As the leading director credential in the United States, the Certification program provides rigorous governance content, comprehensive preparation, and a credentialing exam to ensure you possess the core competencies required of an effective board professional.

Earning the NACD.DC^™ designation demonstrates your commitment to governance leadership and personal development, as well as your commitment to leading oversight of organizations today and in the future.

Certification at a Glance

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Preparation

Foundational education and study guide

Assessment

An exam to appraise your knowledge

Recertification

Through ongoing professional development

Who Is Eligible

Candidates who meet the following criteria can apply to the program:

Current Director
You’re currently a director for a private, public, and/or nonprofit organization.
NACD Member
You’re an active NACD member. Or you can join NACD during the application process.

What Is Included

The program includes these valuable preparation resources:

The Certification Study Guide
The definitive source on all governance competencies required for completion of the program.
Practice Questions and Exam
Experience what the actual test will cover and how the questions are presented.
Virtual Director Professionalism*
The comprehensive online foundation course for core subject matter.
Plus Additional Resources

Virtual Discussion Groups to build confidence and understanding in a co-learning environment

*Experienced directors may qualify to skip the foundation course and go straight to the exam. See program details for more information.

NACD Directorship Certification

Speak to a Membership Advisor

For questions or help with your application,
email the NACD Credentialing Team.

Program Investment

NACD Directorship Certification is an investment according to your membership and bundle selection. See program details for your pricing.

Certification Bundle
Includes Virtual Director Professionalism^™ + the Certification exam. This option is suitable for candidates at all levels of directorship.
NACD Individual Members: $4,900
NACD Full Board Members: $3,750
Certification Exam Only
Available only to experienced directors who can demonstrate their preparedness. See the Program details for more information.
NACD Individual Members: $3,000
NACD Full Board Members: $1,500
Nonmember Bundle
Receive a 15% discount for a new NACD Individual Membership + Virtual Director Professionalism + the Certification exam. It's easy to join NACD during the application process.
New NACD Individual Membership Bundle: $5,335

The Critical Value of Certification

Directors share the impact of Certification.

Why certification is important.

Relevant
Hundreds of directors from all over the United States were involved in developing the exam, tailoring the content toward skills and abilities they would want prospective colleagues to demonstrate.

Thanks to these efforts, today there are more than 1,600 highly-respected directors who hold the NACD.DC^™ designation.

Respected
Annual proxy statements in the United States must include a description of the qualifications of board candidates up for reelection. Being NACD Directorship Certified^® is a signal to investors, stakeholders, and peers that you meet a standard of board competency and are committed to continuous learning.

World Class
Being a certified director will help you compete and engage within a global community of directors, where certification is already in practice.

Education Partners
NACD partners with Pearson VUE to bring you the convenience of choosing either online or in-person testing through their nationwide test center network.

Our expanding education network provides learning opportunities from some of the most respected institutions.

Trusted
As the recognized authority leading more than 23,000 board directors, NACD has worked with hundreds of directors to create the standards by which board competency can be measured.

Start your certification journey.

Apply

All corporate directors need continuing education to provide effective board oversight. NACD Directorship Certification is the benchmark for corporate governance. It is the best tool for director development and assures investors that corporate boards are competent and committed to best practices.

Randy Daniels, NACD.DC

Watch more testimonials from NACD Certified Directors

Certified Director Roundtable

The importance of lifelong learning for directors.

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NACD Education Network

This NACD affiliation lets NACD.DC designated directors earn recertification credits at leading US academic institutions. Visit the Recertification Courses page for more information.