How to Earn SHRM and HRCI Recertification Credits

10/23/2025

Keeping your SHRM or HRCI certification current is key to maintaining your credibility and advancing your HR career. The good news? You don’t need to spend thousands or wait years to earn new credentials. With HRCertification.com, you can earn SHRM and HRCI recertification credits through practical, compliance-focused courses — from FMLA and ADA to COBRA and Investigations — that build real “hard skills” while meeting your continuing education requirements.

Why Recertification Matters for HR Professionals

Maintaining your HR certification is more than just a box to check; it’s a strategic career move. Recertification demonstrates your commitment to staying current in a field where laws and best practices are constantly changing. This dedication supports your career growth by signaling to employers that you are a serious, knowledgeable professional who invests in their expertise.

Letting a hard-earned credential like a PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP lapse carries significant risk. It can create a perception that your skills are outdated and may place you at a disadvantage compared to certified peers when competing for promotions or new roles. Continuing education is the foundation of long-term trust and leadership, assuring your organization that its compliance and people strategies are in capable hands.

Understanding SHRM Recertification Credits

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has a well-defined process for recertification that centers on continuous professional development. Keeping your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential active requires a consistent effort to learn and grow within the profession.

What Counts Toward SHRM Recertification

To maintain your SHRM certification, you are required to earn 60 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) over a three-year recertification cycle. These credits are earned by participating in pre-approved professional development activities. SHRM-approved activities are diverse and can include attending webinars, participating in workshops, or completing accredited online courses. SHRM’s framework often emphasizes development in "soft-skill" areas, such as leadership, strategic thinking, and interpersonal communication, which are crucial for effective HR leadership.

How SHRM Credits Are Tracked and Verified

SHRM provides an online portal where you can track your PDCs throughout your three-year cycle. When you complete an approved activity, like a webinar or seminar from an accredited provider, you will receive an activity ID code. You can enter this code directly into your SHRM portal to log your credits. It is a best practice to save all completion certificates and documentation as proof of attendance. To avoid a last-minute scramble, make it a habit to log your credits as you earn them and set calendar reminders well before your renewal deadline.

Understanding HRCI Recertification Credits

The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) also uses a credit-based system to ensure its certified professionals, including those with PHR and SPHR credentials, remain knowledgeable and competent. The process is similar to SHRM's but has its own distinct focus.

The Basics of HRCI Recertification

HRCI requires professionals to earn 60 recertification credit hours during their three-year cycle. Like SHRM, these credits are earned by participating in eligible professional development activities, such as workshops, university coursework, and professional conferences. The core of HRCI's philosophy is rooted in technical HR knowledge and, most importantly, compliance.

How HRCI Credits Differ from SHRM

While both organizations require 60 credits, their emphasis differs. HRCI places a strong focus on technical expertise, employment law, and regulatory compliance. Its credit requirements are designed to ensure you have a deep and current understanding of the laws that govern the workplace. In contrast, SHRM's competency model gives more weight to people management, behavioral competencies, and strategic business partnership. Because of these different focal points, many senior HR professionals choose to maintain credentials from both organizations for comprehensive coverage of both strategic leadership and tactical compliance.

Hard-Skills vs. Soft-Skills: Choosing the Right Training Mix

An effective HR professional needs a balanced toolkit of both "soft" and "hard" skills. Understanding the difference is key to building a well-rounded recertification plan.

Broad certification programs from SHRM and HRCI are excellent for developing essential soft skills like communication, ethical practice, and leadership. These are the competencies that help you navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and align HR strategy with business goals.

However, day-to-day HR work is grounded in hard skills—the specific, technical knowledge required to execute tasks correctly and compliantly. This is where HRCertification.com excels. Our programs focus on teaching you the "how-to" of HR. Courses on FMLA, ADA, COBRA, and Internal Investigations don't just explain the law; they provide the procedural steps, documentation templates, and practical guidance needed to manage these functions with legal accuracy. These hard-skills, compliance-based programs are pre-approved to meet SHRM and HRCI credit requirements, allowing you to gain practical, job-ready skills while maintaining your broader credentials.

How to Earn SHRM and HRCI Recertification Credits with HRCertification.com

We have streamlined the recertification process to be simple, affordable, and highly effective. Our pre-approved, expert-led courses allow you to earn credits quickly while gaining skills you can use immediately.

