Certificates, Credentials, Certifications, and Licensure
The Difference Between Certificates, Credentials, Certifications, and Licensure
Certificates, credentials, certifications, and licenses are often used interchangeably, but each one means something different. Whether you’re choosing an art therapist, hiring one, or becoming one, knowing the difference helps you understand what a designation actually tells you.
Certificate
Completion of a course or program
What it Does:
Shows completion of a course or program
Issued by:
Educational institutions, companies, organizations
Standard-based exam:
Not typically
Ongoing requirements:
None to maintain
Grants legal authority to practice:
No
License
Legal authority to work in a regulated profession
What it Does:
Grants legal authority to practice in a specific state
Issued by:
State licensing boards
Exam:
Typically, yes
Ongoing requirements:
Set by each state
Grants legal authority to practice:
Yes
Credential
Verifies advanced skills in a field
What it Does:
Verifies professional qualifications
Issued by:
Credentialing bodies, including the Art Therapy Credentials Board® (ATCB℠)
Based On:
Verified education, training, and experience
Exam:
Varies
Ongoing requirements:
Varies; often periodic renewal
Grants legal authority to practice:
No
Certification
Verification of expertise and industry standards
What it Does:
Confirms competence against established standards
Issued by:
Certifying bodies, including ATCB℠
Exam:
Yes
Ongoing requirements:
Recertification, including continuing education
Grants legal authority to practice:
No
How ATCB℠ Designations Fit
At ATCB℠, credentials refer to specific designations — a pathway, with each one building on the one before it.
- Provisional Registered Art Therapist® (ATR-P®): A credential for those who have completed their graduate education in art therapy and are working toward the supervised clinical experience required for the ATR℠.
- Registered Art Therapist® (ATR℠): A credential confirming verified graduate education and supervised clinical experience.
- Board Certified Registered Art Therapist℠ (ATR-BC®): A certification earned by passing the Art Therapy Credentials Board Exam® (ATCBE®). It requires an active ATR℠ and is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
- Art Therapy Certified Supervisor℠ (ATCS℠): A credential for supervisors that requires an active ATR-BC®.
Renewal and recertification are separate requirements. Credentials are renewed annually. Board certification is also recertified every five years, including continuing education focused on art therapy.
Licensure and Board Certification
A state license and board certification are often held together, but they serve different purposes. A license grants the legal authority to practice in a specific state, and each state’s licensing board sets its requirements. Board certification confirms demonstrated competence in art therapy as a specialty.
The ATCBE® is required for board certification, and some states also require it for licensure. But an exam measures competence at a single point in time. Recertification is what keeps board certification meaningful over the years that follow.
Every five years, ATR-BC® holders complete 100 continuing education credits (CEs), 50 of them specific to art therapy. That averages about 20 CEs a year, roughly 10 of them focused on art therapy. Licenses carry continuing education requirements too. Both matter, and they serve different purposes: one maintains legal authority to practice in a state, the other keeps a specialty current.
ATCB℠ does not issue licenses. For licensure requirements, contact the licensing board in the state where you practice, or visit State Licensure.
Verify a Credential
Anyone can confirm whether an art therapist holds a current ATCB℠ credential and/or certification.