Credentials, Certifications, & Programs
Credentials
CAPS CAM CAS CALP CAMT IROP NAAEI & visto Online Training
CEC Requirements Update
Important updates regarding annual CEC requirements for credential holders beginning in 2024. NAAEI has provided a document to help explain the changes.
Certifications
(Please read our cancellation policies here.)
National Apartment Association Education Institute
The National Apartment Association Education Institute updates CEC's requirements for NAAEI credential holders, effective January 2021 and January 2022.
- All NAAEI credential programs candidacy period will be 6 months
- Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice
- NAAEI Candidacy Extension Fee: $75 per extension
"NAAEI’s mission is to provide broad-based education, training and recruitment programs that attract, nurture and retain high-quality professionals and develop tomorrow’s apartment industry leaders."
Credential Certificate Information
Candidates can print their own Certificates after completing their credential program. NAAEI will send the candidate a link to a portal where candidates will be able to print certificates, wallet cards, and download their badges to add to their professional e-mail signature.
NAAEI Credential Programs must be renewed annually. Learn more here.
Multiple scholarship opportunities are available:
- Alexandra Jackiw Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship
- Triangle Apartment Association Education Foundation Scholarship
Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) Credential Program
TAA 2023 IN-PERSON CAPS credential program
visto online Training information
Earning your CAPS takes you to the next level in property management. It fast-tracks your career advancement and your corresponding earning potential.
You'll learn about:
- Achieving ethical excellence
- Talent development and management throughout the employee cycle
- Stakeholder relations with residents, communities, and municipalities
- Investigating and troubleshooting an underperforming property
- Overseeing the budget process across a portfolio/key content for the owner/company due diligence report performance objectives
- Property acquisition and due diligence
- Mortgage financing/property development feasibility analysis
- Investment strategies, including renovation, disposition, and refinancing
- Managing risk through inspections, follow-up procedures, and incident reporting compliance
- Managing staff during property sales or purchase
- Contemporary issues, including occupancy, emotional support animals, hoarding, criminal background checks, RUBS, cybersecurity, and music licensing
- Market analysis and property inspections/operational and financial analysis inspections
- Measuring portfolio performance and property valuation
- Understanding the management agreement and creating an owner's report
Client Services and Stakeholder Relations:
This module will cover the most important people and groups having a stake in the health and success of the properties in your portfolio.
As a CAPS, the decisions you make every day have an impact on many people, and in ways both immediate and far-reaching. It’s your job to balance the interests of all of these stakeholders in a way that ensures your properties are financially successful and legally compliant while serving the needs of the renting public.
Contents:
- Property Owners and the Management Company
- Lenders
- Regulatory Agencies and the Law
- Residents
- Communities and Municipalities
- Other Stakeholders
- Ethical Considerations
Investment Management:
Understanding the financial part of managing multifamily housing communities is critical to your success as a CAPS. Ultimately, your job is to help the owner make money. In order to do that, you need to become fluent in the financials of the business.
Once you've mastered this essential knowledge and can apply it back on the job, you'll be well on your way to maximizing the financial health and performance of the property owner’s investment.
Contents:
- Investing in Multifamily Housing Communities
- Mortgage Financing
- Budgeting
- Getting to the Bottom Line
- Property Valuation
Improving Asset Performance:
Improving the performance of underperforming properties is one of the most important things you’ll do as a Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor, and you will need to bring all of your property management knowledge to the table for the task.
You will need a solid understanding of key performance indicators, and you will need to recognize how they work together to paint a picture of property and portfolio performance. knowing the right questions to ask to get you closer to likely solutions, and while you’re searching for answers, you’ll have to bear in mind the property’s performance history, performance requirements, and the property owner’s goals.
Contents:
- Strategies
- Investigating an Underperforming Property
- Troubleshooting: Causes and Solutions
Asset Evaluation and Preservation:
Asset evaluation is an essential part of property management. It begins before the property is acquired and continues throughout the entire period of investor ownership.
Due diligence supports the purchase decision for existing properties. Feasibility analysis supports the decision to develop new properties. During the ownership period, the same processes that informed the purchasing decision prove invaluable to the annual budgeting preparation. Finally, when the property matures and market conditions change, owners must evaluate the physical and financial condition of the property in order to make a critical decision: renovate, sell, or refinance.