Step 1 – Choose an Approved Course

Browse our extensive catalog of online courses and webinars, all of which are pre-approved for both SHRM and HRCI credits. Our programs range from short 90-minute webinars offering 1.5 credits to in-depth certificate programs providing 32 or more credits. You can easily find a course that fits your schedule, budget, and specific compliance needs, with popular programs covering FMLA, ADA, COBRA, Internal Investigations, Payroll, and PWFA compliance. Every course is written and updated annually by industry experts.

Step 2 – Complete and Track Your Credits

Upon completing any course, you will automatically receive a certificate of completion. This certificate includes all the necessary information, such as the activity ID and the number of credit hours awarded, for easy submission to the SHRM and HRCI portals. The credit hours are clearly listed, so there is no guesswork involved in documenting your professional development.

Step 3 – Renew and Stay Current

Unlike traditional certification paths that can be lengthy and expensive to repeat, HRCertification.com offers a sustainable model for continuous learning. For just $99, you can maintain continued access to your course materials, which includes free updates whenever relevant laws or regulations change. This ensures your hard-won knowledge never becomes outdated and you can always refer back to the material when you face a challenging compliance situation.

Popular SHRM and HRCI Credit-Eligible Courses

Our most popular programs are designed to address the most critical and complex areas of HR management, providing significant credit hours and immense practical value.

Certificate Program for HR Generalists

This comprehensive program is perfect for HR professionals who need a strong, foundational understanding of core HR functions. It covers vital employment law, compliance best practices, and HR fundamentals. By completing this program, you can earn 12 or more SHRM and HRCI credits while gaining the skills needed to manage a wide range of HR responsibilities with confidence.

Certificate in FMLA & ADA Compliance

Managing employee leave is one of the highest-risk areas in HR. This specialized certificate program provides an in-depth understanding of how to correctly administer FMLA and ADA requests, with a focus on managing the complex overlap between these and other leave laws like Workers' Compensation. It is pre-approved for significant continuing education credits for both SHRM and HRCI.

Internal Investigations Certificate Program

Conducting fair, thorough, and defensible internal investigations is a critical skill for senior HR leaders. This intensive, three-day practical program provides a step-by-step guide to the investigation process, from initial complaint to final report. It is designed for HR leaders responsible for maintaining a safe and respectful workplace and offers over 18 continuing education credits.

SHRM and HRCI Recertification Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating recertification can bring up a few common questions. Here are some quick answers.

• How long do I have to earn SHRM or HRCI credits?
  Both SHRM and HRCI give you a three-year recertification cycle, which begins on the day you earn your credential and ends on the last day of your birth month three years later.
• Can one course count toward both certifications?
  Yes. Almost all courses offered by HRCertification.com are pre-approved for both SHRM and HRCI credits. You can use a single course to satisfy the requirements for both credentials simultaneously.
• How do I report credits or print my certificates?
  After completing a course with HRCertification.com, you can download your certificate of completion directly from your account. You then log into your SHRM or HRCI portal and enter the activity ID and credit information found on your certificate.
• What happens if I miss my renewal deadline?
  Both organizations offer a short grace period, but letting your certification fully expire often means you will have to retake the original, rigorous certification exam. It is far easier and more cost-effective to stay on top of your recertification requirements.

Why HR Pros Choose HRCertification.com for Recertification

Thousands of HR professionals across the nation trust HRCertification.com to help them maintain their credentials and sharpen their skills. Our approach is fundamentally different.

We offer hard-skills focused courses built for the real-world challenges you face every day. All of our programs are pre-approved by both SHRM and HRCI, eliminating any uncertainty about credit eligibility. Our training is affordable, flexible, and, most importantly, automatically updated whenever laws change, ensuring your knowledge is always current.

Maintain Your Credentials — and Your Confidence

Don’t wait until your renewal deadline sneaks up. Keep your SHRM and HRCI certifications active with affordable, accredited training that strengthens your compliance expertise and boosts your professional credibility. With a focus on practical application, you gain more than just credits—you gain the confidence to handle any HR challenge that comes your way.

Explore approved recertification courses at HRCertification.com today.