9. What is the difference between certification and licensure?

Professional certification is a voluntary process by which a non-government, professional organization recognizes an individual who meets certain qualifications. This usually includes an exam of knowledge needed to perform the job. When an individual meets the standard, he or she receives certification from a certifying agency.

Certification should not be confused with licensing. While they both involve evaluation and the awarding of credentials, they are quite different. The terms should not be used interchangeably.

Licensure is a non-voluntary process by which government regulates a profession. It grants permission to individuals to engage in an occupation provided they have attained the degree of competency required to insure the reasonable protection of public health, safety, and welfare. Once a licensing law has been passed it becomes illegal for anyone to engage in that occupation unless they have a license. Assisted living professionals are often licensed at the state and/or local level, but not by the federal government.

Comparison of SLU Certification and State Licensure
SLU Certification	State Licensure
Voluntary professional credential	Mandatory for practice
Based on validating studies of required knowledge	Established by the state legislature and usually implemented by different departments or agencies
Recognized for successfully completing education in profession	Requirements differ from state to state; possibly recognized by other states
Requires continuing education to maintain; any Senior Living University certificate course with CEUs is accepted	Requires continuing education/professional development to renew licensure in most states; may require pre-approval of sponsor or activities
Administrator Level One and Level Two certifications require renewal every two years for maintenance of the certificate (except in Montana)	Continuing education required by most state licensing boards; number of required contact hours and the length of renewal cycles vary
Courses and topics acceptable for SLU continuing education may not be acceptable to the state	Generally requires CE hours from an educational agency that is pre-approved by the state; may also accept only certain content