It is the responsibility of the CAPS and the management company to provide the analysis the owner needs to make sound decisions about this valuable asset.
Contents:
- Property Ownership Lifecycle
- Property Acquisition and Due Diligence Overview
- Market Analysis
- Inspections
- Operational and Financial Analysis
- Analyzing and Reporting Results
- Property Ownership Transition
- Property Development Feasibility Analysis
- Investment Strategies: Renovation, Disposition, and Refinancing
Talent Development:
Optimum property performance depends on having high-performing site teams. While community managers have the most day-to-day responsibility for managing their site teams, the CAPS plays a crucial role in monitoring that and remediating when necessary. Moving from managing a single property to managing multiple property teams (often at a distance) presents a new set of challenges for many CAPS. They will need to adapt to these new challenges in order to develop and maintain qualified team members and top-notch site teams.
Contents:
- The CAPS Role in Talent Development
- Managing Through the Employee Cycle
- Managing During a Property Sale
Contemporary Issues in Multifamily Housing:
This module will be a compilation of topics that NAAEI anticipate changing regularly, like the following:
- Privacy Issues
- Cybersecurity
- Advocacy
- Overtime Laws
- Green Building Standards
- Hoarding
- Music Licensing
- Support Animals, etc.
Candidates are allowed 6 months from the date of application to meet all program requirements. If the requirements are not met in the time allotted, an extension fee of $75 must be paid to the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to extend candidacy for 6 months. Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice.
Minimum of 24 months of employment as a multi-site supervisor or be a CAM, ARM, or RAM credential holder in good standing
Successful completion of the CAPS coursework, complete all CAPS courses
Receiving a passing grade on the CAPS online comprehensive exam within six months of declaring candidacy
CAPS Direct allows you to earn your CAPS credential without completing the CAPS coursework, provided you fulfill the following criteria. CAPS Direct is also available to former CAPS credential holders who have allowed their credential to lapse for more than five years.
To qualify for CAPS Direct, candidates must meet two of the following three criteria:
- Hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree with a major, minor or concentration in property management or real estate.
- Hold a current CPM designation.
- Have over five years of experience as a multi-site portfolio supervisor.
Apply to CAPS Direct by completing the application below.
The cost is $700, which includes the CAPS eBook and initial exam fee. The exam must be completed successfully within six months of enrollment in CAPS Direct.
Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) Credential Program
2023 IN-PERSON CAM Credential Program
visto Online Training information
The CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) credential program curriculum is ideal for community managers and experienced assistant managers, who are a vital link to residents, owners, and investors. The course is designed to enhance the skills of the on-site property management professional and provides the highest standard of training, which can result in improved resident retention, increased employee productivity, and a better managed and more profitable asset.
The CAM credential positions you well for career opportunities and advancement. In this course, you will gain knowledge and insight while acquiring a better understanding of the challenges you face day-to-day. And at the same time, obtain opportunities to share your experiences as a multifamily industry professional with other dedicated peers establishing valuable relationships and contacts.
Earning your CAM Credential allows you to demonstrate that you have the knowledge and ability to manage an apartment community and achieve the owner's investment goals.
Course Modules:
- Industry Essentials
- Financial Management
- Marketing
- Property Maintenance
- Risk Management
- Human Resources
- Legal
- Resident Experience
Participants Will Learn About
- Occupancy rates
- Comprehensive marketing plans
- Sales team management and product readiness
- Equitable treatment of current and potential residents
- Resident retention and maintaining a positive company image
- Communicating with residents
- Customer service and issue resolution
- Enforcing company policy and complying with laws and regulations
- Property inspections
- Preventive maintenance programs
- Service request process
- Apartment turnover
- Working with contractors and vendors
- Recruiting high-caliber employees
- Employee orientation and training
- Employee evaluation
- Employment regulations and record-keeping
- Analyzing the property’s financial operations and taking corrective actions for underperformance
- Monitoring property performance to achieve the owner’s investment goals
- Accounting principles and practices
- Maximizing net operating income
- Reporting property performance
A proctored, closed-book, online exam is conducted at the conclusion of the coursework; the online exam can be taken with a Live Online Proctor (LOP). The CAM comprehensive online exam has 185 questions and is 4 hours. The cost to retake exam (a failed exam) is $100.
