, license type, issuing authority, and expiration date. If NCC finds it deficient, a corrected version needs to be uploaded.
4. Complete NCC CE for any deficits. Use the hyperlink inside the education plan; CE taken outside the application will not be applied. The application cannot be resubmitted until the required CE is complete.
5. Finding NCC CE Modules. Candidates should use this path any time they are required to make up a CE deficit during an audit:

• Log into their NCC account.
• At the top of the page, find the red "Critical alerts!" box and click the blue "View audit"
• Inside the audit application, go to the "Education Requirements"
• Any core competency code with a CE hour deficit shows a red X in the "Requirements met" column.
• Click the "View modules" hyperlink in that row to see the available NCC CE modules for that specific code.

When choosing a module, confirm it matches the code needed. All NCC CE is coded uniquely for each certification's core competencies.

1. Resubmit the audit application. After completing the requirements, the candidate must submit the application. Applications that are not submitted will be denied.
2. Watch for NCC's determination. NCC will approve, deny, or request additional information. If more information is needed, a new audit email is sent, and the updated deficit appears in the audit application, and the candidate should repeat the steps above.

For maintenance and alternate maintenance, NCC CE completed through the audit application link uploads automatically, and candidates do not need to send certificates separately.

If Reinstatement Application Is Audited

1. The initial application should already include the CE certificate and course description or agenda for each non-NCC CE activity. NCC CE taken during the applicant’s reinstatement timeframe and before submission uploads automatically.
2. Review the personalized audit email. It explains the process, gives the deadline, specifies which codes have deficits, and links the applicant to NCC CE for their certification.
3. Choose modules matching the deficit codes. All NCC CE is coded uniquely by certification. Applicants should confirm the code before starting the modules.
   • -Finding NCC CE Modules. Candidates should use this path any time they are required to make up a CE deficit during an audit:

• Log in to their NCC account.
• At the top of the page, click on the “Continuing Education" tab
• Click on the certification you are trying to reinstate. This will give you a list of all topics and codes.
• In “View,” click on “By certification”, choose the Specialty again under “By Specialty,” and on the right side, choose the specific code you need for that specialty. This will show you all modules in that code and core competency for the certification, based on the topics specific to that code.

1. Applicants should save the NCC CE certificate after completing the post-exam. Certificates are also stored in their account under CE history.
2. Upload the NCC CE certificate(s) through "Additional Submissions." The portal is located on the right side of their NCC account page; click the link, then select 'Other issue not listed', and enter auth code R68437.
3. Watch for NCC's determination. If additional CE is still required, a new audit email will be sent, and applicants should repeat the steps above.

If the Deadline is Missed

Failing to complete the audit requirements or submit the application by the deadline has different consequences depending on the application type: