Inactive Status & Deferred Status
Understanding Inactive and Deferred Status
The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) provides options for credential holders who are not able to maintain active status due to personal or professional circumstances. It’s important to understand the differences between Inactive Status and Deferred Status, as well as the impact on your credentials, reinstatement options, and use of designations.
Inactive Status: What You Need to Know
Effective 12:00 AM EST on July 1, 2024, all inactive credentials will have
one year (July 1–June 30) to use the reinstatement process to return to active status.
- The reinstatement fee is $250.00.
- If reinstatement is not completed within one year, the credential—and its associated credential number—becomes permanently inactive.
At-a-Glance: Inactive Status vs. Deferred Status
| Feature | Inactive Status | Deferred Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Automatically applied after missed renewal or recertification | Must be requested by a credential holder in good standing |
| Application Required | No | Yes – via MyATCB portal |
| Fee | $250 reinstatement fee | One-time $25 application fee |
| Use of Credential (ATR, ATR-BC, ATCS) | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Duration Allowed | 1 year max | Up to 5 years |
| Risk of Permanent Inactivation | Yes – after 1 year | Yes – if not reactivated by 5 years |
| Can Return to Active? | Yes – within 1 year through reinstatement | Yes – at any time through MyATCB portal |
| Board Certification Recertification | ATCB Exam must be retaken if certification expired | Required upon return if 5-year cycle ended during Deferred Status |
| Common Reasons | Missed renewal deadlines | Parental leave, illness, military, education, or retirement uncertainty |
If a credential is not renewed by July 30, it will be moved to inactive status. For those with board certification, failure to recertify by the end of the cycle results in the loss of the Board Certified distinction.
Reinstating an Inactive Credential
Credential holders whose status has become inactive may be eligible to reinstate their credentials. The following credentials may be reinstated within the one-year window:
- Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-P)
- Registered Art Therapist (ATR)
- Art Therapy Credential Supervisor (ATCS)
To learn more about the process, review the Reinstatement Process.
Loss of Board Certification
Board Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) is not a credential; it is a time-limited certification that must be maintained. If your five-year certification cycle ends and no recertification application is submitted, the
BC distinction will no longer be valid.
Options to regain board certification include:
- Appeal to the Board of Appeals to reopen your recertification application. Instructions are available on the Appeals Policy page.
- Apply to retake the ATCB Exam through the MyATCB portal. If the exam fee presents a financial hardship, contact the ATCB Headquarters to request consideration from the Board of Directors.
Deferred Status
Deferred Status offers credential holders a more flexible option to pause their credentials without immediate risk of permanent loss. This status is ideal for those facing life transitions or temporary interruptions in their professional practice.
Key Details:
- You must be in good standing to apply for Deferred Status.
- The application is available in the MyATCB portal and requires Board approval.
- There is a one-time, non-refundable $25 application fee.
- While in Deferred Status, your annual renewal requirements are paused.
- Deferred Status is valid for up to five years.
- You must return to active status before the five-year Deferred Status period ends to avoid becoming permanently inactive.
Important: While in Deferred Status, you may not use the ATR, ATR-BC, or ATCS designations in any professional context.
If your five-year board certification cycle ends while you are on Deferred Status, you must recertify when you return to active status. Your recertification cycle will reset to align with the year you return and must follow the recertification standards for that year.
Acceptable Reasons for Deferred Status
Deferred Status may be requested for the following reasons:
- Unemployment
- Maternity or paternity leave
- Serious illness or disability
- Military or volunteer service
- Educational leave
- Retirement (if undecided about future practice)
You may return to active status at any time via the MyATCB portal, at which point all renewal and, if applicable, recertification requirements will apply.