CAM candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAM credential. Candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 6 months of declaring candidacy. If the requirements are not met in the time allotted, an extension fee of $75 must be paid to the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to extend candidacy for 6 months. Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice.
- Minimum of 12 months of onsite property management experience (can be obtained during the candidacy period for CAM).
- Successful completion of CAM coursework, eight modules (40 hours).
- Receiving a passing grade on the CAM online comprehensive exam.
Certified Apartment Supplier (CAS) Credential Program
2024 IN-PERSON Course information coming soon!
visto online training information
Suppliers are important liaisons to the multifamily housing industry. This program is designed as an opportunity for suppliers to learn, gain knowledge and become more confident in how to better service their multifamily housing clients The CAS program is ideal for new salespeople as well as veterans of the industry.
Earning the CAS Credential allows you to network with your peers from other companies, community managers, and assistant managers. The CAS will help you understand the everyday challenges that apartment management customers face and help you develop unique selling propositions to meet those challenges.
- Industry Essentials (optional)
- Financial Management
- Legal Responsibilities
- Risk Management
- The Resident Experience
- Applicant screening, leasing contracts, and move-ins
- Rent collection, lease renewal, the move-out process, lease termination, and eviction
- Property management systems and their functions
- How community managers create a positive fair housing environment
- Minimizing risk through inspections, preventive maintenance, safety programs, and documentation
- Addressing property and environmental hazards and crime
- Analyzing property financial operations and underperformance
- Monitoring property performance to achieve an owner’s investment goals
- Maximizing net operating income
A proctored, closed-book, online exam is conducted at the conclusion of the coursework; the online exam can be taken with a Live Online Proctor (LOP). The CAS comprehensive online exam has 100 questions and is 2 hours. The cost to retake exam (a failed exam) is $100.
CAS candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 6 months of declaring candidacy. If the requirements are not met in the time allotted, an extension fee of $75 must be paid to the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to extend candidacy for 6 months. Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice.
- Candidates must work in the apartment industry in a supplier partner role
- Successful completion of the prerequisite the Supplier Success Course
- Successful completion of four modules (26 hours)
- Receiving a passing grade on the CAS online comprehensive exam
The CAS credential requires annual renewal. Submission of both annual dues of $100 and documentation of five hours of continuing education credit should be submitted to complete the annual CAS renewal. Submission of continuing education is required for the first renewal and all subsequent renewals. Find online submission and renewal information.
Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) Credential Program
2023 IN-PERSON COURSE INFORMATION (Completed)
visto online training information
Stay tuned for updates of the upcoming CALP 2024 credential program!
Leasing professionals are the first people prospective residents meet and are responsible for generating traffic, conducting leasing demonstrations, overcoming objections, and qualifying prospective residents. The Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) program is designed to teach leasing skills to multifamily residential management professionals.
Earning CALP, your first industry credential, signals to an employer your commitment to a career in residential property management, signals to an employer your commitment to a career in residential property management.
You'll learn about:
- Using technology to generate traffic
- Measuring and managing your community’s reputation
- Inspecting the leasing center, tour route, model units, and vacant apartments
- Researching the competition while building relationships with competitors
- Compiling a comprehensive community resource tool
- Creating effective marketing plans
- Relationship sales process and evaluating personal sales performance
- Evaluating a prospect’s commitment level and overcoming objections
- Preparing prospects for the next steps in the rental process
- Applying fair housing laws and communicating rental criteria
- Qualifying prospective residents according to the rental policy
- Preparing and reviewing leases with new residents
- The move-in process
- Responding to resident issues and maintenance requests with appropriate follow-up
- Building relationships with residents and creating a sense of community
- Reporting incidents, maintaining documentation, and taking corrective action
- Maximizing revenue and operational efficiency
- Securing and processing lease renewals
- Conducting a market analysis
Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) Credential Modules:
- Bringing in New Residents
- Marketing and Maintaining your Community
- Why Your Competition Matters
- Relevant Laws and How to Apply Them
- The Sales Process and Building Relationships
- Effectively Meeting the Needs of Current Residents
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Market Analysis for Leasing Professionals
Bringing in New Residents
Be Prepared - This course focuses on the skills needed to deliver exceptional leasing support. From personal organization and time management to teamwork and technology, the Leasing Professional applies these talents to a successful outcome for the prospective residents.
