Certification Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs 

How do I earn an ICPI Concrete Paver Installer Certification?

What if I’m not an installer, but I want to take the course?

What if I have taken the course previously and received a certification, but I don’t meet the installation experience requirements because I do not install?

What if I am an installer, but I don’t meet the installation experience requirements yet?

How far back am I able to go for my installation experience?

What counts as installation experience?

I am renewing my certification, why am I being asked to fill out the Application for Certification?

How much Continuing Education do I have to complete?

What can I attend for Continuing Education?

Why do I have to do Continuing Education?

 How do I earn an ICPI Concrete Paver Installer Certification?

To earn an ICPI Concrete Paver Installer certification, you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Take the ICPI Concrete Paver Installer course
2. Receive a passing grade on the exam
3. Complete an Application for Certification (meeting the minimum installation experience requirements of at least 5 projects and 10,000 sq. ft.)
4. Once you have completed the above steps and receive your certification it will be valid for two years.  During each two-year term, you must complete 8 continuing education credits in order to renew your certification.

 What if I’m not an installer, but I want to take the course?

Many people who are not installers, such as design professionals and sales representatives, take the course for informational purposes.  Every participant that passes the course will receive a Record of Completion, which states that you have completed the course and passed the exam, and this document does not expire.  Those participants that do not install are able to take the course to earn a Record of Completion.

We will continue to work with our ICPI committee members to come up with a term that can be used by participants who complete the course but don’t install (design professionals, industry sales representatives, etc.).  For now, something along the following lines would be appropriate:

• I hold a Record of Completion for the ICPI Concrete Paver Installer Course
• I am ICPI-trained
• I follow ICPI’s best practices for installation

What if I have taken the course previously and received a certification, but I don’t meet the installation experience requirements because I do not install?

If you do not install pavers, when you completed the course, you should have been provided with what used to be called a “graduate certificate,” as opposed to a certification document.  People who don’t install are not eligible to refer to themselves as ICPI Certified Installers.  We will be providing these individuals with a new document – a Record of Completion, which states that you have completed the course and passed the exam, and this document does not expire. 

If you would like to request a Record of Completion for this course, please click here.

What if I am an installer, but I don’t meet the installation experience requirements yet?

If you install, but do not yet meet the installation experience requirements you are still welcome to take the course to earn a Record of Completion.  The Record of Completion received for passing this course does not expire, so if you currently do not meet the minimum installation experience requirements, you can wait until you do meet them, and submit your Application for Certification at that time. 

How far back am I able to go for my installation experience?

Installation experience can be taken from any period of time that a person has been installing. Installers can go back as many years as needed in order to fulfill the requirements.

What counts as installation experience?

Installation experience refers to active participation in the construction of an interlocking concrete pavement. Do not include any projects on which work has not yet begun, or for which you were not actively involved on the job site.

I am renewing my certification, why am I being asked to fill out the Application for Certification?

The Application for Certification is a new requirement that is now required of everyone who wants to become a Certified Installer.  We are retroactively collecting this information from everyone who was previously listed as certified, in order to verify that you have installation experience.  Please note that your installation experience needs to be submitted only once. You will not be required to submit this application again.  

How much Continuing Education do I have to complete?

During each two year certification term Certified Installers will need to complete 8 continuing education credits.  One hour equals one continuing education credit.

What can I attend for Continuing Education?

All of ICPI’s paver installer and NCMA’s SRW installer courses are approved for continuing education, as well as numerous member-sponsored presentations (typically provided by producer or distributor sales representatives).

Regarding the availability of online courses, we do have some online courses available, and upon review, we will be re-activating that program soon. 

View a full listing of continuing education programs that have been pre-approved by ICPI.

Not every program a Certified Installer attends needs to be "pre-approved" in order for it to count toward CE credit; however, pre-approved programs have gone through a review and approval process, and are sure to meet ICPI's guidelines for Continuing Education for Certified Installers.

If you are having difficulty finding programs near you, check with your local hardscape manufacturer sales representative or distributor to see if they are offering any continuing education programs.  Let us know if you hear about them - we would love to see more programs added to the pre-approved list.

Additionally, if you know of any hardscape-related seminars, workshops, or presentations that you think should be approved for continuing education, please bring them to my attention, and we will review the content for approval of continuing education.


Why do I have to do Continuing Education?

Continuing education is an important part of a certification program.  If an organization certifies a participant’s competency (earning a passing exam score and meeting a minimum amount of installation experience are the criteria determined for the ICPI Concrete Paver Installer certification program), the organization must also have a way to keep those who are certified up to date on changes in the industry and keep their training current.  Continuing education is the most common way for organizations to accomplish this.