TEMPORARY INACTIVE STATUS

A good-standing credential holder may request Temporary Inactive Status (TIS) at any time. The request requires board approval, and the application is located in MyATCB portals. There is a one-time $25 fee to apply for temporary inactive status. When temporary inactive status is in effect, the annual maintenance of your renewal is paused.

Temporary Inactive Status is valid for five years, to avoid going inactive, credentials must be returned to an active state before the end of the five-year TIS period. Any registered art therapist credential that carries board certification (ATR-BC) must be recertified as well if the five-year certification cycle ended while the credential was in TIS. Credential holders in this scenario will have their five-year cycle reset to that of the year they return and will need to complete recertification on June 30 of that year and follow the recertification standards for the year they recertify board certification.

While in TIS, credential holders may not use ATR, ATR-BC, or ATCS designation. 

Acceptable reasons for seeking Temporary Inactive Status include unemployment, maternity or paternity leave, serious illness or disability, military service, volunteer service, or education. Credential holders who are retiring from employment and who are not sure if they will practice in retirement can also request TIS during their decision-making. 

Any credential holder on Temporary Inactive Status can return to active status anytime through the MYATCB portal. Credential renewal and, if applicable, recertification is required once TIS ends. Information about maintaining credentials and board certification can be found here.