Marketing and Maintaining your Community
These chapters highlight the importance of image, reputation, and brand in a well-maintained community. Leasing Professionals learn how to make sure their property is in peak showable condition at all times (and are provided with a checklist to help them), along with successful marketing and customer service strategies with a robust and varied marketing approach for maximum exposure.
Why Your Competition Matters A loyal and satisfied resident is at the basis of this course on the competition and why it matters. The Leasing Professional is a critical component in inspiring and maintaining loyalty, also understanding the role of competitors and their offerings. This knowledge must be complete, accurate, and timely. Relevant Laws and How to Apply Them
This course teaches a full spectrum of fair housing and ADA compliance for both prospective and current residents. Also, laws applying to prospect screening, application verification, the lease and lease addenda make up the curriculum for this key- component to the Leasing professional’s role.
The Sales Process and Building Relationships
The CALP candidate learns the foundations of relationship selling and the importance of problem-solving for both the prospective and current resident. Learning to listen and respond specifically to the customer, handling objections, and meaningful ways to close the sale are the essential duties to learn. The course closes with a personal assessment of sales-readiness.
Effectively Meeting the Needs of Current Residents Once the prospective resident moves in, the relationship and responsibilities continue. In this course, a Leasing Professional learns the importance of handling maintenance and resident issues and the importance of continuing toe a positive brand for the community; lease renewals and a focus on the all-important resident’s sense of community are vital skills for the successful Leasing Professional.
Market Analysis for Leasing Professionals
In this course, Leasing Professionals will learn about market analysis and the role it plays in leasing a community. How to apply the market knowledge to maximize leasing and retention results, how to calculate the key ratios and formulas that define market performance, and analyzing market data to make recommendations.
Candidates are allowed 6 months from the date of application to meet all program requirements. If the requirements are not met in the time allotted, an extension fee of $75 must be paid to the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to extend candidacy for 6 months. Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice.
To obtain the CALP credential, candidates must complete the following:
-
Minimum of six months of onsite property management experience in a leasing role (This can be obtained while taking the course; you will receive a provisional certificate until this requirement is met.)
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Successful completion of seven CALP courses.
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Pass the examination within six (6) months of declaring candidacy.
Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians (CAMT)
2023-2024 IN-PERSON COURSE INFORMATION
This program is designed both as an introduction for new maintenance professionals and as a refresher for the veteran employee, to give these professionals the knowledge and tools necessary to run an effective maintenance program. Maintenance expenses are the single largest controllable element in any operating budget. The CAMT program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system.
Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians (CAMT) includes:
The non-technical Soft Skills course consists of online learning, including practice scenarios. Five technical courses consist of hands-on classroom training followed by online practice scenarios.
Technical Modules:
- Electrical Maintenance and Repair
- Plumbing Maintenance and Repair
- Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Maintenance and Repair
- Appliance Maintenance and Repair
- Interior and Exterior Maintenance and Repair
Non-Technical Online Course Modules:
- Welcome to the Industry
- Customer Service
- Teamwork
- Time & Project Management
- Money Matters
- Documentation & Paperwork
- Maintenance & Emergencies
- Safety First
- Compliance
- Enhanced with FranklinCovey Insights on Demand video-based online courses
Programs may be taken as standalone seminars or in full to earn the industry credential.
Certificate candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAMT credential. Candidates must complete coursework and exam within 6 months of declaring candidacy. If the requirements are not met in the time allotted, an extension fee of $75 must be paid to the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to extend candidacy for 6 months. Candidates may only extend their credential candidacy twice.
- Minimum of 12 months of apartment or rental housing maintenance experience (this requirement may be met after completion of coursework and exam. During that period a candidate holds a Provisional CAMT).
- Successful completion of CAMT coursework, six courses plus online content (80 hours).
- Receiving a passing grade on the CAMT online comprehensive exam.
