Giving Up Your CIH Certification

BGC offers two methods for individuals who wish to intentionally give up their certification before it expires unless involved in a BGC ethics case:

• Voluntary surrender
• Retirement Status

Voluntarily Surrendering the Certification

Diplomates (anyone who holds a BGC credential or designation) may voluntarily surrender their certification before their certification expires (unless involved in a BGC ethics case). If voluntary surrender is chosen, the individual is no longer referred to as a “Diplomate.”  For CIH holders, the request for Voluntary Surrender is completed only via your CAPS portal.  For all other certifications, the request is completed via the Retire / Voluntary Surrender Request form. BGC publishes the names of persons who have elected to voluntarily surrender their certification.

Diplomates who surrender their certification:

• Can continue to practice in their area (e.g., Industrial Hygiene, Environmental, EHS Auditing, Product Stewardship)
• Can use the BGC certification designations only when referencing the years of active certification, e.g., Certified Industrial Hygienist, 1990-2009
• Cannot use the BGC embossing seal, stamp, or their digial badge
• Are removed from the BGC email distribution list
• Are relieved of CM requirements and fees
• Can reactivate at any time (See "Reactivating Your Certification" on the menu on the right side of this page)
• Are subject to BGC ethics case procedure provisions if found to be in violation of the voluntary surrender terms

Former Diplomates can continue to be listed in the BGC online rosters depending upon their status.

¹No unresolved ethics issues and current on all fees (due before the end of a CM cycle).
²Current fee is posted on the BGC website.

Retirement Status

Retirement status (either Annual or Lifetime) is available after completing one, 5-year recertification/credential maintenance cycle in good standing. Designed for diplomates at the end of their careers, a retirement designation cannot be used in place of an active BGC credential for work. However, retirement status will provide an opportunity for ongoing engagement with the professional community and will publicly acknowledge the important contribution of a practitioner in the protection of people and the environment.

Diplomates may elect retirement status before their certification expires unless involved in a BGC ethics case. If retirement status is chosen, the individual is referred to as a “certificant”, not a “Diplomate.”  For CIH holders, the Retirement request is completed only via your CAPS portal. For all other certifications, the request is completed via the Retire / Voluntary Surrender Request form.

Diplomates who choose retirement status

• Can continue to practice in their area (e.g., Industrial Hygiene, Environmental, EHS Auditing, Product Stewardship)
• May use the designation identifying their BGC retirement status (e.g., CIH-Retired, CAIH-Retired, QEP-Retired, CPPS-Retired, CPEA-Retired, or CPSA-Retired) outside of work and professional practice situations
• Are only permitted to use the BGC certification designations, (CIH, CAIH, QEP, CPPS, CPEA, or CPSA), in work situations when referencing the years of active certification, (e.g., Certified Industrial Hygienist, 1987-2015; Qualified Environmental Professional, 2000-2020, etc.).
• Will be assigned a CIH-Retired, CAIH-Retired, QEP-Retired, CPPS-Retired, CPEA-Retired, or CPSA-Retired badge as appropriate to their BGC status
• Remain on the BGC email distribution list
• Are relieved of CM requirements and fees
• Can reactivate at any time with on-time fee discounts (See "Reactivating Your Certification" on the menu on the right side of this page)
• Are subject to BGC ethics case procedure provisions if found to be in violation of the retirement status terms

Former Diplomates can continue to be listed in the BGC online rosters depending upon their status.

¹No unresolved ethics issues and current on all fees (due before the end of a CM cycle).
²Current fee is posted on the BGC website.

Voluntary Surrender Compared to Retirement Status

The table, below, compares the benefits of Voluntary Surrender versus Retirement Status:

¹Individuals who no longer hold an active BGC credential are only permitted to use the title for paid or volunteer work when it is used in conjunction with their years of service, (e.g., Certified Industrial Hygienist, 1987-2015; Qualified Environmental Professional, 2000-2020, etc.).

Voluntary Surrender or Retirement Request Form

THIS FORM IS NOT FOR THE CIH. 

Relinquishing your CIH is done through your CAPS account. 

When you log in to your CAPS portal, the Retire/Voluntary Surrender link is at the bottom-right of the main page. 

OTHER THAN FOR A CIH CREDENTIAL, those who wish to relinquish their certifications, please complete the fields below and click Submit. 

Name(Required)

First Last

Certification Selection(Required)

Choose QEP, CPEA, or CPSAQEPCPEACPSA

After reading the above descriptions, I choose to relinquish my BGC credential or designation by:

After reading the above descriptions, I choose to relinquish my BGC credential or designation by

Choose OneVoluntary SurrenderRetirement - AnnualRetirement - Lifetime

Email(Required)

Email Confirm Email

I agree to use electronic records and signatures.(Required)

I agree to use electronic records and signatures.

Date/Time(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

After this form is received and reviewed, BGC staff will acknowledge and will send a payment link if Retirement is chosen.

Save and Continue Later

Involuntary Decertification

Diplomates fail to maintain their certification when any of the following conditions occur:

• CM Point submission is not approved prior to the 5th month after the end of the CM cycle, or the
  examination is not passed (in the re-certification time periods)
• Annual fees (renewal & late) have not been paid for more than 2 years
• A CM audit verifies that the minimum CM point requirements have not been achieved
• An ethics review results in a decertification sanction

BGC may revoke a person’s certification at any time for cause related to an ethics sanction.

When a Diplomate fails to renew the certification, BGC sends a written notice of expiration to the person’s current postal mailing address. BGC will publish the names of persons whose certification has expired.

Decertification decisions can be appealed following the Certification Appeals Procedure.

Except for an ethics-related decertification, a person formerly certified may pursue reactivation (next section).

It is considered unethical conduct for a person to advertise himself/herself as a BGC Diplomate or Certificant (e.g., CIH, CAIH, QEP, CPPS, CPEA, CPSA, or EPI)  if the person:

• Is not currently certified by BGC
• Has allowed the certification to expire
• Has voluntarily surrendered the certification
• Has chosen retired status
• Has been de-certified for cause

BGC reserves the right and does take legal action when a non-credentialed person is found to be advertising himself/herself as a BGC Diplomate.