The CAMT comprehensive online exam has 100 questions and is 2.5 hours.
Independent Rental Owner Professional (IROP) 
visto online training information
Whether you are a new or experienced independent rental owner, earning your IROP gives you an "insider's view" of professional property ownership and management practices.
You'll learn about:
- Key elements of successful rental unit ownership
- Preparing and managing a budget
- Planning taxes strategically
- Establishing relationships with code department representatives
- Protecting and your investment
- Increasing your property's energy efficiency to increase the market value
- Screening, hiring, and training employees
- Scheduling unit inspections for preventive maintenance
- Establishing rental rates and marketing to find residents
- Qualifying residents and complying with fair housing laws
- Considering the important elements of an enforceable lease
- Owner liability, rent collection, security deposits, and eviction
- Developing turnkey rental unit preparation and resident move-in processes
- Showing the rental unit and qualifying and screening prospective residents
- Managing resident retention and terminating a lease
Visto Online Training
Powered by Grace Hill & NAAEI
Visto Property Management Training
Grace Hill and the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) have teamed up to create Visto—all the credentials and training property management professionals need. Train and learn course-by-course or on a subscription basis—and take your career to the next level.
Available Online Credentials:
- Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS)
- Certified Apartment Manager (CAM)
- Certified Apartment Supplier (CAS)
- Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP)
- Independent Rental Owner Professional (IROP)
Certified Pool-Spa Operator (CPO) Course and Exam
These two-day courses offer instruction in swimming pool/spa maintenance and safety. Each course runs from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Participants will need to bring a hand-held battery-operated calculator, pencil, and paper to both classes. The exam will be given on the 2nd day of the two-day course.
All those seeking CPO re-certifications do not have to attend a two-day course if your CPO certification hasn't already expired before taking the course.
NSPF-Approved Instruction Includes:
- Pool and spa chemistry
- Cost Saving Tips
- Testing and Treatment
- Water Balance
- Filtration
- Liability and Risk Management
- Record keeping
- Pool and Spa Maintenance
- Pool Management
- Chemical Troubleshooting
- Disease and Accident Prevention
Wake County Certification:
For those operating a pool in Wake County, you are required to pass the Wake County Exam after receiving your CPO certification. The Wake County Exam comes at no cost to you. Contact Wake County at 919-856-7400 to schedule your exam. For more information click here.
CFC: Certification & Testing for Technical Service Personnel
Become CFC certified by attending 8 hours of instruction followed by testing in one or all of the following: Type I, Type II, Type III, and Universal certification in the use of EPA-regulated refrigerant gases. Attendees will be instructed in the rules and regulations that meet compliance with the EPA refrigerant recycle rules. All instruction materials will be provided. Student materials are available in Spanish.
Course Topics Include:
- HVAC Theory
- Prohibition on Venting
- Mandatory Technical Certification
- Safe Disposal Requirements
- Refrigeration Maintenance Practices
- Service Practice Requirements
- Refrigerant Sales Restrictions
- Record-Keeping Requirements
Have you misplaced your CFC EPA 608 card from ESCO? No worries!
You may request a copy by visiting the ESCO website.
Take the EPA 608 Examination Online, Anytime from your Location!
ESCO Institute has partnered with ProctorU to bring the EPA Section 608 examination to you rather than you having to go to a testing location! This is a professional online proctoring service where you are monitored remotely, and it does require you to have a computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone.
How Does it Work?
There is an $85 fee to test. Upon completion of your order of the exam, you will receive an email providing further instructions on setting up an account and scheduling your exam with the proctoring service as well as the code numbers needed to start your examination. Proctors are available 24/7. Please note: when scheduling your exam through the proctoring service, please schedule at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance. If you need to take your exam sooner, you may be charged a rush proctoring fee from the proctoring service.
EPA - Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics
Below are some of the topics covered on the tests for each of the four types of technician certification. (Note that universal certification involves topics pertaining to the other three types of certification).
Other CFC EPA 608 Resources
Download EPA-Approved NC Non-Regulatory Provisions
REFRIGERANT MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS for property & facilities management
FACT SHEET FOR APPLIANCE DISPOSAL & RECYCLING